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Archaeology of Migrations
Colloquia
Published on
24 November 2016
Updated on
14 June 2017
Colloquia
The archaeology of Migrations
International colloquium organized by Inrap, in partnership with the National Museum of Immigration History.
November 12 and 13, 2015 at the National Museum of Immigration History.
International symposium organised by the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research, in partnership with the Museum of Immigration History
12th-13th November 2015 at Museum of Immigration History
Program
Since the middle of the 19th century, international migrations have increased considerably. Today more than ever, they are in the spotlight and are seen as a cause for concern in our contemporary societies. History, however, has shown that population movements are not merely a modern-day phenomenon, one of industrialisation and large-scale migrations, but rather a feature of humanity since its expansion out of Africa first began. The logic of migrations has simply evolved over time into multiple forms: internal or external, free or forced, they results in situations as diverse as colonisation, diaspora, mixing or segregation, integration or exclusion.
Migrations constitute a research subject which has informed many studies and prompted rich and multi-dimensional reflections in the fields of economics, sociology, history and ethnology. Migration has also long since been a major subject for archaeology. As is not merely a question of finding tangible and material evidence for migrations (although this does indeed form part of the interrogation), studies also seek to explore the diversity and complexity of human population movements in both the distant and more recent past. The debate should therefore be renewed by bringing focus onto the history of connections, mixing and hybridisations which occur between cultures and communities, and for whom the cultural differences initially appeared insurmountable. In this respect, archaeology contributes in giving a fresh perspective on the numerous dimensions of this large-scale process, whilst identifying ideological interpretations linked to these issues.
By confronting archaeological, historical, geographic and demographic data from different periods and places, the ambition of this symposium is to move beyond a simple observation of large-scale population movements, by looking at the points of contact between migrants and their host societies.
Migrations constitute a research subject which has informed many studies and prompted rich and multi-dimensional reflections in the fields of economics, sociology, history and ethnology. Migration has also long since been a major subject for archaeology. As is not merely a question of finding tangible and material evidence for migrations (although this does indeed form part of the interrogation), studies also seek to explore the diversity and complexity of human population movements in both the distant and more recent past. The debate should therefore be renewed by bringing focus onto the history of connections, mixing and hybridisations which occur between cultures and communities, and for whom the cultural differences initially appeared insurmountable. In this respect, archaeology contributes in giving a fresh perspective on the numerous dimensions of this large-scale process, whilst identifying ideological interpretations linked to these issues.
By confronting archaeological, historical, geographic and demographic data from different periods and places, the ambition of this symposium is to move beyond a simple observation of large-scale population movements, by looking at the points of contact between migrants and their host societies.
Thursday, November 12
I - Prehistoric Migrations (Palaeolithic et Neolithic)
Session chairperson: Jean-Paul Demoule
Migrations are inseparable from the behaviour of the Homo genus. They explain how, through two major successive expansions out of Africa, this branch of primates was able to progressively take over the planet and in doing so eradicate a great number of living species.
The domestication of animals and plants, and the resulting demographic explosion, further accelerated this process. This session will provide an overview of the issues concerning this first period of human history.
Migrations are inseparable from the behaviour of the Homo genus. They explain how, through two major successive expansions out of Africa, this branch of primates was able to progressively take over the planet and in doing so eradicate a great number of living species.
The domestication of animals and plants, and the resulting demographic explosion, further accelerated this process. This session will provide an overview of the issues concerning this first period of human history.
II - Migrations and Mobility in Ancient History
Session chairperson : Sophie Bouffier, Centre Camille Jullian-CNRS MMSH
The question of migrations during the period of Ancient History was for a long time treated as a study of different forms of colonisation, which were more or less assimilated, or which were placed in opposition to the Modern and Contemporary European expansion into other continents. Over the last three decades, renewed interrogations have led to the construction of new paradigms focusing more on small-scale and even individual, rather than collective, movements and flows. Whether concerning individuals or rather small or large-scale groups, the phenomenon left a mark on Greek, Roman and extra-Mediterranean societies as of the 2nd millennium, at times by favouring the creation of mixed identities which differentiated themselves from the "central" models and embraced their own specificities. This session seeks to shed light on such methods.
The question of migrations during the period of Ancient History was for a long time treated as a study of different forms of colonisation, which were more or less assimilated, or which were placed in opposition to the Modern and Contemporary European expansion into other continents. Over the last three decades, renewed interrogations have led to the construction of new paradigms focusing more on small-scale and even individual, rather than collective, movements and flows. Whether concerning individuals or rather small or large-scale groups, the phenomenon left a mark on Greek, Roman and extra-Mediterranean societies as of the 2nd millennium, at times by favouring the creation of mixed identities which differentiated themselves from the "central" models and embraced their own specificities. This session seeks to shed light on such methods.
