Final call for papers for Archaeological Heritage Network's sessions at AIC's 2027 Annual Meeting! Abstracts due September 30th.
The Archaeological Heritage Network (AHN) seeks proposals for the AIC's 2027 Annual Meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Proposals should reflect the meeting theme of Community of Trust and center on archaeological conservation. Possible topics include field work, site management, archaeological collections, and/or a significant treatment. We encourage submissions that highlight working effectively across disciplines and/or within teams, sustainable preservation, and collaborative work with traditional knowledge holders. AHN will be hosting an AHN Specialty Session, a Joint Session with the Architecture Specialty Group (ASG), and a Joint Session with the Objects Specialty Group (OSG) on Tending the Afterlife– the Treatment of Mummified Human Remains.
Submissions for the ASG/AHN joint session should focus on archaeological and architectural preservation in relation to communities of trust. Topics may include though are not limited to sustainable site and architectural preservation in relation to local capacity building, funding strategies, adaptive reuse, locally sourced materials, innovative solutions to sites with limited resources, and environmentally conscious strategies within networks of trust.
Submissions for the Tending the Afterlife– the Treatment of Mummified Human Remains should explore approaches to the treatment and restoration of mummified human remains found in museum collections worldwide. Many of these ancestral remains have associated wrappings and funerary materials whose states of preservation vary from excellent to extremely poor. Higher levels of loss and damage can create extremely challenging treatment problems, especially when there is no clear pathway to engaging with ancestral communities. Investigation, treatment, and restoration of such remains ranges from minimal to highly invasive and typically involves decision-making based on research and trust among conservation professionals, bioanthropologists, curators, and, sometimes, representatives from a specific community of origin, but more often from a specific community of care. The organizers recognize the difficulties inherent in discussing these matters but feel that this makes it all the more important to create a space in which these discussions can happen. We particularly welcome contributions that address issues of treatment of loss or damage, offer reflections on past decisions, and/or highlight how conservation professionals balance treatment priorities, research and exhibit goals, and ethical considerations.
Abstraction submission deadline is Wednesday, September 30th, 2026. Abstracts should be no longer than 500 words and be accompanied by author bio(s) of 300 words or less. To submit an abstract, please click here or visit AIC's Call for Submissions webpage. There is now one centralized proposal form to submit papers (as well as panels and posters) for AIC. If you have any questions, please reach out to AHN Program Chair, Alyssa Rina (alyssarina@gmail.com) and AHN Assistant Program Chair, Ella Andrews (ejaconservation@gmail.com).
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Ella Andrews
Assistant Conservator
Vizcaya Museum & Gardens
Miami, FL
United States
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