ICAANE 2025 in Lyon
Over the last couple of days, I participated in the International Conference on the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East. Or, in short, ICAANE. This time the venue was Lyon, France, a very pleasant place. I gave a presentation myself, but I also attended many presentations given by others. Compared to other events, I would say that the organisation went pretty well.
The ICAANE Lyon in general
In all the sessions I attended, people abided by their allotted time 95% of the time, and the session chairs ensured this. There was also enough time to switch rooms if you wanted to, since the entire venue was in roughly the same place. I sometimes had difficulty finding the right direction, but I always found a sign or someone with better orientation than me.
ICAANE also organised a nice cocktail reception and a dinner reception. It was a bit rainy, but the weather stopped raining just in time for the receptions, so everyone was able to stand outside. Seeing so many West Asian archaeologists in one place was fascinating, and the more you attend these events, the more people you know and can talk to. The atmosphere was really friendly.
My presentation
On Thursday, I presented the work I have done on digitally reassembling the garden scene of the North Palace at Nineveh. The project is currently on hold, as I am waiting to scan more fragments. However, I took the opportunity at ICAANE to present the project’s interim status. I also seized the opportunity to connect with scholars working in a similar field.
I was especially happy about the comments on recolouring the relief, as I received some valuable feedback on how to colourise the scene. This is something I had planned to do in the future, but I am now considering doing it with others. We’ll see. Overall, I got the feeling that the presentation was well received, and I was very happy afterwards.
Lyon
Unfortunately, I didn’t have much time to explore the city — just the evening and one morning. I went to Vieux Lyon, the old town. It isn’t too big, but it’s very beautiful. I was there pretty early, so there weren’t many people around. I ended up in a café where I spent a while drinking tea and watching people pass by.
This is actually what I like to do in cities I visit. Of course, it’s nice to see all the sights and walk down all the pretty streets, but what I really like is finding a nice spot in a café with a good view. This way, I feel I get to know the city and its inhabitants a bit, because usually, you end up moving around. However, staying still has its advantages, and I encourage you to try it out the next time you’re in a new city.