5.30 pm - 4.45 pm
« The creation of the Celtic entity: migration or acculturation? », by Patrice Brun, Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne
« The Etruscans: What origins? », by Vincenzo Bellelli, Italian Reseach Coucil (Cnr)
« The construction of diasporic identities in everyday life: material cultures, practices and memory in Western Phoenician communities », by Ana Delgado, Universitat Pompeu Fabra Barcelona
« The Etruscans: What origins? », by Vincenzo Bellelli, Italian Reseach Coucil (Cnr)
« The construction of diasporic identities in everyday life: material cultures, practices and memory in Western Phoenician communities », by Ana Delgado, Universitat Pompeu Fabra Barcelona
5.15 pm - 7.00 pm
« The control of human mobility during the Roman Empire », by Claudia Moatti, University of Southern California
« Lapita Migration, Austronesian populations and the first settlements in remote Oceania », by Christophe Sand, Institute of Archaeology of New Caledonia and the Pacific
« The Bantu Expansion: a new overview », by Augustin Holl, Université Paris-Ouest Nanterre
Discussions with the public
« Lapita Migration, Austronesian populations and the first settlements in remote Oceania », by Christophe Sand, Institute of Archaeology of New Caledonia and the Pacific
« The Bantu Expansion: a new overview », by Augustin Holl, Université Paris-Ouest Nanterre
Discussions with the public
III - Migrations during the Medieval and Modern periods
Session chairperson: Isabelle Catteddu, Inrap
Questions surrounding migration have long been a part of the major paradigms of medieval archaeology. Today, a critical re-examination of the archaeological and anthropological sources, but also of the written and linguistic data, opens up space for a renewed debate and for an elucidation of certain areas. Looked at through a long-term perspective, the new scenarios concerning population movements shed light on cultural, political, economic and religious change processes.
The modesty of some archaeological remains nevertheless calls into question the nature of events and the limitations of sources. This session will therefore give an overview of new theories and interpretations, but also of the methodologies with regards to the Medieval and Modern periods.
Questions surrounding migration have long been a part of the major paradigms of medieval archaeology. Today, a critical re-examination of the archaeological and anthropological sources, but also of the written and linguistic data, opens up space for a renewed debate and for an elucidation of certain areas. Looked at through a long-term perspective, the new scenarios concerning population movements shed light on cultural, political, economic and religious change processes.
The modesty of some archaeological remains nevertheless calls into question the nature of events and the limitations of sources. This session will therefore give an overview of new theories and interpretations, but also of the methodologies with regards to the Medieval and Modern periods.
9.30 am - 10.45 am
« The 'Great Invasions': sources, methods and ideology», by Bruno Dumézil, Université Paris-Ouest Nanterre,
« Barbarian migrations and their archaeological traces: the example of South-West Gaul in the 5th century », by Jean-Luc Boudartchouk, Inrap
« Scandinavian immigration onto the continent in the 10th century: archaeology of the invisible », by Vincent Carpentier, Inrap
« Barbarian migrations and their archaeological traces: the example of South-West Gaul in the 5th century », by Jean-Luc Boudartchouk, Inrap
« Scandinavian immigration onto the continent in the 10th century: archaeology of the invisible », by Vincent Carpentier, Inrap
11.15 am - 1.00 pm
« Presence, evictions and reconstitutions of Jewish communities in France »
by Paul Salmona, Museum of Jewish Art and History
« The Arab-Muslim presence in the regions of Languedoc and Provence during the Middle Ages », by Marc Terrisse, Centre de Recherches Historiques de l’Ouest – CNRS
« Emancipation or integration? Migration rights from French colonies towards mainland France in the age of slavery », by Sue Peabody, Washington State University Vancouver
by Paul Salmona, Museum of Jewish Art and History
« The Arab-Muslim presence in the regions of Languedoc and Provence during the Middle Ages », by Marc Terrisse, Centre de Recherches Historiques de l’Ouest – CNRS
« Emancipation or integration? Migration rights from French colonies towards mainland France in the age of slavery », by Sue Peabody, Washington State University Vancouver
Lunch break
IV - Contemporary Migrations
Session chairperson : Hervé le Bras, INED-EHESS
Migration encompasses a great variety of situations, whether temporary or definitive, individual or in groups, from one urban area to another or from one continent to another, free or forced, regular or not. The written and, even more so, the material traces which they leave are all but non-existent in the lands of origin, rare at the point of passage and inspection, diverse and especially fragile at the place of destination.
Even in the latter case, a situation of illegality or a desire to assimilate can lead to their disappearance. However, when migrations are organised by the State or by private organisations, or when communities with a shared origin are maintained, it is possible to re-establish the archaeological remnants, as the presentations in this session will demonstrate.
Migration encompasses a great variety of situations, whether temporary or definitive, individual or in groups, from one urban area to another or from one continent to another, free or forced, regular or not. The written and, even more so, the material traces which they leave are all but non-existent in the lands of origin, rare at the point of passage and inspection, diverse and especially fragile at the place of destination.
Even in the latter case, a situation of illegality or a desire to assimilate can lead to their disappearance. However, when migrations are organised by the State or by private organisations, or when communities with a shared origin are maintained, it is possible to re-establish the archaeological remnants, as the presentations in this session will demonstrate.
2.00 pm - 3.45 pm
« Mobile societies and rooted societies: a geographical history of mobility in the Old World », by Christian Grataloup, Sciences Po Paris
« From Africa to the Americas: the archaeology of the transatlantic slave trade and the African diaspora », by Theresa Singleton, Syracuse University
« The 'Italian' cemetery of the Crottes area in Marseille: between integration and exclusion », by Anne Richier and Nicolas Weydert, Inrap
« From Africa to the Americas: the archaeology of the transatlantic slave trade and the African diaspora », by Theresa Singleton, Syracuse University
« The 'Italian' cemetery of the Crottes area in Marseille: between integration and exclusion », by Anne Richier and Nicolas Weydert, Inrap
4.15 pm - 6.30 pm
Conclusions: "What archaeology of migrations do we have today?"
Session chairperson : Dominique Garcia
With Jean-Paul Demoule, Hervé le Bras, and Philippe Joutard, Advisory Board of the Museum of Immigration History
With Jean-Paul Demoule, Hervé le Bras, and Philippe Joutard, Advisory Board of the Museum of Immigration History