The IWGP Conferences
The first IWGP Conference took place in 1968 (see also here). Since then, our conferences have been held in a regular triennial cycle without interruption.
Aside from hosting cutting-edge research from around the world, our meetings are also an important venue for exchanging new ideas, sharing knowledge, and forming new research partnerships. At the IWGP conferences, established researchers as well as early career scientists share their findings, discuss methods, and together help reconstruct more and more aspects in the vast field of past human-plant interactions.
Conference Hosts and Locations
Any research group from among the informal Work Group, who are interested in hosting a conference, can express their interest via contacting a member of the IWGP Committee. While this can happen anytime between the conferences, it is usually during each conference that the final decision on the next hosts and location is made and communicated by the IWGP Committee.
We organise conferences following a rough pattern of alternating between northern and southern, eastern and western Europe. Another factor that guides the decision, which work group will become the next conference’s Steering Committee, is the support provided by their home institutions. Shouldering the organisation of a flawless and pleasant conference for a large number of participants (nowadays, usually between 200 and 400 people) requires time, funding, and an excellent local network. The main organiser (i.e. head of Steering Committee) of a conference automatically becomes member of the IWGP Committee afterwards.
We are aware of the fact that European conference locations may prevent some to join us physically. Fortunately, archaeobotanical research presentations are welcome in many conferences around the world, such as the IWAA (International Workshop for African Archaeobotany), locations of which alternate between Europe and Africa. You may also find the IPPA Congresses, the SAA Annual Meetings, or the SEB Meetings suitable events.
Our Meetings Are Our History
This section of the IWGP website is intended as an archive for the history and content of our group’s conferences. All related materials we could lay our hands onto are either directly downloadable or at least listed. Do you know of image or text materials that should be added? Would you like to have your or someone else’s name added to, or removed from, any of the photo galleries? Please do not hesitate to send us your contributions via info@archaeobotany.org!
Upcoming Conference
20th Conference of the IWGP in Groningen 2025
The conference dates given here are temporary placeholders. More information will be added as soon as it becomes available. Looking forward to meeting you all in Groningen!
Find out more »
Past Conferences
19th Conference of the IWGP in České Budějovice 2022
Local Organisers Hosts: Jaromír Beneš and Michaela Ptáková, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice Steering Committee: Jaromír Beneš, Alexandra Bernardová, Blanka Bodnárová, Kristýna Budilová, Veronika Komárková, Jitka Kosňovská, Jaromír Kovárník, […]
Find out more »18th Conference of the IWGP in Lecce 2019
Local Organisers Host: Girolamo Fiorentino, Università del Salento Steering Committee: Valentina Caracuta, Milena Primavera Local Organising Committee: Aprile Giorgia, Breglia Francesco, Burhan Ulas, Calò Paula, Carmenati Riccardo, Colella Miriana Concetta, […]
Find out more »17th Conference of the IWGP in Paris 2016
Local Organisers Organising Committee: UMR 7209 - Archéozoologie, archéobotanique : Sociétés, pratiques et environnements (AASPE): Charlène Bouchaud, Vladimir Dabrowski, Brigitte David, Alexia Decaix, Marie Derreumaux, Carolyne Douché, Müge Ergun, Anne-Cécile […]
Find out more »16th Conference of the IWGP in Thessaloniki 2013
Local Organisers Host: Soultana Maria Valamoti, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Team: Angeliki Karathanou, Katerina Karatasaki, Martha Kokkidou, Clémence Pagnoux, Aimilia Kokkonaki, Evi Mintzaridou, Aphrodite Phytouli, Sophia Tryfon, Despoina Poulatsoglou, Yannis […]
Find out more »15th Conference of the IWGP in Wilhelmshaven 2010
Local Organisers Host: Felix Bittmann, Niedersächsisches Institut für Historische Küstenforschung, Wilhelmshaven Consultative Group: Friederike Bungenstock, Dirk Enters, Johannes Ey, Hauke Jöns, Erwin Strahl, Steffen Wolters Advisory Group: Wiebke Kirleis, Angela […]
