KIŠIB Conference 2026 – Save the date!

We are delighted to announce the first KIŠIB Conference, to be held from 22–24 July 2026 at the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities in Munich.

Under the theme “Why sealing? From sealed clay to social interaction in ancient West Asia”, this three-day conference brings together leading scholars to explore the analytical potential of sealed artefacts for the study of sealing practices, ancient administrative systems, and social interaction.

A comprehensive understanding of sealing practices requires a multi-level approach that integrates several analytical perspectives: materiality (what was sealed, and how?), spatial context (in which physical environments did sealing and opening take place?), personal attribution (which individuals or groups were responsible for sealing?), the social and bureaucratic dimension (did sealers act on their own behalf or represent an institution, and which processes required legitimisation?), and the seal image (what meanings were conveyed through image programmes, and which pictorial semiotic systems were employed?).

The conference aims to reflect on these questions in an interdisciplinary framework. Its goal is to reveal the people, norms, and practices behind sealed artefacts, seal images, and inscriptions, and to contribute to a deeper understanding of the connections between past and present societies.

For further details, please visit our conference page.

We look forward to welcoming you to Munich!