February, 2010 · Written by: John Tierney
This entry is part 16 of 21 in the Issue 05The 16th Annual Meeting of the European Association of Archaeologists will be held in the city of The Hague in the Netherlands from 1st-5th September 2010.
An excellent venue for the meeting has been found in Leiden University Campus The Hague, in the building of the Royal Conservatoire, adjacent to the central railway station in the centre of town.
Dates & deadlines
- October 2009
Online registration will open
- October 2009
Online hotel booking form available
- October 2009
Proposals for sessions and round tables can be submitted
- 15th January 2010
Deadline for proposal submissions
- 21 February
Paper and poster abstract submission will open
- 1 May 2010
Deadline paper and poster abstratct submission will close
- 30th June 2010
Deadline for Early Fee registration
- 31st August 2010
CAAS Conference
- 1st – 5th September 2010
EAA Annual Meeting 2010
Current Sessions of interest are;
Session Title: Archaeology and managing change in economically marginal and
semi-natural land in Europe
Organiser: Cees van Rooijen
Session Proposal
Agriculture in Europe is changing as a result of global pressures and reforms to the common
agricultural policy. Pressures for change are often at their most intense in economically marginal
land, including uplands and mountainous areas where archaeological and historical landscapes
are best preserved. Farms are merging and land is being abandoned, sometimes with the
intention of creating notionally “wild” landscapes. Elsewhere there is a growing interest in
managing land primarily for nature conservation purposes, for example in the Natura2000 site
series and in wetland areas, or for establishing woodland in arable or pastoral landscapes. These
processes sometimes threaten the archaeological heritage, but also create new opportunities and
the possibilities of closer working with nature conservation interests. The consequences of these
processes and the possibility of managing these changes effectively from an archaeological
perspective, differ from place to place. This Roundtable session aims to share the knowledge on
these subjects and the heritage present in these areas and discuss possible management
strategies for preserving archaeological and historical landscape futures. Attention will focus on
two topics in particular: 1) Archaeology and nature conservation 2) Land abandonment and
conversion of farmland to forestry
Session Title: Professional Archaeology in Europe Today: round table of the
Committee on Professional Associations in Archaeology
Organiser: Kenneth Aitchison
Session Proposal
Following a very successful session on “Professionalism in Archaeology” at Riva del Garda, this
round table will include:
short reports on the current state of the archaeological profession in different states;
discussion of the issues facing European archaeology on continental and national scales;
a report on the work of the Committee on Professional Associations in Archaeology;
the appointment of a Committee Secretary
Session Title: There’s no place like home? Examining the changing value of domestic
architecture from archaeological and anthropological perspectives
Organisers: Jessica Smyth
Kerry Cleary
Session Proposal
Changes in domestic architecture are frequently noticed in archaeological research across all time
periods. These changes can relate to architectural preferences, location choices and resource
limitations, but also to the way in which societies view and experience their own dwellings. Shifts
in perceptions and trends can be both gradual and rapid, subtle and dramatic, with the variety of
interpretations offered frequently reflecting these dichotomies. Why at certain points in time do
houses become more visible or prominent, seemingly more important to a group or society? For
what reasons do they become the focus of ritualised activity such as structured deposition or
formal episodes of burning or decommissioning? Most importantly, why does this focus on the
house periodically dissolve, only to reappear several centuries or even millennia later? While the
symbolism and meaning attached by society to domestic architecture is well recognised
archaeologically and anthropologically, we would argue that this ebb and flow, this wax and wane
of the importance of the house through time remains under-explored. This session aims to
examine the social processes behind domestic architecture from prehistory through to the
modern period – the mechanisms by which houses change, ‘evolve’, and rise and fall in
popularity over time. By combining archaeological remains with anthropological approaches it is
hoped that a greater understanding of the variables governing changes in domestic architecture,
both structural and symbolic, will be achieved. Contributions covering any aspect of the above
are welcomed from the fields of archaeology and anthropology and from any period of the past or
present.
Session Title: The post-excavation process – seeking european best practice
Organisers: Virágos Gábor
Rónán Swan
Session Proposal
The aim of this session is to stimulate a debate about the post excavation history of the finds and
documentation/archive in different European countries and in both the academic and commercial
sectors. It is hoped that discussion will follow on the general state policy, the official legislation,
the accessible infrastructure and the available resources, especially the human resources. Some
of the issues to be explored are:
The types and phases of the post-excavation process (e.g. conservation and inventory of
artefacts, and environmental samples, the management of the archaeological archive, digitisation,
GIS, storage, dissemination, and publication)
The legal, academic or commercial limitations as to who may (or must) carry out the postexcavation
works? What are the expectations of the different stakeholders e.g. archaeologists,
academic, commercial, and general public?
The published archaeological standards and to what extent are they implemented. Do such
standards lead to a consistent approach? Do standards automatically provide for (or ensure)
quality?
How are post-excavation services funded? How is it procured? Do such procedures encourage
best practice?
The ownership of the finds and the disposal of documentation/archive (by the state, local
community, NGO, private company, landowner, citizen, or the excavator archaeologist) –
legislation, licensing, practice, etc.; moreover, what does it mean to own archaeological finds at
all?
The system and conditions of storing finds right after finishing the excavation, and later, after
finishing the post-excavation process; it is obviously connected to the ownership, but this
connection is not necessarily a direct one.
The extent to which the information gathered from past archaeological projects (commercial or
research) are being used in future projects – essentially the extent to which archaeological
knowledge is being applied.
Presentations are welcome, which address the post-excavation process whether in theory or
practice. However especially welcome are presentations which discuss how practice conforms to
respective legislative policies, and consequently explore the notion of best practice.
It is hoped that as a result of this session, these papers will be published with an overarching
discussion paper drawing together the key themes, for consideration by the EAA.
(All information has been copied from the conference website pdfs).
