27/01/2026
BANEA 2026 Conference, 22nd-24th April, London
Deadline extended until January 31st
There is still time to submit your abstracts for the upcoming BANEA 2026 Conference!
We are also accepting applications for participation grants to help attend the conference. Applications are welcome from students and scholars at all stages and levels.
Please click the link below to submit your abstract, apply for conference funding, or learn more about BANEA 2026! We look forward to seeing you in London this April!
BANEA 2026 | Conference
The overarching theme of the conference prompts scholars to focus on both ancient as well as modern practices around how archaeological, historical, scientific, and other knowledge is created, curated, and exchanged within as well as outside specialist circles. We especially encourage papers that hi...
09/10/2025
BANEA 2026 CONFERENCE
22-24 April - London
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Production & Consumption of Knowledge in the Archaeology of West Asia
The overarching theme of the conference prompts scholars to focus on both ancient as well as modern practices around how archaeological, historical, scientific, and other knowledge is created, curated, and exchanged within as well as outside specialist circles.
We especially encourage papers that highlight
🟠Methodologies of knowledge production and/or consumption in the past and in the study of the past
🟠Theoretical models of knowledge production in archaeology and related disciplines
🟠Critical approaches to the history and contemporary practices of knowledge production
🟠Inclusive perspectives on reciprocal knowledge exchange between scholarly and other communities
⏳Deadline for Workshop proposals:
1 December 2025
⏳Deadline for paper abstracts:
15 January 2026
https://www.banea-lcane.co.uk/banea-2026
CONFERENCE SESSIONS 🎤
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I. History & Historiography 📜
This session will be dedicated to research on the histories of archaeology and related disciplines of studying ancient West Asia, as well as historiographical methods and theories. The temporal scope extends into current affairs and recent trends, and we especially encourage papers which explore the politics of archaeology from a knowledge production/consumption perspective.
Organiser: Yağmur Heffron ([email protected])
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II. Maritime Archaeology ⚓️
This session brings maritime archaeology into special focus as a distinctive setting of archaeological knowledge.
Organiser: Georgia Andreou ([email protected])
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III. Museums & Heritage⚱️
This session prioritises heritage and museum studies from the vantage point of knowledge production and consumption.
Organiser: Rachael Sparks ([email protected])
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IV. General Session 🌎
This is an open session for all papers on any aspect of research on ancient West Asia which fall outside the themes of the first three sessions. We especially encourage papers highlight issues of knowledge production/consumption, but independent topics are equally welcome.
Organiser: Mark Weeden ([email protected])
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V. Results & Reports ⛏
This session is set aside for site reports from recent field seasons, reports on museum collection studies and scientific analyses which focus principally on presenting fresh data, new findings, and preliminary results. Papers will be grouped by general region and arranged in broad chronological order.
Organiser: Mark Altaweel ([email protected])
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Session Format
Session blocs will last 120 minutes, which will include presentation time and Q&A for 4 research papers and general discussion at the end.
Speakers will have at least 20 minutes to present, followed by a 5-minute Q&A specifically for their paper.
A 20-minute general discussion will conclude each session.
It is at the discretion of the speakers if they wish to use the full 25 minutes allocated to them for their presentation and take questions during the general discussion. It is the responsibility of Chairs to keep speakers to time (NB Chairs may resort to any means they consider necessary to do so; BANEA has no standing policy on the use of screen black-outs, klaxons, or vaudeville hook).
WORKSHOPS💡
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We invite proposals for member-organised workshops on any topic on archaeological and related research on ancient West Asia, but those aligned with the conference theme of knowledge production/consumption will be prioritised.
Workshops are intended for shorter, more informal deliveries which may be position papers, opinion pieces, appeals to collective wisdom, work-in-progress pilots, and similar. We especially encourage proposals for workshops as dynamic settings to accommodate panels/panelists, respondents, or other formats of audience participation beyond simple Q&A.
Workshop proposals must include a title, abstract, and a minimum of 4 confirmed speakers.
Workshop Format
Like Sessions, Workshops are also scheduled to run in 120-minute blocks, but with a format designed to feature shorter papers and a longer discussion.
A workshop bloc can accommodate up to 7 speakers, each allocated 10-15 minutes leading up to a 45-minute roundtable discussion at the end.
