ArcLand are organizing the “Conflict landscapes and archaeology from above” Conference in Ypres, Belgium. The call for papers closes on 20th February 2014.

The study of the archaeology of the First and Second World Wars has rapidly expanded over the last decade, not the least because of the approaching centennial of the First World War in 2014-18. These conflict landscapes and their surviving archaeological remains are mainly studied from two different approaches: either using contemporary historical aerial photographs or with modern day prospection techniques (oblique aerial photographs, LIDAR, geophysical prospection techniques, etc.).

This conference will focus on these two approaches and aims to bring together researchers from different disciplines (archaeologists, historians and geographers) studying conflict landscapes over a wide geographic range and time period, including, but not limited to the World Wars.

The conference, which is organized within the framework of ArcLand (http://www.archaeolandscapes.eu), will take place over two days (15/16 May 2014), followed by a field trip in the Ypres Salient (former battlefields of the First World War) on 17 May. The conference  venue is the In Flanders Fields Museum in Ypres (Belgium) (www.inflandersfields.be).

Proposals for papers are invited on the following themes:

  • Uses of historical photographs for study of conflict landscapes and archaeology
  • Archaeological prospection of conflict archaeology at landscape scales
  • Combination and integration of techniques

The deadline for proposals for papers is 20 February 2014 (send to: birger.stichelbaut@ugent.be). More information about important dates, venue, registration and program on the conference website www.conflictlandscapes2014.ugent.be which will be launched soon.