THE FUTURE OF THE PAST: FROM AMPHIPOLIS TO MOSUL
New Approaches to Cultural Heritage Preservation in the Eastern Mediterranean

April 10-11, 2015

University of Pennsylvania
Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (Philadelphia, PA)

 ***Call for papers: deadline December 21, 2014***

See website for more details: http://futureofthepast.wix.com/culturalheritage

Interdisciplinary conference for young scholars (graduate and postgraduate) hosted by the University of Pennsylvania (Center for Ancient Studies), Bryn Mawr College (Dept. of Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Graduate Group in Archaeology, Classics, and Art History), and Temple University (Tyler School of Art, Dept. of Art History), with additional support from the Penn Cultural Heritage Center and the Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.
The objective of this meeting is to bring together graduate students and emerging scholars from various academic disciplines to present new avenues in the field of cultural heritage. Many young scholars today have an interdisciplinary background in liberal arts studies that allows them to apply novel, innovative ways in the protection and preservation of our shared cultural property. For this conference we would like to focus on case studies from the eastern Mediterranean, including the Middle East and northern Africa. These regions are of particular interest because they have been recently affected by devastating wars, political turmoil, and economic hardship.
We would like to address various issues of cultural heritage including the protection, preservation, and management of archaeological sites and cultural landscapes, the introduction of new technologies for the conservation and studying of cultural artifacts, and the use of digital media in educating and sharing our cultural treasures with a broader audience. We believe that participation in this conference will promote intellectual discourse among new scholars and inspire them to continue to seek collaborations across disciplines by employing a variety of new practices in the protection of our cultural heritage.
Keynote speaker: Dr. Morag M. Kersel, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Anthropology, DePaul University
ABSTRACT SUBMISSION:
Please submit an abstract of no more than 300 words to mbeeler@brynmawr.edu by December 21, 2014. Applicants will be informed about their submission status by January 25, 2015.Conference proceedings will be published in digital format by December 2015.
EXPENSES:
Participation and attendance in the conference is free. The organizers will not cover travel and accommodation expenses.
ORGANIZERS:
Konstantinos Chalikias, PhD, postdoctoral researcher, University of Athens
Maggie Beeler, PhD candidate, Bryn Mawr College
Ariel Pearce, PhD candidate, Temple University
Steve Renette, PhD candidate, University of Pennsylvania