We recommend scheduling no more than 6 speakers to keep chaos at bay, but the final line-up is left at the discretion of the workshop organiser/s.
We accept proposals for a maximum of two workshop blocs, i.e. 240 minutes total, which can accommodate between 10-14 presentations, the very first of which should be an introduction by the organiser/s.
09/10/2025
📣BANEA 2026 CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENT
BANEA 2026 Conference will take place on 22-24 April in London
📥Paper submissions and proposals for workshops are now open!
Visit our new website for further details👇
BANEA 2026 | Conference
The overarching theme of the conference prompts scholars to focus on both ancient as well as modern practices around how archaeological, historical, scientific, and other knowledge is created, curated, and exchanged within as well as outside specialist circles. We especially encourage papers that hi...
10/03/2025
JOB ALERT
Arabic translator & editor for the Nahrein Network’s Kish Project
The Nahrein Network at UCL is recruiting a paid translator and editor to review and correct Arabic translations drafted by our Kish Project team and to undertake new Arabic translations. The work-from home position runs from April to August 2025. You must have the right to work in the UK and a UK bank account for payment through Unitemps.
Closing date: 23/03/2025
More information and application form: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/nahrein/apply/arabic-translator-and-editor-nahrein-networks-kish-project
Informal enquiries to: [email protected]
Arabic translator and editor: The Nahrein Network’s Kish project
We are recruiting a paid translator and editor to review and correct Arabic translations drafted by the Network’s Kish Project and to undertake new Arabic translations. Apply by Sunday 23 March.
24/02/2025
The Steering Committee of the British Association for Near Eastern Archaeology (BANEA) are alarmed to learn that a conference was held in East Jerusalem, 11-13 February 2025 titled, ‘The First International Conference on Archaeology and Site Conservation of Judea and Samaria.’ We stand with our colleagues in the UK-based Palestine Exploration Fund who observe that the title of the conference
"neglects and erases the geographical identity of that region, the West Bank of the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The conference does not feature any speakers from Palestinian institutions nor are any Palestinian-led projects represented within the conference proceedings"
The projects listed in the conference programme also presented research that was in breach of international law (the Hague Convention and Protocols of 1954 and the New Delhi Recommendations of 1956) which governs the excavation of archaeological sites in occupied territory, and the responsibilities of the occupying power.
We stand with our Palestinian colleagues who continue, under unimaginable pressure, to raise awareness of their archaeological and tangible heritage, including the widespread destruction of it.
24/02/2025
CALL FOR PAPERS - ASOR, Boston
Diversifying West Asian Archaeology Workshop
Organiser: Neil Erskine
[email protected]
The Diversifying West Asian Archaeology: Grassroots and Informal Solutions to Institutional Problems (Workshop) session of ASOR invites short (10 minute) papers for the 2025 Annual Meeting that will take place November 19–22, 2025 (Boston, MA and hybrid). The deadline for submitting proposals is Saturday, March 15, 2025.
Full details on ASOR’s paper submission process can be found here: https://www.asor.org/am/2025/call-for-papers-2025
Full abstract:
A common theme in presentations and discussion at the Diversifying West Asian Archaeology: Accessibility Barriers and Mitigating Strategies workshop held at the 2024 ASOR Annual Meeting was the complexity of performing outreach, widening participation, inclusivity, or decolonial work where this work was not necessarily an institutional priority. Further hurdles were identified in operating within the confines of institutional bureaucracy or political expediency, or even against outright hostility from administrative or managerial bodies.
This workshop will further explore these problems and seek concrete solutions by drawing on the work of informal collaborative networks, activist collectives, student groups, community projects, and other initiatives, from both within and beyond West Asian archaeology.
The workshop will highlight work designed to facilitate entry to the discipline, help support and retain those already engaged in the field, and create a more socially responsible and inclusive field and create and collate practicable resources and strategies that can be implemented outwith the confines of institutional apparatus.
ASOR 2025 Call for Papers
ASOR invites paper and workshop presentation proposals for the hybrid 2025 Annual Meeting, November 19-22.
