New Approaches in Music Archaeology

The symposium will explore innovative research and methodologies in music archaeology, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration. Its thematic scope encompasses recent investigations into the musical cultures of the past, with particular emphasis on archaeological finds of musical instruments, including new discoveries, technological analyses, and contextual evaluations.
Attention will also be given to textual evidence – literary and epigraphic sources that shed light on musical practices, philosophies, and education in historical cultures – and to iconographic representations of music and performance, examined for their cultural, social, and ritual significance. Another key strand will be experimental music archaeo­logy, with reconstructions of ancient musical technologies and performance practices.
In the tradition of ISGMA, the symposium places special emphasis on integrative approaches that combine archaeological, textual, and iconogra­phic evidence, aiming at a holistic understanding of ancient music-making.