Private material religion across cultures: ICS postgraduate and early career colloquium

This 2-day in-person colloquium will take place in room G11, ground floor, Senate House. 

We are excited to announce a colloquium on private material religion hosted by the Institute of Classical Studies, University of London, on 6 and 7 June 2024. We invite primarily postgraduates and early career researchers in archaeology and history to attend. The colloquium will explore the boundaries and intersections between ‘private’ and ‘public’ religion, magic and other ritual behaviours in material culture from a wide range of time periods and cultures across the ancient Mediterranean (broadly conceived). The colloquium thus aims to facilitate a cross-cultural perspective of ancient religious practice.

Most research on ancient material religion tends to focus on what is publicly displayed, centrally commissioned, and monumentalised. There is, however, a wealth of archaeological material also attesting to private and individualised religious rituals. These rituals could be conducted within the household or among small community groups, independent of the ‘state’. Although private religious practice often reflects the grammar of religious power visible in public religion, the context and social significance of the worship tends to be quite different. Religion could be practised within the household, by minority groups, and in contexts that can sometimes even be described as ‘magic’, all of which manifests itself in material culture in a manner distinct from the literary record.

If you are interested in attending, please sign up using the ICS event booking system.

Programme with confirmed start and finish times.