09/09/2024
CALL for PAPERS
Ancient Near Eastern Seminar Series 2024/5
University College London (UCL)
Deadline: 22 September 2024
We are delighted to invite submissions for the Ancient Near Eastern Seminar Series 2024/5 at UCL, with the themes for this year being Love and Magic in the Ancient Near East. This seminar series aims to create a collaborative space for students and researchers to share their work, exchange ideas, and foster interdisciplinary discussions. Submissions are welcome from both undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Seminar Series Theme:
The topics of love and magic in the ancient Near East are rich with possibilities for research and discussion. From ancient literature and religious practices to the study of material culture, these themes invite us to explore the social, cultural, and spiritual dimensions of ancient Near Eastern civilisations.
We encourage interdisciplinary approaches and would be particularly interested in hearing from students and researchers across various departments and disciplines, including but not limited to:
Archaeology
Anthropology
Classics
History
Religious Studies
Art History
Comparative Literature
Philology
Near Eastern Languages and Cultures
Theology
Philosophy
If your research engages with any aspect of love or magic in the ancient Near East, we encourage you to submit!
Submission Guidelines:
Abstracts should be 300 words and clearly articulate the research question, methodology, and relevance to the seminar theme.
Please include your name, institutional affiliation, and level of study with your abstract.
Submissions are open to both undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Abstracts should be submitted in PDF or Word format.
Further Details:
Location: All seminars will be held at UCL and will also be available online via Zoom. Events will include food and drink, providing an opportunity for students to meet and discuss their projects in person.
Duration: Each seminar will consist of a 30-minute presentation, followed by 20 minutes of discussion. Presentations should aim to be as interactive as possible, as the goal of the series is to foster dialogue and collaboration on these topics.
Notification of acceptance: 24 September 2024.
Deadline for Submission:
All abstracts must be submitted by 22 September 2024.
Submission and Contact Information:
Please send your abstracts to
[email protected] and [email protected] with the subject line “ANE Seminar Series 2024 Abstract Submission”
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to the same email addresses.
We look forward to receiving your submissions and to creating a vibrant interdisciplinary conversation on love and magic in the ancient Near East!
02/05/2024
Ancient and Modern Waste: Archaeological Knowledge Production in Contemporary Jerusalem
Dr Elisabeth Sawerthal (KCL) with discussant Dr Mirjam Brusius (GHIL)
Wednesday 15th May, 6.00 – 8.00pm followed by a reception
Clore Lecture Theatre, Clore Management Centre, Birkbeck, University of London, 25-27 Torrington Square, London WC1E 7JL
Book here (AncientModernWaste.eventbrite.co.uk). Free and open to all
Ancient and Modern Waste
Talk about archaeological knowledge production in contemporary Jerusalem with Elisabeth Sawerthal (KCL) and discussant Mirjam Brusius (GHIL)
22/02/2024
Today on Ancient Office Hours, Lexie is joined by Dr. Martin Worthington, a professor of Assyriology at Trinity College Dublin, to discuss the reasoning behind his decision to switch from Egyptology into Assyriology, his experience producing a Babylonian language short film, consulting for Marvel’s Eternals, and combating the challenges of romanticising ancient worlds for the purpose of simplification for the general public.
Listen wherever you get your podcasts!
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ancient-office-hours/id1537896277
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5BomB9FPUjX2nPzXazYk1E
Born in York and raised in Italy, Martin studied Ancient History and Egyptology at UCL. He went on to do an MPhil and PhD in Assyriology at Cambridge, supervised by Nicholas Postgate. Most of Martin’s research is on Mesopotamian philology, literature, or the relation between the two. His first book, Principles of Akkadian Textual Criticism (De Gruyter, 2012) was the first extended exploration for Babylonian and Assyrian of a crucial question: how far can we trust our manuscripts? And what if they contain mistakes? Martin has also published on topics including Babylonian/Assyrian magic and medicine, Mesopotamian social history, Sumerian lexicography, and narrative strategies in Middle Egyptian literature. His current main lines of research include “Mesopotamian Orality", “The structure of the Akkadian poetic line", and “Sargon’s Riddle". Martin is a great believer in public outreach. In this vein he directed the world’s first Babylonian-language film, The Poor Man of Nippur (freely available on Youtube), and authored Teach Yourself Complete Babylonian (2nd ed. 2018).
24/02/2025
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