The registration desk will stay open through 12:00 PM on Friday 12 July, so if there are significant queues on Monday morning please return to the registration desk at a later moment.
Dean Pirjo Hiidenmaa, Faculty of Arts, University of Helsinki
Professor Saana Svärd, chair of 69th RAI organising committee, director of the Centre of Excellence in Ancient Near Eastern Empires, University of Helsinki
Professor Walther Sallaberger, president of IAA, University of Munich
Faced with an uncertain climatic future, and grappling with questions about what forms and scales of socio-political organisation might allow humanity to face the challenges that lie ahead, past people and how they coalesced and conducted their politics have come back into disciplinary, and to an extent also public, focus. But aside from rejecting traditional cultural evolutionary frameworks to conceptualise and study how communities come together, resolve the challenges of co-existence, collaboration, and conflict, where are we really at with this? In this lecture I will take stock of the archaeological study of people, politics, and polities in Southwest Asia and elsewhere, asking what the challenges are that we are facing, and sketching out our blind spots. Drawing on case studies from Southwest Asia, I will endeavour to define where a cutting edge might lie, and explore what bottom-up, practice-centred archaeological narratives may contribute towards re-imaging socio-political pasts, and perhaps also futures.
Concepts of identity have proven elusive in reconstructing the relations of individuals to collectives in Mesopotamian culture. Whether one wants to define what it means to be a state subject, a social being, or a member of a class or community of religious belief, the conditions of belonging known to us are necessary but not sufficient. That is, we can see many of the descriptive circumstances of membership in our evidence, but little gives us a sense of exclusive, definitional criteria. I will set aside the search for expansive and categorical social identities in favor of exploring how state projects of personhood came to fashion specific boundaries on aspects of individual identity. These rule-making systems—about what made people count and how—were intended to structure normative expectations about responsibilities, behavior, and belonging. The emphasis was not on the “rules” part, but the “system” part: we are not looking at individuals in state societies, but the discursive premises of individual-making. The modesty of the boundaries set by these state projects (and their policing) tells us how much these efforts relied on suggestion rather than imposed conformity. The goals of group-making in this world of incomplete states were much more modest than the ones we are used to in modernity, and the adoption of the proffered social and political identities by individuals was correspondingly limited. Despite the abstractions of the foregoing description (generically abstract!), this talk will be grounded in specific examples of the ways in which collectives imagined the individual (rather than the other way around), how these notions perennially fell short, and the continuing triumphs of hope over experience that made these dialectics the political motor of the polities.
When I somewhat provocatively called the title of this lecture "Identity Politics in the First Millennium BC", I was not aiming at the modern phenomenon of the political struggle for recognition of various groups. Although Bernd Stegemann, in his essay (Identitätspolitik. Berlin 2023, p. 12) described “identity politics” as the "oldest form of politics, as it binds the individual interest to a group identity", we can find examples of the negative effects, for example in the form of war propaganda, especially in nation states. Nation states did not exist in antiquity, but we can recognise attitudes and policies towards ethnic groups in ancient Near Eastern history. In my lecture I will give an overview of the representation of identity concepts and the handling of ethnicity in the three empires of the early and middle first millennium, starting with the Neo-Assyrian, through the Neo-Babylonian to the first Persian empire. The Cyrus Cylinder has been falsely described in many popular accounts as the first "charter of human rights" or as an "edict of tolerance". For a long time, the Achaemenids were considered more tolerant than their predecessors in the Near East, as they seemingly celebrated the multinational character of their empire in their inscriptions. The lecture examines how the approach to ethnicity and “nationality” differs in the three empires and what the possible reasons for these differences were.
The Unicafe Porthania canteen at the conference venue is open for lunch and snacks. There are numerous restaurants in the vicinity.
