2nd Conference on the Emergence of the Neolithic in Europe

2nd Conference on the Emergence of the Neolithic in Europe

May 22–25, 2025

Zadar, Croatia

 

Following the highly successful 1st Conference on the Early Neolithic in Europe (ENE2019) in Barcelona, we are delighted to invite you to Zadar for the 2nd Conference on the Emergence of the Neolithic in Europe (ENE2025), which will take place from May 22–25, 2025, hosted at the University of Zadar, Croatia.

The conference is jointly organised by the Austrian Archaeological Institute, the Archaeological Museum of Zadar, the Croatian Archaeological Society, and the University of Zadar.

Zadar, situated in the heart of the Adriatic, serves as the administrative and cultural center of Zadar County in northern Dalmatia, a region extending from the slopes of the Velebit Massif to the Adriatic coast, encompassing numerous islands and inland plains. With over 2,000 years of rich and dynamic history, Zadar is a city deeply intertwined with the sea. However, the region’s interior, characterized by fertile plains, a favourable climate, and mild terrain, is among the most productive agricultural areas in Dalmatia. This area hosts the largest concentration of Neolithic sites in the region, with the earliest agricultural settlements dating back to c. 6000 cal BC.

Recognizing the complexity of the Neolithisation process in Europe—its arrhythmic nature, regional variations, and the prolonged coexistence of the first farmers and the last hunter-fisher-gatherers in some regions—we have slightly adjusted the conference title. While retaining the acronym ENE, the term “Early Neolithic” has been replaced with “Emergence of the Neolithic” to more accurately reflect the broader scope and nuanced dynamics of this transformative process.

Despite this adjustment, the conference retains the same objectives as those established in Barcelona in 2019. It aims to provide a platform for discussing the Neolithisation process in Europe in all its diversity and complexity, balancing regional specificities with the shared Near Eastern origins of the Neolithic way of life.