New Approaches to Medical Archaeology and Anthropology: Practitioners, Practices and Patients Magdalene College 18-19th November 2000 List of Speakers Abstracts Information on Cambridge City accommodation, maps and entertainment Details of trains to Cambridge Call for Papers The purpose of this conference is to encourage interdisciplinary communication between archaeologists and anthropologists in the field of medical practitioners, practices and patients. By moving beyond the traditional text-based scholarship, the aim is to focus upon the role and practices of the medical healer or ritual specialist in guises such as the shaman, witch doctor, wise woman, witch or midwife. Because of the nature of the disciplines with which we are dealing, a concentration upon the material culture of healing will be at the forefront of the conference. However, it is intended that potential authors take a broader definition of the material culture of healing beyond just medicaments, their preparatory tools and western ideas of medical instruments. Artefacts such as amulets, body art and divination tools might also be included. Particularly welcome would be contextual studies of material culture as a means of determining attitudes towards objects relating to disease, healing and medicine. We would also welcome papers which consider narratives of healing through song, dance, divination and ritual. Other topics might include age- and gender-related differential medical treatment. Discussions of the cultural constructions of disability and differential treatment of the disabled, both in life and death, may also be considered. Also important are issues relating to the cultural construction of the body and its care, along with ideas about embodiment and medicine. Timetable for submission of papers Abstracts: 2-300 words submitted to conference organisers by 15th September. Queries may also be addressed to conference organisers. Conference Fee: £10 / 5 unwaged/ students Conference Organisers Patricia Baker, Department of Classics, University of Newcastle, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 7RU. Email: pattyanne_baker@hotmail.com. Gilly Carr, St John's College, Cambridge, CB2 1TP. Email: gcc20@hermes.cam.ac.uk.