Upcoming Events
"Industryscapes: Socio-natural Sites or Resource, Extraction, and Knowledge in the Preindustrial World" - University of Vienna
4th June, 2025 5:15 PM (CET)
As part of two ERC projects, the OeAW and the University of Vienna invite you to a hybrid public lecture with Pamela H. Smith from Columbia University and Hilary Becker from Binghamton University. They shed light on the knowledge systems of past times on the use of resources and show the geo-anthropic interactions over long periods of time in different social and cultural contexts.
More information, including a link to the live stream, here.
"“By the Vehemence of Fire*”: Exploring Material Culture through Colour” under the umbrella theme ‘On Artefacts and Beyond’" - 31st EAA Annual Meeting Belgrade, Serbia. Session #151.
3rd –6th September, 2025
Organisers:
Ariadne Kostomitsopoulou Marketou
Maria Kaparou
Nelly Kladouri
The session aims to explore the role of pyrotechnology in shaping culture, focusing on the interplay between colour and material culture in pyrotechnological products.
Contributions are welcomed that discuss pyrotechnological materials, including pigments/colourants that are treated through pyrotechnological processes, metals, glass, and ceramics. Our aim is to discuss not only technical achievements of past societies, but also aspects of the symbolic meanings and social contexts tied to colour use, production, and manipulation, across different media. Our geographic focus includes the Mediterranean, Europe, and the Near East, taking a transhistorical approach up to the Late Medieval period. Additionally, we would consider contributions that discuss methodological or theoretical aspects of the interplay between pyrotechnology and colour creation/transformation.
There is particular interest in inter- and cross-disciplinary contributions that touch on:
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How operational sequences (chaîne opératoires) and technological choices influenced colour production.
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Archaeometric studies of the physicochemical processes behind creating and manipulating colour.
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The cultural, ritual, and social significance of colour in ancient societies.
ASMOSIA XIV International Conference
15th - 20th September , 2025
Ljubljana, Slovenia
The conference will deal with the traditional research fields promoted by ASMOSIA with the aim of creating a basis for an interdisciplinary discussion, which should include contributions from different scientific and archaeological approaches.
Session 7 in the programme is dedicated to “Pigments and Paintings on Marble”.
For more information, see: https://asmosia14.si/
Past events
Perceive Talks: MuLaX: Revolutionising the study of polychromy in museums - Online Webinar.
20th May, 2025 02:00 – 03:30 PM (CET)
Speakers: Bruno Fanini & Daniele Ferdani, moderated by Cristiana Barandoni
This session explored MuLaX, an innovative tool that allows users to visualize, inspect, manipulate, and compare analytical and colour layers directly on the 3D model of artworks. Built on the open-source ATON framework, MuLaX supports the interactive exploration of analytical analyses through a sophisticated annotation system for spot analyses (such as microscopy, XRF, and FORS). It also offers multi-layer visualization for imaging techniques like VIL and UVL, accessible in both lens and split modes.
The session was recorded and the link will be added as soon as available.
Conference: "Colour concept: “Secoli bui” a colori. Codici cromatici e architetture dipinte nell’età tardoantica e medievale" at the University of Florence, Italy.
9th - 11th April, 2025
Organisers: Elisabetta Neri, Laura Buccino, Paolo Liverani, Fulvio Cervini
The aim of the conference on the first day was to explore various media of Late Antique figurative culture in terms of colour to grasp the interaction between the various media and the possible development of a colour culture specific to the period under consideration, in which literary sources emphasise the emergence of the association between colour and abstract concept.
On the second day, the issues of painted architecture and building sculpture were addressed, considering the evolution of colour space and its perception through the study of a series of restoration and study sites that reveal and interpret it.
The two-day conference was preceded by an update and working session of the members of the Colour Concept research programme.
More information here.
ReVis International Workshop: "The Aigai Hunt Frieze Revealed: An Interdisciplinary Investigation and Digital Reconstruction"
5th April, 2025
Cotsen Hall, American School of Classical Studies at Athens.
An international scientific symposium titled "The Aigai Hunt Frieze Revealed: An Interdisciplinary Investigation and Digital Reconstruction" presented the findings of the ReVis project. The event brought together experts in archaeology, art history, and conservation to discuss the innovative methodologies used to study and digitally restore the frieze.
The session was recorded and the link will be added as soon as available.
Lecture: Alexander Nagel "Radiant Beasts: An Archaeology of Feathers, Wings, and the Senses in Achaemenid Persia" at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies, University of Berkeley, California.
21st February, 2025 at 12 pm
The lecture introduced ongoing research on the polychromy of feather crowns and wings on the great stone monuments at Pasargadae, Persepolis, and Susa. Focusing on the monumental beasts depicted on the Gate of all Lands and other structures on the site of Persepolis, the talk asks: what methods help us understand the intentions and processes behind painted decorations in Achaemenid Persia? A second aspect of ongoing research during the graduate seminar was discussed. Combining approaches from multiple disciplines encourages current work on Achaemenid Persian monuments and organic materials from the site. How far have we come?
For more information see:
Alexander Nagel | Radiant Beasts: An Archaeology of Feathers, Wings, and the Senses in Achaemenid Persia / Events at UC Berkeley
Study day: "Red – Colours and Religions" at the Catholic Institute of Paris
18th January, 2025 from 9.00 am to 5.30 pm
This study day was organized in collaboration with Mathilde Buratti (VEPMO team researcher) and François Debrabant (director of the Lussac-les-Châteaux museum) as part of the ArScAn collective program: Red diachronic study. Crossed perspectives from prehistoric art to contemporary art.
For more information see:
https://www.billetweb.fr/rouge-couleurs-et-religions
