MEDITERRANEAN ZOOARCHAEOLOGY SYMPOSIUM

29 – 31 January 2026

Faunal Dynamics from Foragers to Empires

(1ST Edition | Online)

The Mediterranean has long been recognized as a cradle of civilizations, shaped by the rise and fall of countless societies over millennia. Animals played vital roles in every ancient culture across the region, contributing to subsistence, economy, belief systems, and social organization. A holistic approach to zooarchaeological research—drawing on data from diverse subregions and time periods—is essential for understanding the complexities of cultural evolution throughout the Mediterranean. 

Although zooarchaeological research has expanded significantly across the region, challenges remain. These include fragmented data, limited accessibility, uneven research development, and a lack of standardized methodologies. To address these gaps, the MED-Zooarch initiative has been established by building a collaborative, multi-proxy network of zooarchaeologists. The initiative emphasizes open science, supports early-career researchers, and promotes cross-regional knowledge exchange. 

The Mediterranean Zooarchaeology Symposium is a key part of this initiative. It aims to bring together a diverse network of specialists, early-career researchers, and students who explore the critical roles animals played in past human societies across the Mediterranean. 

The first edition of the symposium will serve as a general introduction to animal-human interactions, spanning from prehistoric hunter-gatherers to the rise and fall of major Mediterranean empires. The overarching theme is: “Faunal Dynamics from Foragers to Empires Across the Mediterranean World.”

The symposium will be fully online and free of registration fees, in line with our goals of inclusivity and financial accessibility. We invite two types of contributions: 

• 15–20 minute full-length presentations for in-depth research and zooarchaeological case studies.

• 05 – minute summary presentations, designed as an alternative to traditional posters, ideal for students and early-stage research.

Submitting a full paper is not mandatory for participation. However, contributors will have the opportunity to publish their work in a free-of-charge, open-access proceedings volume or in a special issue of an international journal. All accepted participants who attend the symposium will receive a certificate of attendance. 

We welcome abstract submissions on (but not limited to) the following topics: 

• Animals in prehistoric Mediterranean societies 

• Animals in sedentary economies and food production systems 

• Animals in trade networks and cultural exchange across the Mediterranean 

• Histories of animal domestication and pastoralism across the Mediterranean 

• Animal management and adaptation during climate crises 

• Innovative analytical approaches in zooarchaeology (e.g., isotopic analysis, aDNA) 

• Exploitation of aquatic and marine fauna across ancient Mediterranean world 

• Faunal paleopathology and zoonotic diseases 

• Symbolic and ritual uses of animals in ancient Mediterranean 

• Regional zooarchaeological case studies from across the Mediterranean, including but not limited to Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel-Palestine, Italy, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Montenegro, Morocco, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Syria, Tunisia, Türkiye, and other Mediterranean islands