The IWGP returns to Groningen

After a successful meeting of the International Work Group for Palaeoethnobotany in České Budějovice, the organization for the 20th IWGP conference in Groningen in 2025 is in full swing.

The organisation is a collaboration between the Groningen Institute of Archaeology, the Centre for Landscape Studies (University of Groningen) and the Cultural Heritage Agency (Ministry of Education, Culture and Science).

The IWGP was established in 1968 by, amongst others, Willem van Zeist and is one of the most important meetings for researchers specialised in paleoethnobotany in Europe and parts of Asia. The meeting has taken place triennially since its establishment, and the last Groningen IWGP was organised in 1983 by Willem van Zeist, Sytze Bottema and Wil Casparie. We are thus proud to once more represent the strong archaeobotanical tradition of Groningen, including an emphasis on studies of landscape history and cultural heritage of the Netherlands!

Local organisers

Scientific committee

Website

Practical information

The conference will be held from July 21st-25th 2025, the post-conference excursion will take place on the 26th of July 2025.

Venue Information and pre-departure guide

We have prepared detailed information on selected venues and a guide for preparing your travels for you, as well as overviews of hotels and great places to eat! Enjoy!

Attendance stipends (closed)

Thanks to the support of the Hugo de Vries Fonds and the Koninklijke Nederlandse Botanische Vereniging, we are able to offer financial assistance to a select number of students and early-career researchers wishing to attend the upcoming IWGP conference in Groningen.

A total of 17 stipends, each worth €200, are available to help cover registration fees. Of these, five stipends are specifically reserved for applicants based within the Netherlands.

To apply, please submit a brief motivation letter (250-300 words) explaining your interest in participating in the conference and your need for financial support. Note that presenting a poster or giving an oral presentation is not required for this application.
The deadline for submitting a motivation letter is Febuary 1st, 2025.

Motivation letters should be sent to: iwgp2025@rug.nl

Abstract submissions (closed)

The deadline for abstract submission closed July 24th 2024.

Given the high volume of submissions, the scientific committee will need some time to complete their reviews. We expect to finalize the evaluations by the end of the year and will notify you of the committee’s decisions shortly thereafter. If you have any questions in the meantime, please don’t hesitate to reach out at iwgp2025@rug.nl. We appreciate your patience during this process and thank you for your interest in contributing to the conference!

Please remember: we allow one oral presentation per first author. Multiple accepted oral presentations will be reduced in coordination with the respective author. A combination of an oral presentation and poster presentation will be accepted.

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University Museum Groningen

Planting the Past – Archaeobotany in Groningen (19 July – 5 January)

In the exhibition Planting the Past: Archaeobotany in Groningen, you’ll step into the world of archaeobotanical research in Groningen. Discover how archaeobotany helps us understand the deep-rooted connection between people and plants throughout history.