Session 14a
General track: Social History and Identity
Nielsen
Curcio
Zilberg
Session 14b
General track: Change and Collapse
Sharlach
Fijałkowska
Tychon
Session 14c
Workshop: Ancient Identities under Empire
Zimmermann
Manasterska
Kipfer
Session 14d
Workshop: The Ancient Western Asian Image: a Weapon and Victim
Hussein
Reinikainen
Orosz
Session 14e
Workshop: Intertextuality in Cuneiform Literature and Beyond
Bach
Song
Myers
Session 14f
Workshop: Emesal in Third Millennium Texts
Lang
Birkner
Fink
Session 15a
General track: Social History and Identity (ctd)
Anton
Wallis
Tavernier
Session 15b
General track: Change and Collapse (ctd)
Lacambre, Patrier & Parayre
Bigot
Béranger
Session 15c
Workshop: Ancient Identities under Empire (ctd)
Steinmeyer
Heath-Whyte & Marineau
Darby
Session 15d
Workshop: The Ancient Western Asian Image: a Weapon and Victim (ctd)
Achouche
Chike
May
Session 15e
Workshop: Intertextuality in Cuneiform Literature and Beyond (ctd)
Helle
Flores
Ballestros
Session 15f
Workshop: Emesal in Third Millennium Texts (ctd)
Sahala
Kröll
Discussion
Session 1a
General track: Literature and Narratives
Lenzi
Tadmor
Válek
Session 1b
General track: Scholarship
Renzi-Sepe
Wang
de Ridder, A.
Session 1c
Workshop: The Circulation and Adaption of Knowledge in the Ancient Near East
Middeke-Conlin
Thavapalan
Britton
Session 1d
Workshop: Digital and Open Assyriology
Borkowski, Novák & Schrakamp
Pedersen
Ouimet
Session 1e
Workshop: Intertextuality in Cuneiform Literature and Beyond (ctd)
Pongratz-Leisten
SooHoo
Stökl
Session 1f
Workshop: Land Management Practices: Migration and Empire
Spunaugle
López-Ruiz
Karakaya & Poolman
Session 2a
General track: Kingship
Frahm
Edmonds
Tarhan
Session 2b
General track: Scholarship (ctd)
Ivanov
Beltz
Malitzky
Session 2c
Workshop: The Circulation and Adaption of Knowledge in the Ancient Near East (ctd)
Fernandes
Bertolini
Rainford
Session 2d
Workshop: Digital and Open Assyriology (ctd)
Sáenz, Altaweel & Gordin
Surdi, Fassi & Fiorillo
Smidt
Session 2e
Workshop: Intertextuality in Cuneiform Literature and Beyond (ctd)
Artemov
McDermott
Lang
Session 2f
Workshop: Land Management Practices: Migration and Empire (ctd)
Thomas & Ben-Yosef
Cyrus
Gorris
The Unicafe Porthania canteen at the conference venue is open for lunch and snacks. There are numerous restaurants in the vicinity.
Session 3a
General track: Kingship (ctd)
Eph'al-Jaruzelska
Dubovsky
Talebi
Session 3b
General track: Scholarship (ctd)
Guinan & Good
Kasif
Theis
Session 3c
Workshop: Ancient Identities under Empire (ctd)
Ramazzotti
Coppini
Thomasky
Session 3d
Workshop: Digital and Open Assyriology (ctd)
Ong
Jauhiainen, H.
Endesfelder
Session 3e
Workshop: Intertextuality in Cuneiform Literature and Beyond (ctd)
Fernandes Pedroso
Campi
Leokumovich
Session 3f
Workshop: Land Management Practices: Migration and Empire (ctd)
Jotheri
Gopnik
Discussion
Posters can be viewed in the conference venue at any time. During this dedicated poster session poster presenters are available for questions, comments and discussion near their poster, and all conference participants are encouraged to interact with poster presenters.
Achouche, Imane: On the Next ‘Life’ of Mesopotamian Statues
Agee, Ann: Pillars, Peoples, Polities and Politics
Balke, Thomas E.: Aspects of a Physical Practice of Cuneiform Accounting in Third-Millennium Mesopotamia BCE (EDIIIb Lagas)
Bielefeld, Svende: Drained rooms inside the dwellings in Babylon-Merkes
Colombo, Noemi: Dingir Inanna, the holder of Queenship and Kinghsip par excellence.
Hietamäki, Tuomas; Sakko, Matias; Spunaugle, Adrianne: Records of Ancient Migration – locating the relocated under empire (RAMÛ)
Jean, Mathilde: How to make clay tablets: a technological approach to scribal practices in Neo-Assyrian Mesopotamia
Korzkova, Hava Bracha: Running from the mundane: anachoresis as a compound social phenomenon in Roman Egypt
Lanz, Viktoria: Mesopotamian incense burners. Representations on cylinder seals and orthostates
Monamy, Elisabeth: Foodways in the Neo-Assyrian Empire
Savino, Letizia: Healing eye-diseases in Ḫattuša
Steinert, Ulrike: Akkadian and Hittite Emotions in Context (AHEC) – Towards a Lexicon of Emotions in Cuneiform Texts from Ancient Mesopotamia and Asia Minor
Svärd, Saana; Alstola, Tero; Sahala, Aleksi & Valk, Jonathan: Update on the Lemmatized Neo-Babylonian Text Corpus
Vanderstraeten, Evelien: Marriage Networks in the Neo-Babylonian and Persian Periods.
