Symposium: Cosmopolities in Antiquity and Modernity – Mechanisms of Multiethnicities
Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,
mit Bezug auf das 100-jährige Jubiläum der Grabungen im Heraion von Samos in 2025 wird das DAI-Athen gemeinsam mit der Eleonora-Schamberger-Stiftung am 15. und 16. Mai 2026 ein Symposium zum Thema "Cosmopolities in Antiquity and Modernity – Mechanisms of Multiethnicities" veranstalten (siehe Anhang). Das Symposium findet in Pythagorio (Pythagorio 83103, Samos) statt.
Die Abteilung Athen des DAI lädt zur Einreichung von Vorschlägen für Beiträge ein, die neue Perspektiven und Fallstudien bieten und die zentralen Ziele des Symposiums behandeln, bis zum 15. Oktober 2025 an die Adressen:
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CALL FOR PAPERS
Symposium: Cosmopolities in Antiquity and Modernity – Mechanisms of
Multiethnicities
15–16 May 2026, Phytagorio/ Samos
German Archaeological Institute (DAI), Athens / Eleonora-Schamberger-Foundation, Munich
On 15–16 May 2026, the Eleonora-Schamberger-Foundation in collaboration with the
German Archaeological Institute at Athens (DAI) will host a symposium on
Cosmopolities in Antiquity and Modernity – Mechanisms of Multiethnicities. The
Symposium will take place in Pythagorio (Pythagorio 83103, Samos).
We invite the submission of proposals for papers contributing new perspectives and
case studies that address the symposium’s key aims until 15 October 2025 to the
address given below.
Purpose and objectives of the symposium
The basic aspiration of the symposium “Cosmopolities in Antiquity and Modernity –
Mechanisms of Multiethnicities” is to contribute to deepening our understanding of multi-
ethnicity: how intercultural contact zones emerge and how they are maintained; what the
mechanisms of coexistence and exchange were; what lived experiences in multicultural
settings looked and felt like in specific geographies and in a specific ancient period.
For that sake, we want to diachronically look at those phenomena in concrete examples from
the ancient world – e. g. Samos, Naukratis, Athens – but also in historical periods as recent as
the late 19th and early 20th century – e. g. Smyrna, Alexandria etc. Even if diverse historical
phenomena are never directly comparable, examining and contrasting them in their respective
contexts may still help to get to new perspectives for archaeology, classical studies, and the
humanities social sciences more widely.
Background
The symposium is organized in connection with the 100th anniversary of the DAI’s excavations
in one of antiquity’s most important international sanctuaries, the Samian Heraion. To mark
this anniversary, in 2025, the German Archaeological Institute is organizing the exhibition
'Bridging Cultures' in cooperation with the Schwarz Foundation and support by the Hellenic
Ministry of Culture. The exhibition at the Art-Space Phytagorion/Samos focuses on the ancient
lifeworld of the island community of Samos and the cult in the internationally important Heraion.
The exhibition 2025 as well as the symposium in 2026 thrive from the extraordinary density of
contacts between the Samians and the cultures of the Eastern Mediterranean from the 8th to
the 6th century B.C., due to its connectivity with main trading routes. These exchanges were
decisive for the genesis of Greek culture as a corner stone for modern European identity.
In addition to borrowings from Anatolian-Mesopotamian cultures, there were close links with
Egypt – a big theme at the exhibition and at next year’s symposium. The results of these
contacts in the form of technical, artistic and cultic innovations are vividly illustrated by the
archaeological remains on Samos. At the same time, evidence from Greece and Egypt also
provides an insight into the socio-political structures of contact on which inspiration and
adaptation was based, and in particular the dynamics of direct interaction between Greeks and
Egyptians on Egyptian soil. A special contact zone was founded in the city of Naukratis, the
only supra-regional trading port in Egypt explicitly legitimized by the Egyptian authorities with
a multi-ethnic population.
Despite significant new data, and insights having emerged from fieldwork and research over
the past decades, many aspects of ancient intercultural contact, however, remain little
understood. This is true especially with regards to the people who shaped and were shaped
by this multicultural, interconnected world: Who were they and what were their experiences?
How did sacred spaces, material culture, and rituals shape the emotional and intellectual
responses to foreign encounters? Examining questions such as these are crucial for a deeper
understanding of intercultural contact and its impact, including the various processes often
subsumed under the term ‘acculturation’.
Moving beyond the initial reference points of the Samian Heraion with its international visitors
and the multi-ethnic port of Naukratis, the symposium aims to examine comparable
phenomena of intercultural contact zones in different regions and periods from antiquity up to
the present day – places such as ancient Classical Athens, or 19th/20th century Smyrna,
Alexandria or similar places. Its key aim is to investigate underlying motivations, structures and
mechanisms: How is the coexistence of culturally heterogeneous groups organized? Where
are the points of contact? What mutual perceptions and influences can be identified? Who
adopts which cultural inspirations – how and why? What can we learn today from the
experiences of the past?