Find out more »14th Conference of the IWGP in Kraków 2007
Local Organisers Host: Aldona Mueller-Bieniek, Polish Academy of Sciences (today: University of Warsaw), and Marek Nowak, Jagiellonian University in Kraków Consultative Group: Krystyna Wasylikowa, Monika Badura, Jacek Chochorowski, Mária Hajnalová, […]
Find out more »13th Conference of the IWGP in Girona 2004
Local Organisers Host: Ramon Buxó Capdevila, Museu d’Arqueologia de Catalunya-Girona, and Raquel Piqué, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Consultative Group: Natàlia Alonso, Pilar López, Aurora Martín, Leonor Peña-Chocarro, Enriqueta Pons, Pablo […]
Find out more »12th Conference of the IWGP in Sheffield 2001
Local Organisers Hosts: Michael P. Charles and Glynis E. M. Jones, University of Sheffield Documents Programme and Abstracts Proceedings: Vegetation History and Archaeobotany Vol. 11, issue 1-2, 2002 Photo Gallery […]
Find out more »11th Conference of the IWGP in Toulouse 1998
Local Organisers Hosts: Philippe Marinval, Université Paul Sabatier (today: Université Paul Valéry - Montpellier), and George Willcox, Institut de Préhistoire Orientale Documents Programme and Abstracts Proceedings: Vegetation History and Archaeobotany […]
Find out more »10th Conference of the IWGP in Innsbruck 1995
Local Organisers Host: Klaus Oeggl, University of Innsbruck Documents Programme and Abstracts Proceedings: Vegetation History and Archaeobotany Vol. 5, issue 1-2, 1996 Photo Gallery
Find out more »9th Conference of the IWGP in Kiel 1992
Local Organisers Host: Helmut Kroll, Kiel University Documents Programme and Abstracts Proceedings: Kroll H, Pasternak R (eds) (1995) Res archaeobotanicae — International Workgroup for Palaeoethnobotany; proceedings of the 9th Symposium […]
Find out more »8th Conference of the IWGP in Nitra-Nové Vozokany 1989
Local Organisers Host: Eva Hajnalová, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Nitra Documents Proceedings: Hajnalová E (ed) (1991) Palaeoethnobotany and Archaeology. International Workgroup for Palaeoethnobotany, 8th Symposium, Nitra-Nové Vozokany (1989). Acta Interdisciplinaria […]
Find out more »7th Conference of the IWGP in Cambridge 1986
Local Organisers Host: Jane M. Renfrew, University of Cambridge Documents Programme and Abstracts Proceedings: Renfrew JM (ed) (1991) New Light on Early Farming: Recent Developments in Palaeoethnobotany. Papers presented at […]
Find out more »6th Conference of the IWGP in Groningen 1983
Local Organisers Hosts: Willem van Zeist and Willem Arnold Casparie, Biologisch-Archaeologisch Instituut in Groningen (part of the Groningen Institute of Archaeology from 1998 onwards) Documents Programme and Abstracts Conference Report: Greig […]
Find out more »5th Conference of the IWGP in Halle/Saale 1980
Local Organisers Host: Klaus-Dieter Jäger, Universität Halle Documents Conference Reports: Jäger K-D (1981) Die Internationale Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Paläo-Ethnobotanik (IAP) und ihr V. Symposium in Halle/Saale 1980. Ethnographisch-Archäologische Zeitschrift 22:486-492 Tempír […]
Find out more »4th Conference of the IWGP in Wilhelmshaven 1977
Local Organisers Host: Karl-Ernst Behre, Niedersächsisches Landesinstitut für Marschen- und Wurtenforschung (today: Niedersächsisches Institut für Historische Küstenforschung), Wilhelmshaven Documents Conference Report: Lange E (1978) IV. Symposium der Internationalen Arbeitsgemeinschaft für […]
Find out more »3rd Conference of the IWGP in Kraków 1974
Local Organisers Host: Krystyna Wasylikowa, Polish Academy of Science, Institute of Botany Documents Abstracts and Participants Conference Report: Lange E (1975) III. Symposium of the International Work Group for Palaeoethnobotany […]
Find out more »2. Symposium der IAP in Budapest 1971
The second IAP (IWGP) conference is insofar unique as it took place within the framework of another event. Subsumed as "Secton V: Archaeobotanics", the IAP's conference presentations took place on […]
Find out more »1. Symposium der IAP in Kačina 1968
Local Organisers Host: Zdeněk Tempír, Czechoslovak Museum of Agriculture, Prague Documents Conference Report, Proceedings: Tempír Z, IAP (1968) I. Symposion der Internationalen Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Paläoethnobotanik. Acta Museorum Agriculturae 1-2: 45-76 […]
Find out more »Background image: Charred cultivated plant remains from Fuente Álamo (prov. Almería, Spain), Bronze Age El Argar culture © Hans-Peter Stika