[Archport] uropean Association for Archaeologist at Belgrade, Serbia (3 - 6 September 2025) - session #73 titled ‘Houses and Material Culture in the Medieval Mediterranean and Beyond: Domestic Spaces and Social Identity in Multicultural Contexts’

[Susana Gómez <susanagomez@sapo.pt>]

Dear colleagues,

It is with pleasure that we are inviting you to participate in our session #73 titled ‘Houses and Material Culture in the Medieval Mediterranean and Beyond: Domestic Spaces and Social Identity in Multicultural Contexts’ at the upcoming annual meeting of the European Association for Archaeologist at Belgrade, Serbia (3 - 6 September 2025).

Please see the session abstract below. We have also included a poster, which we hope you can help circulate among your research networks widely.

Hope to see you in Belgrade!

Best wishes,

Cristina M.A

If you have any questions, please get in touch with us at Guillem.Alcolea@uab.cat , Helena.Kirchner@uab.cat , MariaIsabel.Molina@uab.cat , sgm@uevora.pt and c.martinez-alvarez@iaepan.edu.pl

Session abstract

Domestic architecture is a fundamental source for understanding how societies shape and structure their living environments. It reflects not only the material conditions, but also the social structures, values, and cultural dynamics of each historical context. The study of dwellings presents multiple analytical dimensions: on the one hand, the organisation of space allows us to understand how functions were distributed within the household and how social organisation was reflected in it. On the other hand, building materials provide information about available resources and construction techniques.
Adaptations to urban or rural environments reveal how dwellings responded to the specific needs of the environment. The material culture associated with these spaces —such as ceramics, tools, and decorative elements— offers valuable information about daily practices, production conditions, social interactions, and access to markets or distribution networks. Through architectural analysis and material culture, we can also study the processes of transformation within these communities.
The medieval Mediterranean, encompassing Iberia and extending to North Africa, Southern Europe, and the Near East, presents a rich framework for exploring these dynamics. This region’s multicultural contexts —marked by interactions between Jewish, Islamic, and Christian traditions— allow for comparative approaches that highlight both shared practices and cultural divergences.
This session seeks to explore and compare domestic spaces across the medieval Mediterranean and beyond and between the 8th and 15th centuries. Contributions are invited on topics including the structuring of domestic living spaces, the interplay between architectural and social change, the integration of housing within urban and rural landscapes, and the role of domestic architecture in shaping and reflecting multicultural identities. This expanded geographical and cultural perspective aims to facilitate a deeper understanding of the intersections between material culture, domestic life, and social organisation in the medieval world.

Submit abstracts: https://www.e-a-a.org/EAA2025

Submission deadline: 6th February 2025

Susana Gómez Martínez

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Professora Auxiliar

Universidade de Évora. Escola de Ciências Sociais

Largo dos Colegiais. 2

7000-554 Évora (PORTUGAL) 

https://www.uevora.pt/pessoas?id=75155

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Campo Arqueológico de Mértola - Centro de Estudos em Arqueologia Artes e Ciências do Património

Rua Dr. António José de Almeida, 1-3

7750-353 Mértola (PORTUGAL)

Tel. +351 286612443

http://www.camertola.pt