Session 4a
General track: Kingship (ctd)
Földi
Avneri Meir
Bezold
Session 4b
General track: Scholarship (ctd)
Al-Jafar
Mladenov
Franklin
Session 4c
Workshop: Ancient Identities under Empire (ctd)
Martinez Garcia
Krömer
Haider
Session 4d
Workshop: Digital and Open Assyriology (ctd)
Anderson, A. & Homburg
Ceccarelli
Jahani
Session 4e
Workshop: Another Look at Motherhood in Ancient Western Asia
Mzali
Boeck
Garcia-Ventura & López-Bertran
Session 4f
Workshop: Archaeology and Fieldwork
Schmitt
Kreimerman
Lange
Session 5a
General track: Materiality and History
Al-Mutawalli
Sallaberger
Otto
Session 5b
General track: Hittite World
Burgin
Pallavindi
Leonard
Session 5c
Workshop: The Circulation and Adaption of Knowledge in the Ancient Near East (ctd)
Ossendrijver & Waerzeggers
Pilloni
Frazer
Session 5d
Workshop: Digital and Open Assyriology (ctd)
Vesterinen
Silverman
Alstola
Session 5e
Workshop: Another Look at Motherhood in Ancient Western Asia (ctd)
Rositani & Verderame
Battini
Rauchhaus
Session 5f
Workshop: Helsinki research from “State Archives of Assyria” to “Ancient Near Eastern Empires”
Mattila
Fink
Interview with Simo Parpola
Session 6a
General track: Materiality and History (ctd)
Taylor
Pappi & Coppini
Brandes
Session 6b
General track: Hittite World (ctd)
Wilhelmi
Kitazumi
Simon
Session 6c
Workshop: The Circulation and Adaption of Knowledge in the Ancient Near East (ctd)
Anor
Daneshmand
Mittermayer
Session 6d
Workshop: Digital and Open Assyriology (ctd)
Gordin, Romach, Linke, Mara, Sahala & Béranger
Robson
Romach
Session 6e
Workshop: Another Look at Motherhood in Ancient Western Asia (ctd)
De Graef
Tsoulouhas
Liu, H.
Session 6f
Workshop: Helsinki research from “State Archives of Assyria” to “Ancient Near Eastern Empires” (ctd)
Svärd
Töyräänvuori
Discussion
The Unicafe Porthania canteen at the conference venue is open for lunch and snacks. There are numerous restaurants in the vicinity.
Registration to excursions through the conference registration form. Availability is limited.
Session 7a
Archaeology and Fieldwork (ctd)
Jankowski-Diakonoff, Calderbank & Jotheri
de Boer & Al-Hussainy
Tenu
Session 7b
General track: Government, Administration, and Identity
Moukarzel
Nebiolo
Giannone
Session 7c
Workshop: Current Research in Third Millennium Studies
Bramanti, Greco & Mastelli
Scurlock
Borkowski
Session 7d
Workshop: King- and Queenship in the Ancient Near East: Maintaining Relations with the Power Base
Pfoh
Mizzoni
Wasmuth & Nitschke
Session 7e
Workshop: Hylistic Mythological Research
Zgoll, A.
Zgoll, C.
Heth
Session 7f
Workshop: Narrative and Storytelling as a Communication Strategy in Cuneiform Scholarship
Konstantopoulos
Zisa
Arbøll
CDLI Q/A drop-in point open in Urbarium 9:00-12:30
Session 8a
Archaeology and Fieldwork (ctd)
Azeez, Pappi & Coppini
Nishiyama
Baghizadeh & Yousefi Zoshk
Session 8b
General track: Government, Administration, and Identity (ctd)
Lairie & Pique
de Ridder, J.
Tenney
Session 8c
Workshop: Current Research in Third Millennium Studies (ctd)
Verderame & Nadali
Spada & Verderame
Kogan
Session 8d
Workshop: King- and Queenship in the Ancient Near East: Maintaining Relations with the Power Base (ctd)
Çelebi
Atudosie
Discussion
Session 8e
Workshop: Hylistic Mythological Research (ctd)
Müller
Fechner
Winitzer
Session 8f
Workshop: Narrative and Storytelling as a Communication Strategy in Cuneiform Scholarship (ctd)
Howe
Barkowsky
Baragli
CDLI Q/A drop-in point open in Urbarium at 9:00-12:30
The Unicafe Porthania canteen at the conference venue is open for lunch and snacks. There are numerous restaurants in the vicinity.
