44th Symposium on Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Archaeology and Art of the Christian Archaeological Society (ChAE)
44th Symposium on Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Archaeology and Art
of the Christian Archaeological Society (ChAE)
DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF THE HONORARY PRESIDENT OF THE ChAE AND EMERITA PROFESSOR MARIA-AFRODITI PANAYOTIDI-KESISOGLOU
Athens, 10-12, April 2025
NEW and FINAL Deadline for Submissions:
Tuesday, January 28, 2025
Organizing and Academic Committee:
Ioanna Bitha (president), Georgios Pallis (general secretary), Maria Kazanaki-Lappa, Anastassios Antonaras, Klimis Aslanidis and Angeliki Katsioti.
The Board of the Christian Archaeological Society (ChAE) announces that the 44th Symposium on Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Archaeology and Art of the Christian Archaeological Society, will take place from 10 to 12 April, 2025 in Athens, with in-person attendance. Following the sudden loss of the long-serving General Secretary, President, and Honorary President of the ChAE, Professor Emerita of Byzantine Archaeology Maria-Afroditi Panayotidi-Kesisoglou (†19 July 2024), the Board has decided to dedicate the upcoming Symposium to her memory.
For information concerning participation in the Symposium and on the specific topic of the one-day themed conferencesee below:
One-day themed conference within the 44th Symposium of the ChAE
“Facing Death in Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Times”
The special topic that will occupy one of the days of the 44th Symposium of the Christian Archaeological Society has been decided to focus on death and its treatment, as reflected in archaeological remains, material objects, and art, from the 4th century to the beginning of the 19th century.
The profound event of death held a central place in Byzantine society, as well as in the societies that continued the Byzantine tradition in the areas under Latin and Ottoman rule. The transition to the afterlife was a concern for every individual, who aspired to eternal life and sought, among other means, to secure it through donations and offerings to the divine. The management of this ultimate moment combined practices and traditions of antiquity, deeply rooted in the collective subconscious, with Christian teaching and the message of the abolition of death and the resurrection of the dead. This combination is represented by the way in which architecture and other arts were employed to receive the deceased and adorn their tombs, the burial offerings, and material evidence of beliefs about death, as well as its visual representations. The study of this material offers a deeper understanding of Byzantine society and its related perceptions.
The aim of the Symposium is to provide an opportunity to review old finds and data on death and to present new ones, especially those brought to light through the extensive archaeological excavations of recent years. Indicatively, topics of the three-day Symposium could include:
- The organization and layout of cemeteries
- Funerary architecture, monuments and mausoleums
- Burial practices and temple architecture
- Epitaphs / Funerary Inscriptions
- Funerary sculpture
- Funerary painting
- Cremation and grave goods of the dead
- Material evidence of burial practices and customs
- Deviant burials and beliefs
- Burials under exceptional circumstances (siege, war, epidemics, etc.)
- Burials of foreigners and those of different faiths
- Skeletal remains and analyses
- Iconography of death in monumental painting (e.g. funerals, martyrdoms, the Last Judgement, the Dance of Death, etc.)
In addition to the major papers assigned to specialists, space will be reserved for thematically relevant 15-minute communications on the day.
The language of the Symposium is Greek.
Speakers from abroad may deliver their papers in English or French.
- Colleagues are reminded that communications should be original and constitute a substantial contribution to scholarship. They must not exceed 15 minutes in length (2,100 w.). Participants can deliver only one paper, even if this is in collaboration with another speaker(s). The subjects of communications should fall within the ambit of Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Archaeology and Art (300 CE – 1830 CE).
Due to the large number of papers regularly submitted for the annual Symposium of the ChAE, the Board encourages all those planning to present work involving excavations, restoration projects, and the conservation of art works and monuments, to consider presenting their contributions in the form of posters. Participants will be responsible for creating and printing their posters (60×85cm [A1]), while their display on a specially designed location will be the responsibility of the Committee. Posters should be submitted to the Committee on the day before the Symposium. During the Symposium participants with posters will be allotted time to present their contributions to the public.
As in previous Symposia, summaries of the contributions will be published. The resulting publication has the character of a preliminary presentation. The summaries must include essential information regarding the subject, content, and originality of the paper. Speakers are requested to send by e-mail a summary of their proposed contribution (major paper, free communication, poster presentation), without footnotes, bibliography or illustrations, apart from small line drawings. The summary must be submitted in digital form (please follow the attached model).
The Board of the Christian Archaeological Society, and in particular the Organizing and Academic Committee of the 44thSymposium of the ChAE reserve the right to reject or propose changes to summaries which:
- do not fall within the domain of Byzantine and Post-Byzantine archaeology and art
- do not meet the required standards of originality and contribution to scholarship
- include personal attacks
- are submitted after the deadline
To participate in the 44th Symposium of the ChAE, submissions of communications or those specifically related to the theme of the one-day Conference must be sent, along with summaries, to the ChAE e-mail: chae.secretary@gmail.com by Tuesday, January 28, 2025.
On behalf of the Board of the Christian Archaeological Society
INFORMATION
Secretariat of the ChAE Symposium:
Christian Archaeological Society, c/o Byzantine and Christian Museum, Mrs Sophia Giannioti, office days: Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 9:00-14:00, tel.: + 30 213 213 9556.
Please support the organisation of the Symposium by purchasing the booklet with the program and the summaries of the major papers, communications and posters of the Symposium, the cost of which is set at 15€.
Annual membership of the Christian Archaeological Society for the year 2025 is 30€. Payment of fees for the current or previous years can be made during the Symposium; however electronic payments into the following accounts are encouraged:
National Bank of Greece: IBAN GR5101100800000008067565229.
Alpha Bank: IBAN GR6701401150115002320011728.
(Beneficiary: Christian Archaeological Society).
All bank charges to be paid by the remitter.
During the Symposium ChAE publications will be made available at a 40% discount.
For those who have settled their membership fees (including the year 2025) the discount will be 50%.
To subscribe to the electronic mailing list of the Christian Archaeological Society, please send your request to: chae.secretary@gmail.com.
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