gods of SMALL THINGS
Ure Museum, Department of Classics, University of Reading
21-22 September 2009
Small and portable objects functioned in a variety of non-commercial contexts in the ancient Mediterranean. What was the importance, for example, of knucklebones and mass-produced vases deposited in caves? Such objects are often fragmentary and/or overlooked, even by excavators. Some dedications at sacred sites, sanctuaries and temples, on the other hand, have received considerable attention as artefacts of exquisite craftsmanship and/or evidence of mercantile activity. But how can these items and assemblages of them, whether or not they were used as offerings, inform us about the relationships between humans, their ancestors and gods?
This 2-day international conference at the University of Reading will investigate the cumulative value of non-prestige ex votos, through the following questions:
• What does the mobility and portability of an object contribute to its object biography?
• Do local traditions favour the dedication of small, personal and/or mundane objects?
• How do such small objects relate to the human body and its participation in travel, e.g. pilgrimage?
• Could small dedications reflect a continuum between the religious and domestic sphere?
We seek papers on a range of cultural manifestations of small things, from the prehistoric through the Hellenistic periods. We particularly invite topics considering such manifestations in the Greek Mediterranean, including Cyprus, the Black Sea, the Near East, and North Africa. Abstracts of ca. 300 words are invited from scholars, including postgraduates students in archaeology, ancient history and related disciplines. Please send abstracts to one of the conference organisers, noted below, before 15 January 2009.
Marianne Bergeron (m.e.bergeron AT reading.ac.uk)
Amy C. Smith (a.c.smith AT reading.ac.uk)
Katerina Volioti (k.volioti AT reading.ac.uk)
Ure Museum, Department of Classics, University of Reading
21-22 September 2009
Small and portable objects functioned in a variety of non-commercial contexts in the ancient Mediterranean. What was the importance, for example, of knucklebones and mass-produced vases deposited in caves? Such objects are often fragmentary and/or overlooked, even by excavators. Some dedications at sacred sites, sanctuaries and temples, on the other hand, have received considerable attention as artefacts of exquisite craftsmanship and/or evidence of mercantile activity. But how can these items and assemblages of them, whether or not they were used as offerings, inform us about the relationships between humans, their ancestors and gods?
This 2-day international conference at the University of Reading will investigate the cumulative value of non-prestige ex votos, through the following questions:
• What does the mobility and portability of an object contribute to its object biography?
• Do local traditions favour the dedication of small, personal and/or mundane objects?
• How do such small objects relate to the human body and its participation in travel, e.g. pilgrimage?
• Could small dedications reflect a continuum between the religious and domestic sphere?
We seek papers on a range of cultural manifestations of small things, from the prehistoric through the Hellenistic periods. We particularly invite topics considering such manifestations in the Greek Mediterranean, including Cyprus, the Black Sea, the Near East, and North Africa. Abstracts of ca. 300 words are invited from scholars, including postgraduates students in archaeology, ancient history and related disciplines. Please send abstracts to one of the conference organisers, noted below, before 15 January 2009.
Marianne Bergeron (m.e.bergeron AT reading.ac.uk)
Amy C. Smith (a.c.smith AT reading.ac.uk)
Katerina Volioti (k.volioti AT reading.ac.uk)