Session 9a
General track: Iconography
Koerin
Przyłęcka
Anderson, T.
Session 9b
General track: Government, Administration, and Identity (ctd)
Schmidt
Yousefi Zoshk & Baghizadeh
Mahmoud
Session 9c
Workshop: Current Research in Third Millennium Studies (ctd)
Sövegjarto
Wagensonner
Romano & Festa
Session 9d
Workshop: Digital and Open Assyriology (ctd)
Jauhiainen, T. & Jauhiainen, H.
De Magistris
Pagé-Perron, Rattenborg, Dahl, Lafont & Renn
Session 9e
Workshop: Hylistic Mythological Research (ctd)
Baragli
Kärger
Gabriel
Session 9f
Workshop: Narrative and Storytelling as a Communication Strategy in Cuneiform Scholarship (ctd)
Klamm
Menicatti
Huber Vuillet
Session 10a
General track: Literature and Narratives (ctd)
Worthington
Mirelman
Valk
Session 10b
Workshop: Between Anarchy and Hierarchy: Creating Epistemic Order in the Ancient Near East
Lecompte
Adelhofer
Díaz Herrera
Session 10c
Workshop: Current Research in Third Millennium Studies (ctd)
Witzig
Marrocchi Savoi
Dahl
Session 10d
Workshop: King- and Queenship in the Ancient Near East: Maintaining Relations with the Power Base (ctd)
Goddeeris
Rubin & Gansell
Hajinezhad
Session 10e
Workshop: Textiles in Cuneiform Texts: Recording, Terminology and Techniques
Quillien
Abramahi & Lion
Tenney
Session 10f
Workshop: People and Seals in the Ancient Near East
Balza & Poli
Paladre
Dietz
Session 11a
General track: Literature and Narratives (ctd)
Wisnom
Howard
Fraenkel
Session 11b
Workshop: Between Anarchy and Hierarchy: Creating Epistemic Order in the Ancient Near East (ctd)
Delnero
Nicolet
Paulus
Session 11c
Workshop: Current Research in Third Millennium Studies (ctd)
Pottorf
Liu, C.
Paoletti
Session 11d
Workshop: King- and Queenship in the Ancient Near East: Maintaining Relations with the Power Base (ctd)
Treuk Medeiros de Araujo
Markovic & Nitschke
Discussion
Session 11e
Workshop: Textiles in Cuneiform Texts: Recording, Terminology and Techniques (ctd)
Chalendar
Michel, Brisch, Abramahi & Quillien
Mazow
Session 11f
Workshop: People and Seals in the Ancient Near East
Felli
Peri
Niederreiter
The Unicafe Porthania canteen at the conference venue is open for lunch and snacks. There are numerous restaurants in the vicinity.
Session 12a
General track: Language and Literature
Kamil
Hershkovitz
Wichterlová
Session 12b
Workshop: Between Anarchy and Hierarchy: Creating Epistemic Order in the Ancient Near East (ctd)
Rendu Loisel
Boddy
Debourse
Session 12c
Workshop: Current Research in Third Millennium Studies (ctd)
Ouyang
Anor
Nett
Session 12d
Workshop: King- and Queenship in the Ancient Near East: Maintaining Relations with the Power Base (ctd)
Monamy
Barros
Rumi Gutierrez
Session 12e
General track: Occupation and Identity
Ito
Uotila
DeGrado
Session 12f
Workshop: People and Seals in the Ancient Near East (ctd)
Balza
Bellucci
Mora
Session 13a
General track: Language and Literature (ctd)
Tsumura
Ziemann
Vitas
Session 13b
Workshop: Between Anarchy and Hierarchy: Creating Epistemic Order in the Ancient Near East (ctd)
Weiershäuser
Hess
Young
Session 13c
Workshop: Current Research in Third Millennium Studies (ctd)
Maiocchi & Volpi
Gill
Markina
Session 13d
Workshop: King- and Queenship in the Ancient Near East: Maintaining Relations with the Power Base (ctd)
Tambs
Gudme
Discussion
Session 13e
General track: Occupation and Identity (ctd)
Baker
Michèle
Moore
Session 13f
Workshop: People and Seals in the Ancient Near East (ctd)
Poli
Suliman
Viaggiu