Against Gravity: Building Practices in the Pre-Industrial World
March 20-22, 2015
University of Pennsylvania

Call for Papers

Following on the success of “Masons at Work” (held in spring 2012, and published as http://www.sas.upenn.edu/ancient/publications.html), the symposium aims to assemble specialists to examine building practices in the pre-industrial world, with an emphasis on Greek, Roman, Byzantine, medieval, and pre-modern Islamic architecture. In addition to invited speakers, we are soliciting 20-minute papers that examine the problems which pre-modern masons commonly encountered - and the solutions they developed - in the process of design and construction. Evidence may be drawn from a variety of sources, but we encourage studies based on the analysis of well-preserved buildings.

Those wishing to speak should submit by email a letter to the organizing committee, including name, title, institutional affiliation, paper title, plus a summary of 200 words or fewer. Graduate students should include a note of support from their adviser. Deadline: 15 November 2014. The final program will be announced immediately thereafter. Submit proposals to ancientsas.upenn.edu with “Against Gravity” in the subject line.

Organizing Committee: Lothar Haselberger, Renata Holod, Robert Ousterhout