The IGC 2008 is approaching, and the end of February is the deadline
for submitting abstracts. Please find below descriptions of two sessions
within the Geoarchaeology symposium, on which we hope to see many
of you.

IEA-05 Geology and cultural heritage Tom Heldal

Preservation of our cultural heritage for future generations requires
multidisciplinary research where geology is increasingly important. Most
ancient monuments and historical buildings are made of stone; hence
rocks are essential for the visual character of many historical
cityscapes. Furthermore, the extraction of stone and mineral resources
since the Stone Age has left 'industrial' landscapes that are
significant historical monuments in its own right. We encourage
contributions to the session dealing with a range of problems related to
cultural heritage, particularly within the following fields: stone
resources and cultural heritage; cityscapes and stone; ancient and
historical stone and mineral production sites; geology and conservation
issues. We also welcome provenance studies that contribute to a broader
understanding of the use and distribution of stone in the past.

IEA-06 Geoarchaeology and archaeometry Patrick Degryse (Society for
Archaeological Science, ASMOSIA)

In the light of the increasing importance of interdisciplinary research
in archaeology, of which archaeometrical research is a major part, a
session dealing with the application of geo-sciences to archaeological
questions is introduced. Specifically, mineralogical and geochemical
research on the use of ores and minerals in ancient craft activity are
aimed at. This includes the exploitation and use of mineral resources in
ancient times and through history. Archaeometrical study of artefacts
and their raw materials includes (non-exclusively) the characterization
and provenance determination of ceramics and clay resources, the
technology of ceramic production, the provenance determination of
natural building stones and other building materials (bricks, tiles,
mortar, plaster...) in relation to the geology of an area, the
reconstruction of glass and metal production from its primary or
secondary raw materials and the reconstruction of the geological
environment for ancient mineral extraction.

Please visit: http://www.33igc.org/coco/ for further information and registration.

Best wishes,
Patrick Degryse
Tom Heldal

| 06.09.2008 |