Memory, monuments and history in the Neolithic, Bronze Age and Iron Age Archaeology of Europe

Gardening time

Reflections on Memory, Monuments and History in Sardinia and Scotland.

21st - 23rd September, 2012. Magdalene College, Christ's College and McDonald Institute, Cambridge

Gardening may seem worlds away from nuraghi and brochs, but tending a garden is a long process involving patience, accretion and memory. Scholars argue that memories are also cultured, developed and regained. The monuments in Scotland and Sardinia are both testament to the importance of memory and its role in maintaining social relations.

The main goals of the conference are:

• To facilitate dialogue between European scholars on the common theme of memory, monuments and history;
• To explore the use and reuse of prehistoric monuments;
• To focus on new interpretations of monuments in Sardinia and Scotland that go beyond architecture;
• To highlight the rich heritage of memory in Europe and offer new methods of conceptualizing memory;
• To disseminate the latest thinking on memory and monuments to the wider academic community.

Contributors are invited to present papers on the construction of memory in European prehistory. Suggested materials for memory construction include, but are not limited to:

• monuments
• settlement and place
• landscape
• burial and the body

The following are amongst those expected to give papers or act as discussants at the conference (alphabetical order by surname):

Ian Armit (Bradford); John Barber (Edinburgh); Ewan Campbell (Glasgow); Louisa Campbell (Glasgow); Graeme Cavers (Edinburgh); Martin Carruthers (Orkney);Alberto Cazzella (Rome); Anna DePalmas (Sassari); Muge Durusu-Tanriover (Brown, USA); Paola Filippucci (Cambridge); Simon Gilmour (Edinburgh); Andy Heald (Edinburgh); Jody Joy (London); Robert Lenfert (Nottingham); Kris Lockyear (London); Simona Losi (London); Mary MacLeod (Lewis); Hannah Malone (Cambridge); Phil Mason (Slovenia); Megan Meredith-Lobay (Oxford); Gordon Noble (Aberdeen); Antony Pace (Malta); Mauro Perra (Villanova); Ian Ralston (Edinburgh);Giulia Recchia (Lecce); Marco Rendeli (Sassari); Tanja Romankiewicz (Edinburgh); Robin Skeates (Durham); Alfonso Stiglitz (Cagliari); Simon Stoddart (Cambridge); Carlo Tronchetti (Cagliari); Alessandro Usai (Cagliari); Alessandro Vanzetti (Rome); Clive Vella (Brown, USA); Isabelle Vella Gregory (Cambridge); Peter Wells (Minnesota); Rebecca Younger (Glasgow);

Timetable and locations:

• Titles of contributions and declaration of interest: as soon as possible here
• Current programme here:
• Abstracts Deadline: 1 May 2012
• Registration and accommodation deadline: 29 July 2012. Please download form here: and automated form here:
• Late Registration deadline (increased conference fee): 14 September 2012
• The last date for any meal bookings is Wednesday 19 September 2012
• Publication details will be announced later
• Student bursaries. You are asked to apply directly and briefly to Simon Stoddart giving your age, status, need and intellectual interests.
• The main venue for the conference is the Cripps Building of Magdalene College which can be seen on a map here. The entrance is by foot or bicycle from Chesterton Lane. You will be asked to check in just inside this entrance to the left opposite the Porters Lodge. This is also the location of accommodation within Magdalene (although if you have booked accommodation for Thurday evening, you are asked to go to the Porters Lodge in the main body of the college - see next bullet point).
• The (pre-booked) conference dinner at 7.30 on Saturday evening will be in the main body (location 49) of the college here, where there is a 24 hour Porters Lodge. This is the place to check in if you arrive on the Thursday evening. Messages will be relayed to the conference organisers during the conference on 01223 332100 from this Porters Lodge.
• A reception will be held in the McDonald Institute on the Friday evening at 7.00 pm here.
• An English Poster can be downloaded here
• An Italian Poster can be downloaded here
• Further details from Isabelle Vella Gregory and from Simon Stoddart.

We are grateful to the McDonald Institute, Magdalene College and the Archaeology section of the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology for core support and for advice from Giandaniele Castangia

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