The 25th Symposium on Mediterranean Archaeology - SOMA 2024 ended with success
The 25th Symposium of Mediterranean Archaeology took place at the recently opened Education and presentation centre for underwater archaeology St. Nicholas in Zadar from April 25 – 27, 2024, with the participation of scientists, researchers and students from fifteenth different countries.
The main theme of the 2024 meeting was ‘’Mediterranean – History as it once has been’’.
The Mediterranean, a distinctive meeting point for people, cultures, and religions, has always facilitated exchanges. It has allowed the communication involving trade, people and ideas as well as fusion of diverse cultures into distintive networks and connections – both tangible and intangible.
The Symposium spanned three days and featured fifty-one lectures across various disciplines, with fifty-six speakers and fifteen poster presentations. In alignment with previous SOMA meetings, organizers strategically scheduled seven plenary sessions to achieve the Symposium’s goals.
During the opening plenary session on April 25th, 2024, professor Massimo Capulli from the University of Udine led a discussion focused on ‘’Legislation Management and Interpretation of Cultural Heritage’’. In the course of this session, presentations were given by Mrs Paloma Sánchez Gómez and Mr. Pablo Jimenez Diaz (Spain), Mr. Nuno Costa and Mrs Andreia Romão (Portugal) and Dr. Ceyda Öztosun (Turkey). Mrs Zeynep Aktüre’s presentation (Turkey) was displayed during the opening session due to her inability to attend.
The second panel, named ‘’Ports, harbours and anchorages’’, began after a break following the first panel. It was moderated by ICUA Zadar Director Mr. Mladen Pešić, and featured seven speakers discussing related topics: Prof. Dr. Asuman Baldiran (Turkey), Prof. Dr. Hakan Öniz, Prof. Massimo Capulli (Italy), Mrs Samah Moustafa Abo Zeid and Prof. Magdy Torab (Egypt), Mrs Elisabetta Rosatti (Italy) and Mr. Eduard Visković (Croatia).
The topic of ‘’Seafaring and Navigation’’ was moderated by Maja Kaleb from ICUA Zadar during the third panel with four speakers: Mrs Aikaterini Famprikatzi (Greece), Mr. Thomas Iossifidis (Greece), Mrs Lucijana Šešelj (Croatia) and Mr. Muhamed M. ALY Muhamed (Egypt).
The final panel, titled ‘’Shipwrecks’’, was expertly moderated by Prof. Osman Eravşar from the Akdeniz University with six speakers: Mr. Jeremy S. Green (UK), Mrs Irena Radić Rossi (Croatia), Mrs Rita Auriemma (Italy), Mrs Carlotta Lucarini (Italy) and Mr. Joel Bellviure (UK), Mr. Igor Mihajlović (Croatia) and Mr. Jurica Bezak (Croatia).
The SOMA 2024 symposium’s opening day concluded with a guided tour through the historic city centre led by Mrs Ines Šelendić Taras.
Professor Rita Auriemma from the University of Salento moderated the first plenary session on the second day of SOMA 2024, which took place on Friday, April 26th, 2024.
The session focused on the theme ‘’Tools and Methods (excavations, documentation, conservation, restoration)’’ featuring insights from seven key speakers: Mrs Martina Ćurković Madiraca (Croatia), Mrs Ceren Gürçay Yilmaz (Turkey), Mrs Çiğdem Özkan Aygün (Turkey), Mr. Mateusz Popek (Poland), Mrs Serap Özdemir (Turkey), Prof. Dr. Hakan Öniz (Turkey) and Mrs Zdenka Vrgoč (Croatia).
The SOMA poster session covered a wide range of topics, providing researchers with the chance to present their work to a broad audience.
The sixth plenary, titled ‘’Maritime Cultural Landscape’’ was overseen by Associate Professor Igor Borzić from the University of Zadar, with seven featured speakers: Mrs Nuray Nisan Köknar (Cyprus), Mr. Hrvoje Potrebica (Croatia), Mrs Magdy Torab (Egypt), Mrs Sara Lantos (Israel), Mrs Carolina Simeoni (Italy), Mr. Tommaso Giuliodoro (Italy), and Mrs Jelena Čelebić (Montenegro).
Mr. Berislav Štefanac, from the Museum of Ancient Glass in Zadar, chaired over the seventh plenary session focused on ‘’Material Culture and Trade’’. The session included four speakers: Mrs Sevasti Mouteveli (Greece), Mrs Ivana Jadrić-Kučan (Croatia), Mrs Paola Puppo (Italy), Mr. Ahmad Dawa (Hungary).
On the final day of the SOMA 2024 symposium, Dr. Hakan Öniz from the Akdeniz University continued to chair the seventh plenary session titled ‘’Material Culture and Trade’’. The session featured ten speakers: Mrs Lucijana Šešelj (Croatia), Mrs Caterina Tomizza, Mr. Carlo De Mitri (Italy), Mrs Danica Mitrova and Mrs Saša Koren (Slovenia), Mrs Ines Ferjan (UK), Mr. Mladen Pešić (Croatia), Mrs Lucia Novakova (Slovakia), Mrs Beste Tomay (Turkey) and Mrs Vedrana Jović Gazić (Croatia). Professor Dr. Aynur Özfirat (Turkey) and Mrs Elif Hanar (Turkey) prepared thier presentations and they were delivered to the SOMA 2024 attendees.
At the final day of the Symposium, attendees were notified that the 26th SOMA meeting is scheduled to take place in Cartagena, Spain, in 2025.
The meeting concluded with expressions of gratitude from the Vice president of the GAMA Network and Akdeniz University professor Hakan Öniz, directed towards the SOMA organizer and partner institutions.
Overall, the 25th Symposium on Mediterranean Archaeology provided an excellent platform for researchers, underwater professionals and students to exchange knowledge and ideas in archaeological research, protection and preservation of cultural heritage within the Mediterranean region. It highlighted the urgent need for innovative solutions to address the issue of endangered heritage and emphasized the role of researchers in finding sustainable solutions.
To crown the intense sessions, the SOMA 2024 event host organized a boat trip in the Zadar channel for the participants.
CONFERENCE PROGRAMME: soma25.icua.hr/en/programme
PHOTO GALLERY: Link