Our focus is the ancient use of sound in sacred and contemplative spaces, and a timeless continuity of human behavior that includes vocalization and acute aural sensitivity.

ARCHAEOLOGY RELIGION ART HISTORY ARCHITECTURE ANTHROPOLOGY ACOUSTICS PHYSIOLOGY NEUROSCIENCE ETHNOMUSICOLOGY

From humankind’s oldest monuments: Göbekli Tepe and Malta’s Hypogeum to Stonehenge and Newgrange Passage Tomb, to Chavín de Huántar and Mayan pyramids in the New World -- researchers are now taking note of unusual sound behavior in the world's sacred places.

It is no secret that ancient cultures all over the world have exploited natural sound phenomena for spiritual and ceremonial use. Those people who attended or have read the papers in the publication from the first OTSF Archaeoacoustics Conference have also discerned first-hand that Stone Age builders knew how to impart an impressive human psychological and physiological experience, whether they could explain the science of it or not. The question of “Why?” is ripe for exploring.

ARCHAEOACOUSTICS I was a pioneering event that opened a door for new study. We move forward armed with the beginnings of a methodology informed by diverse expertise. Our goal for ARCHAEOACOUSTICS II is to carry onward the insightful advantage of this multidisciplinary approach.

) Let’s follow this back to some of the world’s oldest known structures and sacred spaces to identify any patterns.
) Let’s examine all aspects of ancient traditions of the use of sound and stone to effect consciousness.
) Let’s see how all this directly relates to the design of contemplative architecture and other potential applications for today.


CONFERENCE PROGRAM
The non-profit conference program will include selected peer-reviewed individual papers and poster sessions as well as an anticipated satellite program of events. (Details to be advised.) Sessions will bring together scholars and practitioners representing different cultural perspectives. Presentations and subsequent publication will be in English.

CALL FOR PAPERS and PROPOSALS
ARCHAEOACOUSTICS II welcomes contributions from researchers, scholars and technologists working across diverse disciplines, sites and practices.

250-300 word abstracts of papers, presentations and posters should be submitted in English, in either Text, Word or PDF formats. The DEADLINE for submissions is extended to 30 May 2015. Authors will be informed by mid June 2015. Email to: [email protected]

International Academic Review Committee includes: Fernando COIMBRA, Ezra ZUBROW, Paolo DEBERTOLIS, Iegor REZNIKOFF

ABOUT THE CONTEXT AND THE HOST
Istanbul is the gateway to Ancient Anatolia: birthplace of Agriculture and the Cradle of Civilization. Our venue affords the potential for exploring the 12,000 year old remains of Gobekli Tepe: the world’s oldest known shrine, which has redefined earlier held beliefs about the Neolithic Revolution.
The conference is organized by The OTS Foundation, a United States of America not-for-profit 501(c)(3) educational foundation dedicated to research and public outreach concerning the Neolithic (New Stone Age) in Europe and the Mediterranean. With offices in Florida and Malta, OTSF activities include support for The Mediterranean Institute for the Study of Ancient Civilizations. www.otsf.org

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