CALL. 15.08.2015: 10th ICAANE: Workshop After Mesopotamia: The Land between the two Rivers after the

FECHA LÍMITE/DEADLINE/SCADENZA: 15/08/2015

FECHA CONGRESO/CONGRESS DATE/DATA CONGRESSO: 25-26-27-28-29/04/2016

LUGAR/LOCATION/LUOGO: OREA, Institute for Oriental and European Archaeology, Austrian Academy of Sciences, (Wien, Austria)

ORGANIZADOR/ORGANIZER/ORGANIZZATORE: OREA - Austrian Academy of Sciences

INFO: web - lidewijde.de.jong@rug.nl rocco.palermo@unina.it

CALL:

Please see the Call for papers for a workshop organised by Lidewijde de Jong (University of Groningen) and Rocco Palermo (University of Naples Federico II) at the ICAANE (Intenational Congress on the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East) next year. If you are interested in participating (there are still few spots left), please send a title and short abstract of the talk before August 15. The talk should be 20 min. After Mesopotamia: The Land between the two Rivers after the Assyrians and before Islam: New Perspectives, Trajectories of Research, and Modern Approaches A workshop organised by Lidewijde de Jong (University of Groningen) and Rocco Palermo (University of Naples Federico II) at the 10th ICAANE, 25-29 April 2016, Vienna (Austria) Abstract: After the fall of Neo-Assyrian Empire the entire region of Mesopotamia experienced a transitional period, whose archaeological and historical record is only barely known. The coming of Alexander the Great in the area changed the political and social balance, paving the way for the transformation of the region in the next following centuries. Multiple colonies were founded in Mesopotamia, which became cultural centers and nodes in long-distance networks running from the Greek world to Central Asia. Mesopotamia, from the turn of our era onwards, formed the core of the West- East confrontation and interactions with Romans, Parthians, Sasanians. It was a region of political, economic, and cultural importance for several Empires. Yet, the archaeology of this region is ignored. Too often it has been put aside in favour of older phases. Relatively recent investigations both in North Mesopotamia (Syria; Turkey; Iraqi Kurdistan) and in South Mesopotamia (Iraq) highlighted the importance of the later phases for the comprehension of the historical continuum in the whole area. This workshop aims to propose new research trajectories by facing the issue of the later periods with modern approaches, by re-visiting traditional investigations, and analyzing newly discovered data. A particular focus will be given to the relationship between man and environment, the transformation of the cultural and physical landscape, and the evidence of extra-regional contacts as reflected by the material culture. Aspects of continuity and change with previous and following chronological phases will be also discussed. The workshop will be divided in two sessions: the first discusses the results of the past and recent fieldwork, whereas the second session centres on future trajectories and the question of how to put this period (back) on the research map within Ancient Near Eastern and Classical studies. For info an/or submitting an abstract, please contact Lidewijde de Jong (lidewijde.de.jong@rug.nl) or Rocco Palermo (rocco.palermo@unina.it).