The utmost value of the European Association of Archaeologist, from its inception more than thirty years ago, has always been to offer the opportunity to the vastest archaeological community to search for the common grounds, both in terms of our research interests and our shared professional experiences. The organizers of the 31st Annual Conference wish to build upon this spirit of productive exchange among the colleagues across Europe and beyond, through intertwining our trajectories aimed at the common goal. The location of the conference – Belgrade, brings to the fore this richness and complexity of intertwined experiences. With its geographical position at the confluence of two vast rivers, Sava and the Danube, at the line dividing, as well as connecting the Pannonian plain and the mountainous Central Balkan lands, the city has always been the meeting point of diverse intertwined cultures and traditions. It is our wish to further foster fruitful collaborations among the colleagues in the present, bringing us closer to fully comprehend the intensity of the dynamic connections that existed in the past.
To invoke this perpetual flow of multiple mutually reinforcing strands, an element is chosen of the architectural decoration from the façade of the church of the Medieval monastery Kalenić, situated in central Serbia. This complex is a splendid example of the Morava style, typical of the late 14th and early 15th century sacral architecture in the region. The ornamental style is endemic, but markedly imbued with the influences from the Venetian, Arabic, Armenian traditions. The stylized floral interlaces, such as the one chosen for the logo of the Belgrade conference, pervade the bifora windows and are often painted in vivid purple red hues. The Morava style has been the stimulation of many subsequent artists and architects, and we hope that the Kalenić interlace will also inspire the delegates of the 2025 conference to exchange our similarities and differences in the past and present, and to jointly build our intertwined futures.