Journeying Along Medieval Routes: Narratives, Maps and Archaeological Traces International Medieval Congress, Leeds, 12-15 July 2010

Journeying Along Medieval Routes: Narratives, Maps and Archaeological Traces
International Medieval Congress, Leeds, 12-15 July 2010

Following on from the round table 'Navigating Space' at the
International Medieval Congress 2009, we are planning a series of
interdisciplinary sessions and a round table on 'Routes' for IMC
2010's theme 'Travel and Exploration'. The proposed sessions will
investigate routes taken by medieval travellers in an
interdisciplinary or cross-disciplinary way. Each session will
consider a single, specific route or places upon that route using
different varieties of evidence, such as travel narratives (widely
interpreted), contemporary maps, and archaeological traces. Routes
for consideration might include pilgrimage routes, trade routes,
routes of military expeditions (including crusades), postal networks,
land routes, and waterways (inland and maritime). We therefore invite
individual papers that, through textual, archaeological, cartographic
or other visual evidence, approach specific routes in three
broadly-defined areas: within Europe, between Europe and the eastern
Mediterranean, and within southwest Asia/ the Islamic world.

It is hoped that, through these sessions and in particular through
the round table discussion that will conclude the series, we will
raise and begin to answer a number of key questions about travelling,
routes, and space in the Middle Ages. What is the relationship
between the experience and conceptualisation of travel? What gaps
exist in the evidence for travel as a physical, economic, social and
cultural phenomenon, and can interdisciplinary work help us to bridge
these? Can interdisciplinary approaches enhance our understanding of
past experiences and conceptualisations of space, place and travel?

Please send paper proposals to Dr Alison Gascoigne, Dr Leonie Hicks
and Dr Marianne O'Doherty (University of Southampton, UK) at
l.v.hicks@soton.ac.uk by 31 August 2009.

Proposals should include

* Title
* Abstract (max 250 words)
* Your name, institution, and role
* Full postal and electronic contact details

Please also indicate whether you wish your proposal to be considered
for inclusion in an edited volume of the series of papers.

Dr Marianne O'Doherty
Lecturer in English
School of Humanities -Room 2041
University of Southampton
Highfield
Southampton
SO17 1BF
Tel +44 (0)23 80594534
Fax +44 (0)23 80592859