Methodological Approach
The symposium aims to promote a diachronic and interdisciplinary approach, drawing on
recent debates in material culture studies, particularly those concerned with the interpretive
potential of everyday objects and spatial practices.
Of central concern is the reconstruction of lived experience in intercultural settings. Instead of
emphasizing overarching political or imperial dynamics, the symposium intends to explore
micro-level encounters and peaceful cultural exchanges among ordinary individuals. By
foregrounding the emotional, practical and symbolic dimensions of cross-cultural interaction in
everyday life – whether in sacred spaces, marketplaces, domestic contexts or port cities – the
symposium aims to shed light on how cultural hybridity, adaptation and mutual influence were
actively lived and negotiated beyond elite or state-directed processes.
Proposals for Papers
We invite you to propose papers that investigate interculturality on this micro-level, focussing
on human interaction and motivations on a strong methodological foundation. The case studies
to be discussed will integrate material and archaeological evidence to varying degrees,
depending on the nature and preservation of sources from each respective period. While for
some early historical contexts the focus necessarily lies on artefactual and spatial data, more
recent epochs may allow a stronger incorporation of textual and visual sources. We particularly
welcome papers that engage with more recent periods of history, or that consider the relevance
of antiquity for contemporary societies from different disciplines of cultural studies, like Ancient
Studies, Social Sciences, Ethnology, and other relevant disciplines.
The symposium "Cosmopolities in Antiquity and Modernity – Mechanisms of
Multiethnicities", organized by the Eleonora-Schamberger-Foundation and the German
Archaeological Institute at Athens, will take place from 15–16 May 2026 at Phytagorio/
Samos (Greece).
We invite Postdoctoral researchers and PhD candidates also to contribute to the
conference with academic posters.
Submissions should address the symposium’s central themes, focusing on intercultural contact
zones, lived experiences in multicultural settings, and mechanisms of coexistence and
exchange across different historical periods in Europe, Asia and Africa.
Please submit your proposal (in English), including an abstract of 200-300 words of your
proposed 30-minutes presentation, or a poster proposal, by 15 October 2025 to:
Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist vor Spambots geschützt! Zur Anzeige muss JavaScript eingeschaltet sein. and Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist vor Spambots geschützt! Zur Anzeige muss JavaScript eingeschaltet sein.
We look forward to your contributions!
mit Bezug auf das 100-jährige Jubiläum der Grabungen im Heraion von Samos in 2025 wird das DAI-Athen gemeinsam mit der Eleonora-Schamberger-Stiftung am 15. und 16. Mai 2026 ein Symposium zum Thema "Cosmopolities in Antiquity and Modernity – Mechanisms of Multiethnicities" veranstalten (siehe Anhang). Das Symposium findet in Pythagorio (Pythagorio 83103, Samos) statt.
Die Abteilung Athen des DAI lädt zur Einreichung von Vorschlägen für Beiträge ein, die neue Perspektiven und Fallstudien bieten und die zentralen Ziele des Symposiums behandeln, bis zum 15. Oktober 2025 an die Adressen:
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CALL FOR PAPERS
Symposium: Cosmopolities in Antiquity and Modernity – Mechanisms of
Multiethnicities
15–16 May 2026, Phytagorio/ Samos
German Archaeological Institute (DAI), Athens / Eleonora-Schamberger-Foundation, Munich
On 15–16 May 2026, the Eleonora-Schamberger-Foundation in collaboration with the
German Archaeological Institute at Athens (DAI) will host a symposium on
Cosmopolities in Antiquity and Modernity – Mechanisms of Multiethnicities. The
Symposium will take place in Pythagorio (Pythagorio 83103, Samos).
We invite the submission of proposals for papers contributing new perspectives and
case studies that address the symposium’s key aims until 15 October 2025 to the
address given below.
Purpose and objectives of the symposium
The basic aspiration of the symposium “Cosmopolities in Antiquity and Modernity –
Mechanisms of Multiethnicities” is to contribute to deepening our understanding of multi-
ethnicity: how intercultural contact zones emerge and how they are maintained; what the
mechanisms of coexistence and exchange were; what lived experiences in multicultural
settings looked and felt like in specific geographies and in a specific ancient period.
For that sake, we want to diachronically look at those phenomena in concrete examples from
the ancient world – e. g. Samos, Naukratis, Athens – but also in historical periods as recent as
the late 19th and early 20th century – e. g. Smyrna, Alexandria etc. Even if diverse historical
phenomena are never directly comparable, examining and contrasting them in their respective
contexts may still help to get to new perspectives for archaeology, classical studies, and the
humanities social sciences more widely.
