The International Study Group on Music Archaeology (ISGMA) is a pool of researchers devoted to the field of music archaeology. The field comprises research methods of musicological and anthropological disciplines, such as archaeology, organology, acoustics, music iconology, philology, ethnohistory, and ethnomusicology. The study group is hosted at the Austrian Archaeological Institute (Austrian Academy of Sciences) and the Department for Ancient Near Eastern Studies at the University of Würzburg.
Upcoming Events
13th Symposium of the International Study Group on Music Archaeology
New Approaches in Music Archaeology
17–21 November 2025, Austrian Archaeological Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna
Organisers: Stefan Hagel, Florian Leitmeir, Beate-Maria Pomberger, Kamila Wysłucha
Contact: contact@isgma.info
We are delighted to invite colleagues to participate in the 13th Symposium of the International Study Group on Music Archaeology. This event will take place at the Austrian Archaeological Institute in Vienna, as well as online.
The symposium aims to explore innovative research and methodologies in music archaeology, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration. We invite papers that address recent investigations into musical cultures of the past, with particular emphasis on the following themes:
- Archaeological finds of musical instruments: studies presenting new discoveries, techno-logical analyses, or contextual evaluations of ancient musical instruments. Museums / collections are invited to present their archaeological musical instruments.
- Textual evidence on music: discussions of literary or epigraphic sources that provide insights into musical practices, philosophies, or education in historical cultures.
- Iconography of musical performance: analyses of visual representations of musical subjects, exploring their cultural, social, or ritual significance.
- Experimental music archaeology: reconstructions of musical technology.
In the tradition of ISGMA, special attention will be given to research that integrates historical sources to reconstruct musical instruments and performance practices. Contributions that com¬bine archaeological, textual, and iconographic evidence to offer a holistic understanding of ancient music-making are particularly encouraged.
In addition to the academic sessions, we would like to include practical workshops and musical performance, offering participants the opportunity to engage with reconstructions and live demonstrations.
We look forward to welcoming you to Vienna for a stimulating exchange of ideas and a celebra¬tion of music archaeology!