Dear MARMAM community,

We are pleased to announce the 3rd International Council for Archaeozoology (ICAZ) Marine Mammal Working Group Meeting (MMWG) (2nd -3rd September 2021), which will be held virtually by the Groningen Institute of Archaeology, The University of Groningen, The Netherlands, 1 st – 3 rd September 2021.

Marine mammals and turtles have frequently been overlooked in the field of zooarchaeology.

This, although these animals have played vital roles in past subsistence

economies worldwide and across time. Human impact on these animals has been

significant, having led to multiple populations of species declining--in some cases, even

resulting in extirpation or extinction events. Long-term perspectives are needed to

inform marine management; in this, zooarchaeology can play a valuable role. This third

meeting of the Marine Mammal Working Group (MMWG) organized by the University of

Groningen, the Netherlands, will provide a platform for innovative research into marine

mammals, but will also integrate research on marine turtles, a keystone set of species that

are increasingly the focus of highly innovative zooarchaeological work.

Our conference aims to showcase studies from different geographic, archaeological and

chronological contexts, focusing on (a) the anthropogenic influence on marine mammal and

marine turtle populations and how zooarchaeology can contribute to marine management,

(b) the economic and symbolic significance these species have played and (c) new methods

in identifying and analyzing zooarchaeological marine mammal and reptile remains. The

previous two MMWG meetings (Maastricht, 2017; Cambridge, 2019) attracted significant

interest and were widely considered very successful. We hope to build on this success,

attracting cutting-edge research that will produce publishable results.

DEADLINE EXTENDED: Abstracts are welcome no later than May 24 - 2021

This year the III MMWG Meeting will take place virtually, allowing everybody interest to participate.

For more information, registration, and abstract submission please visit: https://icazmarinemammals2.wixsite.com/home

Kind regards on behalf of the organizing committee,

The III ICAZ Marine Mammal Working Group Meeting.