ISAAE 2027
The 4th International Symposium on Animals in Ancient Egypt (ISAAE) will take place in Warsaw from 23 to 28 May 2027
The ISAAE series began in Lyon in 2016, followed by conferences in Cairo in 2019 and Naples in 2022. Previous contributions have showcased cutting-edge methods, including 3D imaging, CT scanning, and stable isotope analysis, particularly in the study of animal mummies. These meetings have also resulted in important publications exploring various aspects of animals and human–animal relationships in ancient Egypt.
The 4th ISAAE will provide an opportunity for scholars working on animals in ancient Egypt and the wider Nile Valley to meet, present new research, exchange ideas, and establish new collaborations.
The symposium will be held at the Museum of the Earth, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, from 23 to 28 May 2027.
We welcome researchers exploring animals and the complex relationships between humans and animals, from the prehistory of the Nile Valley to Late Antiquity. Topics include, but are not limited to, animal cults, mummification, iconography, zooarchaeology, and the roles of animals in society, the economy, and agriculture.
Participants may focus their papers on any period in the history of the region, from the 5th millennium BCE to the 7th century CE.
The conference sessions will include, but are not limited to, the following themes:
- Animals in art, crafts, and texts
- Animal cults and religion
- Material culture
- Archaeology and current fieldwork
- Scientific analysis and zooarchaeology
- The impact of animals on human society and the economy
- Museology, including discussions on the ethics of displaying animal remains, exhibitions, restoration, and conservation
Call for Papers – 4th ISAAE
Abstracts for 20-minute presentations in English should be submitted via our Google Form by 17:00 CET on 15 November 2026. Abstracts must not exceed 150 words.
A limited number of poster contributions will also be accepted.
Abstracts will be reviewed by a panel comprising representatives of the Scientific Committee and the Organising Committee.
Applicants will be notified of the outcome in December 2026.
Conference registration will open on 25 February 2027. Further information regarding registration fees, travel, and accommodation will be provided by 15 December 2026.
Please direct all enquiries to info@isaae27.com.
Organising Committee:
Wojciech Ejsmond & Marzena Ożarek Szilke (Mummy Research Center)
Błarzej Błażejewski (the Museum of the Earth of the Polish Academy of Sciences)
Salima Ikram (The American University in Cairo)
Maria Diletta Pubblico (Museo Egizio in Turin, UCLA Cotsen Institute of Archaeology)
The conference is co-organised by the Mummy Research Center, the Museum of the Earth of the Polish Academy of Sciences, The American University in Cairo, and Museo Egizio in Turin in cooperation with the Study of Egyptian Animal Mummy Styles (SEAMS), funded by the European Commission.
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