ARCHAEOACOUSTICS: SPACES and SOUND in the ANCIENT WORLD
Bringing a new dimension to what we know about our past
Island of Malta 11-14 November 2010
The field is an application of the sense of hearing to the science of archaeology. We are particularly interested in the role acoustic behavior may have had in the development and design of important architecture and ritual spaces throughout the ancient western world. Preliminary studies have shown that manmade prehistoric chambers still resonate at a sound wave frequency which appears to shift brain activity in the prefrontal cortex; just as the rooms would have done when they were created. This shifting is thought to emphasize a part of the brain that deals with creativity, mood and emotional processing. What effect could this have had on the people who used such spaces? Was the phenomenon deliberately manipulated? What practices seem to reflect an early human desire to “tune in”? Why? How can we apply this information today?
Maybe the Oracle at Delphi was onto something!
The intent of this conference is to provide a forum for expanding previous conceptions and introducing new methodologies exploring the importance of sound in the ancient world, with focused expertise from a variety of backgrounds:
- Art History
Submission of abstracts and proposals for posters/demos will be open until 15 April. Announcements will be made by 30 April. Registration will open 01 May.
All submissions should be made to: conference@AncientMed.org
Learn more at the Conference Website: www.AncientMed.org/conference.htm