Call for applications: SOMA 2024 - XXV Symposium on Mediterranean Archaeology

Mediterranean – History as it once has been

The 25^th annual meeting of the Symposium on Mediterranean Archaeology (SOMA) will be held in Zadar, Croatia 25-27 April 2024. The Conference is organized by the International Centre for Underwater Archaeology in Zadar (ICUA Zadar) in cooperation with the Network of the General Association for Mediterranean Archaeology (GAMA), Department for Archaeology at the University of Zadar, Museum of Ancient Glass and Archaeological museum in Zadar.

SOMA is an international conference that brings together archaeologists from different parts of the Mediterranean. Until today it has been held in Turkey, Italy, Slovenia, Spain, Ireland, Russia, Poland and the United Kingdom in cooperation with partners from various countries. The results of previous presentations at conferences are regularly published by Archaeopress.

The aim of the conference is to present and exchange experiences and ideas dealing with new achievements in the research, protection and preservation of cultural heritage in Mediterranean area.

We invite you to submit abstracts for presentations related to the topics of seafaring and navigation, ports and harbours, maritime cultural landscapes, material culture, research methods and tools, particularly those attempting to reconstruct the ancient trade in the Mediterranean and its maritime connectivity with the contributions of underwater or land archaeology. The focus will also be on new ideas for the conservation and interpretation of cultural heritage, related topics such as art history, numismatics, epigraphy as well as other topics that connected the Mediterranean world through the history.

Please submit abstracts which should include the title, author’s name(s), professional titles and affiliations. In the case of multiple authors please list all authors and include an email address for each author, clearly indicating the corresponding author. Only one submission by the same primary author will be considered. Poster size requirements – portrait B1 format. Abstract should be written in English, Word document (font Times New Roman 12, single spacing) with minimum 1500 and maximum 2500 characters with spaces (including the title, name and surname of author, co-author) and one photo relevant to the abstract.

All abstracts will be reviewed by the members of the Scientific Committee. The Committee reserves the right to determine whether an abstract submission is accepted as an oral presentation or a poster. The decision of the Committee is final. Acceptance will be based on the quality of the written abstract, innovativeness of the content, its relevance to the conference’s topics, scientific value to the community and overall program balance. Notification of acceptance will be emailed by 2^nd February 2024.

Submitted papers will be grouped together by the thematic area. The presenting author will be required to register for the conference in order to have acceptance of the abstract confirmed.

Presentations must be delivered in English. Each presenter will have 15 minutes at most.

Please send your abstract (summary in English) and photo, no later than 22^nd January 2024 to dkurtov@icua.hr.

The abstracts and proceedings of the Symposium will be published. Deadline for the submission of the full paper is 31^st December 2024.

Dates to remember

Deadline for abstracts/posters 22^th January 2024

Notification of acceptance 2^nd February 2024

Deadline for early bird registration 22^nd March 2024

The registration fee for speakers and authors is €70 until 22^nd March 2024, rising to €90 after 22^nd March 2024.

Students will pay a reduced fee of €40 until 22^nd March 2024, rising to €60 after 22^nd March 2024.

Conference Sessions:

1. Legislation management and interpretation of cultural heritage
2. Shipwrecks
3. Maritime cultural landscapes
4. Ports, harbours and anchorages
5. Material culture and trade
6. Seafaring and navigation
7. Tools and methods (excavations, documentation, conservation, restoration)

The lecture schedule may undergo changes and will be adapted after organizing the presentations into sections to align with the conference schedule.

Scientific Committee:

• Pietro Militello, PhD, Full Professor
• Blazej Stanislawski, PhD, Full Professor
• Osman Eravşar, PhD, Full Professor
• Asuman Baldıran, PhD, Full Professor
• Hakan Öniz, PhD, Associate Professor
• Ceyda Öztosun, PhD
• Mladen Pešić, PhD
• Željko Miletić, PhD, Full Professor
• Martina Čelhar, PhD, Assistant Professor
• Jakov Vučić, PhD
• Berislav Štefanac, PhD

Organizing Committee:

• Doris Kurtov
• Maja Kaleb
• Nika Cohen
• Martina Ćurković Madiraca
• Anita Jelić
• Zdenka Vrgoč
• Dino Taras
• Anamarija Eterović-Borzić
• Igor Borzić, PhD, Associate Professor
• Ivana Jadrić-Kučan, PhD, Associate Professor
• Irena Radić Rossi, PhD, Associate Professor