(Re-)Constructing Late Antique Armenia (2nd–8th centuries CE). Historiography, material culture, immaterial heritage

What is the place of Armenian arts and culture within the Late Antique Mediterranean space? Since the eighteenth century, scholars have attempted to provide answers to this thorny question. In doing so, researchers from Western Europe and Russia have often approached Armenia from a colonial or orientalist perspective, marginalizing or neglecting elements of its material and literary cultures. Armenia was thus presented, amongst others, as a bridge between the “Persian East” and the “Byzantine West”. Conversely, Armenian scholars have defended the uniqueness and originality of what became their “national” heritage. Both perspectives, ultimately, contributed to the isolation of Armenian arts and culture. Recent investigations, however, highlight the necessity of re-considering Armenian material and literary cultures within the broader Mediterranean area and emphasize the Late Antique cultural exchanges and interactions rather than specific cultures. Furthermore, the continuous contacts with other cultures of Western Asia cannot be neglected either. The present conference aims to tackle these issues in two distinctive ways: on the one hand, by recontextualizing of the historiographical frameworks from the nineteenth to the twentieth century; on the other hand, by introducing new perspectives that examine the place of Armenia within the Late Antique world through the analysis of its material, visual, literary, and immaterial heritage. Our aim is to bring together scholars from different fields of studies, including, but not limited to, art history, history, archaeology, religious studies, as well as philology. Papers proposing a transdisciplinary approach – including collaborative contributions – are warmly welcome. At the same time, we are interested in papers exploring a larger framework.

The conference, which will take place from 21–22 February 2022, is sponsored by the Center for Early Medieval Studies, Masaryk University, Brno, which will provide partial or complete funding of travel expenses as well as full accommodation.

The conference is organized as part of the project Cultural Interactions in the Medieval Sub-Caucasian Region: Historiographical and Art-Historical Perspectives (Czech Science Foundation – Swiss National Science Foundation); in collaboration between the Department of Art History, University of Fribourg and the Center for Early Medieval Studies, Department of Art History, Masaryk University, Brno.

Organizers:
Ruben Campini, Ivan Foletti, Annalisa Moraschi, Adrien Palladino
Masaryk University, Brno

Paper proposals of no more than one page, accompanied by a short CV,
shall be submitted until June 30, 2021 to palladino.adriengmail.com.

Acceptance notification will be sent by July 15, 2021.