- August 29, 2026 | 2:00 PM - 6:30 PM
- 311
193 - Invasions: The Archaeology of Sudden Migrations
In the contemporary world, relocations, invasions, ideological divides, and social conflicts are once again emerging as pressing global concerns. Archaeology can provide a deep-time perspective on such phenomena, revealing the diverse ways in which human communities have responded to episodes of mobility, displacement, and contact. By examining the material traces of these past encounters, archaeology enables us to explore how people negotiated change — from conflict, inequality, and domination to diplomacy, risk-sharing, and the creation of new communities. In this session we want to specifically focus on phenomena of sudden migrations, particularly those that have tended to be classified as ‘invasions’.
Our aim is twofold: on the one hand, to analyse case studies for which there is evidence for the substantial movement of people within a relatively short period of time; and on the other hand, to critically discuss previous archaeological interpretations phrased around ‘invasionist’ narratives, including the biases and stereotypes that this type of rhetoric can often entail. We seek to move beyond traditional narratives and instead invite contributions that highlight the complexity and varied outcomes of these processes.
We welcome papers from all periods and regions that adopt diverse methodological and theoretical perspectives. Topics may include, but are not limited to:
• Archaeological signatures of conflict, invasion, and resistance.
• Material expressions of negotiation, cohabitation, and hybridisation.
• Mobility, identity, and power dynamics in contact zones.
• Environmental, social, and economic impacts of sudden mobility.
• Comparative or interdisciplinary approaches to migration and conflict.
The session aims to foster a cross-regional and diachronic dialogue on how archaeology can illuminate the human experience of invasion, encounter, and adaptation.
Main Organizer(s)
Co-organisers, invited speakers and discussants
Contributions
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14:00 - 14:15Introduction
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14:15 - 14:301650 - Phoenician presence in the bay of Cadiz and surrounding areas: colonization and/or invasion?Mariano Torres Ortiz, Ester López Rosendo
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14:30 - 14:457 - The collapse of the Hallstatt princely complexes (5th c. BC): invasion or implosion?Sophie Krausz
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14:45 - 15:00182 - Rethinking the “Celtic Invasion” of Northern Italy: Mobility, Archaeology, and Narrative BiasLorenzo Zamboni
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15:00 - 15:15Discussion
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15:15 - 15:302460 - Sudden migration, gradual process… or both? The settlement of the Celtici in southwest IberiaManuel Fernández-Götz, Luis Berrocal-Rangel , Lucía Ruano Posada
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15:30 - 15:45190 - Shadows of Crisis or Footprints of Archaeologists? Spatial Patterns of Hoarding along the Central Balkan Section of the Via MilitarisMarija Marić, Marija Kalicanin-Krstic
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15:45 - 16:00Discussion
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16:30 - 16:451691 - Nomads, Ancestors, and Invaders: A Case Study of Khazar Graves from the Pontic-Caspian SteppeIrina Shingiray
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16:45 - 17:001038 - Re-thinking Scandinavian-Eastern Baltic Coastal Interactions in the ‘Viking East’. Transculturation and Settlement (a Case Study of Grobiņa)Alla Kurzenkova
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17:00 - 17:151464 - Latgalian expansion (7th-9th centuries AD) and lake-settlements: islands of conquerors?Janis Meinerts
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17:15 - 17:30Discussion
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17:30 - 17:452324 - Archaeological Evidence of Mongol Raids in the Territory of Present-day Belarus in the Mid – Late 13th CenturyMikalai Plavinski
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17:45 - 18:002131 - The Enemy Within: Invasion and Embargo as Tools of State Warfare in the Oaxaca Valley, MexicoLacey Carpenter, Sofía Pacheco-Forés
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18:00 - 18:15Discussion
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Poster 956 - Where are the Invaders? The Case Study of the Galatians in the Eastern Mediterranean
Kevin Parachaud