The first International Workshop on Medieval Epigraphy held in Roda de Isábena (Aragon, Spain) from 15 to 19 September 2021 is opening a call for applications for young scholars working on medieval inscriptions. Successful applicants will be invited to present their research topic in a three-day international seminar aimed at creating dialogues and exchanges of ideas in the field of medieval epigraphy.

Despite the dynamism of editorial initiatives in Europe and the ever-renewed researches on written cultures of the Middle Ages, works on medieval epigraphy still suffer from their small diffusion in the broad panorama of medieval studies. International symposia is this scientific area are very rare and give little space to the presentation of works in progress on medieval inscriptions, especially from Ph.D. candidates and young researchers.

The organization of the first International Workshop on Medieval Epigraphy in 2021 aims to create an opportunity for young scholars to present their work, and to exchange on their investigation and the methodological issues related to the analysis of epigraphic sources. To ensure this space for discussion and constructive debates, the format chosen for this meeting is different from that of symposia and congresses. The Workshop will bring together a community of twelve young researchers, accompanied by four international experts in medieval literacy, for a three-day seminar of extended presentations (one-hour papers followed by a one-hour session of Q&A). Only the abstracts of the presentations are published online to ensure the dissemination of the research topics. Participants and organizers will thus be able to focus on the intellectual debate, the confrontation of experiences, the sharing of methods and the deepening of the historical questions arising from the analysis of medieval inscriptions.

This call for applications is aimed at young scholars (Ph.D. candidates, post-doctoral fellows, ECR who defended their dissertation after 2014) currently engaged in researches on medieval inscriptions regardless of the theme or approach (paleography, technique, linguistics, text analysis, prosopography, iconography, liturgy, literature, archaeology, etc.). To build the conditions for intellectual debates and to contribute to a better knowledge of the written culture of the Middle Ages, we invite the applicants to focus on methodological questions and the anthropological aspects of their research in medieval epigraphy.

The International Workshop on Medieval Epigraphy will take place in Roda de Isábena, a small medieval village in the mountains of Aragon that keeps the largest collection of medieval inscriptions preserved in Europe (with 231 funerary texts). In the heart of the village, participants will experience a collective journey of intellectual sharing, with visits and scientific events, in Roda and the surrounding area.

To apply to International Workshop on Medieval Epigraphy, applicants must submit the following documents (in English, French or Spanish) by January 15, 2021 at this email address vincent.debiaisehess.fr :
- A cover letter describing their ongoing research,
- A one-page resume,
- A presentation of the project for the seminar (max. 500 words).
The application will be reviewed by the Scientific Committee of the International Workshop on Medieval Epigraphy and candidates will be notified of the results by February 1st, 2021.

The organization of the International Workshop on Medieval Epigraphy will cover the candidates’ travel expenses (up to 250 euros), on-site accommodation, meals and all activities. Successful candidates commit to actively participate in debates and exchanges during the seminar, and to provide an extensive abstract of their presentation before the workshop. All the sessions of the seminar will be videorecorded. All sessions will be held in English.

The event is organized as part of the SCRIPTA-PSL project “Epigraphic Programs and Networks of Inscriptions” carried out by the School of Advanced Studies in Social Sciences (EHESS, CRH-AHLoMA, Paris), with the participation and support of the General Directora of Cultural Heritage in Aragon, the Provincial Delegation of Huesca, the borough of Ribagorza, the municipality of Roda de Isábena, the Bishop of Barbastro-Monzón, the Real Academia de Nobles y Bellas Artes de San Luis, the research team TEMPLA and the cultural association “Amigos de la catedral de Roda”.