Conference "Middle Palaeolithic in North-West Europe: multidisciplinary approaches". First circular/Call for paper (original) (raw)

Presentation: North-west Europe is a key area to help deciphering Neanderthal societies in connection with their natural landscapes. The region presents various contexts where loessic, karstic, fluvial, lacustrine and coastal environments coexist. This area was the subject of important climatic contrasts, with environmental conditions fluctuating from interglacial forest to polar desert. Moreover, the diversity of the geological substratum defines the availability of various natural ressources. This conference aims to provide an up-to-date overview of the available documentation on the Middle Palaeolithic of north-west Europe and to discuss the current research problematics on Neanderthal behaviour in a multidisciplinary perspective. Welcome to Belgium… Belgium lies at the border of two worlds: the great loessic plain in the north, the Ardenne-Eifel Palaeozoïc massif in the south, including numerous caves. This territory therefore generated variability in human behaviour, particularly highlighted by the lithic ressources management. Besides, located in the heart of north-west Europe, Belgium acted as a crossroad, where influences from groups from both western and central Europe met and intermingled. Scientific Program: Conference (March the 20th-21st) : The conference wants to present multiple key aspects of the research on Middle Palaeolithic in north-west Europe. The integration of anthropological, archaeological and contextual data in an interdisciplinary spirit will be encouraged. The goal of this transversal approach is to decompartmentalize these disciplines so that the contribution of each actor can be appreciated within the larger field of archaeological problematics, such as cultural expressions, territorial management or population dynamics, all of it in a diachronic and transregional perspective. The concerned geographical area is not limited to the loessic plain. It covers the north-western part of Europe, limited on the south by the Loire Valley, the Massif Central and the Alpine arc, and on the east by the Bohemian Massif and the Oder Valley. This wide geographical setting integrates into the discussion Middle Palaeolithic sites from various contexts and will particularly encourage a dialogue based on data from open-air and cave sites. Chronologically speaking, the entire Middle Palaeolithic will be discussed from its older manifestations and roots in the Lower Palaeolithic up to the extinction of Neandertals and the shift to the Upper Palaeolithic. Field trip (march the 22nd): A field trip will be organized at Middle Palaeolithic Belgian key sites. A visit of Scladina cave is already planned (incl. the related exhibition “Neandertal l’Européen”). Call for papers and/or posters: Submissions of abstracts for podium and/or poster presentations are welcome. Inter-sites comparisons, regional or transregional synthesis and multidisciplinary approaches on an intra-site scale will be favoured. As the number of communications is limited, proposals that are not selected for a podium will be invited to be submitted in the form of a poster. The lectures will be selected by the organizing committee with the help of the scientific committee. Additional information Duration of the talks: 15 min + 5 min questions. Posters will be displayed during the entire duration of the conference in the reception hall. Abstracts of the posters will be presented in the abstract book.""""