Background
The symposium is organized in connection with the 100th anniversary of the DAI’s excavations
in one of antiquity’s most important international sanctuaries, the Samian Heraion. To mark
this anniversary, in 2025, the German Archaeological Institute is organizing the exhibition
'Bridging Cultures' in cooperation with the Schwarz Foundation and support by the Hellenic
Ministry of Culture. The exhibition at the Art-Space Phytagorion/Samos focuses on the ancient
lifeworld of the island community of Samos and the cult in the internationally important Heraion.
The exhibition 2025 as well as the symposium in 2026 thrive from the extraordinary density of
contacts between the Samians and the cultures of the Eastern Mediterranean from the 8th to
the 6th century B.C., due to its connectivity with main trading routes. These exchanges were
decisive for the genesis of Greek culture as a corner stone for modern European identity.
In addition to borrowings from Anatolian-Mesopotamian cultures, there were close links with
Egypt – a big theme at the exhibition and at next year’s symposium. The results of these
contacts in the form of technical, artistic and cultic innovations are vividly illustrated by the
archaeological remains on Samos. At the same time, evidence from Greece and Egypt also
provides an insight into the socio-political structures of contact on which inspiration and
adaptation was based, and in particular the dynamics of direct interaction between Greeks and
Egyptians on Egyptian soil. A special contact zone was founded in the city of Naukratis, the
only supra-regional trading port in Egypt explicitly legitimized by the Egyptian authorities with
a multi-ethnic population.
Despite significant new data, and insights having emerged from fieldwork and research over
the past decades, many aspects of ancient intercultural contact, however, remain little
understood. This is true especially with regards to the people who shaped and were shaped
by this multicultural, interconnected world: Who were they and what were their experiences?
How did sacred spaces, material culture, and rituals shape the emotional and intellectual
responses to foreign encounters? Examining questions such as these are crucial for a deeper
understanding of intercultural contact and its impact, including the various processes often
subsumed under the term ‘acculturation’.
Moving beyond the initial reference points of the Samian Heraion with its international visitors
and the multi-ethnic port of Naukratis, the symposium aims to examine comparable
phenomena of intercultural contact zones in different regions and periods from antiquity up to
the present day – places such as ancient Classical Athens, or 19th/20th century Smyrna,
Alexandria or similar places. Its key aim is to investigate underlying motivations, structures and
mechanisms: How is the coexistence of culturally heterogeneous groups organized? Where
are the points of contact? What mutual perceptions and influences can be identified? Who
adopts which cultural inspirations – how and why? What can we learn today from the
experiences of the past?
Methodological Approach
The symposium aims to promote a diachronic and interdisciplinary approach, drawing on
recent debates in material culture studies, particularly those concerned with the interpretive
potential of everyday objects and spatial practices.
Of central concern is the reconstruction of lived experience in intercultural settings. Instead of
emphasizing overarching political or imperial dynamics, the symposium intends to explore
micro-level encounters and peaceful cultural exchanges among ordinary individuals. By
foregrounding the emotional, practical and symbolic dimensions of cross-cultural interaction in
everyday life – whether in sacred spaces, marketplaces, domestic contexts or port cities – the
symposium aims to shed light on how cultural hybridity, adaptation and mutual influence were
actively lived and negotiated beyond elite or state-directed processes.
Proposals for Papers
We invite you to propose papers that investigate interculturality on this micro-level, focussing
on human interaction and motivations on a strong methodological foundation. The case studies
to be discussed will integrate material and archaeological evidence to varying degrees,
depending on the nature and preservation of sources from each respective period. While for
some early historical contexts the focus necessarily lies on artefactual and spatial data, more
recent epochs may allow a stronger incorporation of textual and visual sources. We particularly
welcome papers that engage with more recent periods of history, or that consider the relevance
of antiquity for contemporary societies from different disciplines of cultural studies, like Ancient
Studies, Social Sciences, Ethnology, and other relevant disciplines.
The symposium "Cosmopolities in Antiquity and Modernity – Mechanisms of
Multiethnicities", organized by the Eleonora-Schamberger-Foundation and the German
Archaeological Institute at Athens, will take place from 15–16 May 2026 at Phytagorio/
Samos (Greece).
We invite Postdoctoral researchers and PhD candidates also to contribute to the
conference with academic posters.
Submissions should address the symposium’s central themes, focusing on intercultural contact
zones, lived experiences in multicultural settings, and mechanisms of coexistence and
exchange across different historical periods in Europe, Asia and Africa.
Please submit your proposal (in English), including an abstract of 200-300 words of your
proposed 30-minutes presentation, or a poster proposal, by 15 October 2025 to:
We look forward to your contributions!