IFAO

The Institut Français d'Archéologie Orientale and the Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology, University of Warsaw, Research Center in Cairo are jointly organising an international conference entitled: Perceptions of health in the Nile Valley: The social and cultural dimension of healing practice in the Egyptian context from Antiquity to the Middle Ages (4th Millennium BCE – 16th Century CE). Conference will take place in Cairo from 8 to 9 April 2026 at both the IFAO and PCMA.

Recent historical events like the COVID-19 pandemic have confirmed how health, both in its ideological and practical aspects, is a fundamental component of every human society and community. The strategies implemented to counteract the effects of disease on social dynamics, human relations, and the economy include social, administrative, and cultural measures embedded in a precise ideological context that enables their accessibility and acceptance. Health and healing are thus at the basis of narratives and systematisations by which human societies organise personal and collective events, interacting with other aspects of human culture such as texts, objects, and the perception of body and disability. The study of health and healing is therefore fundamental in gaining a better understanding of society, its problems and inequalities, the ideology and the approaches of people towards a basic aspect of everyday life.

The conference aims to explore new and innovative approaches to the study of medicine in ancient, late antique and medieval Egypt, reconstructing the presence of healing and health in the social community, with a more comprehensive understanding of the health and life experiences of individuals in antiquity. Different types of sources (texts, materials, human remains) will be brought into dialogue to explore the process of formation, systematisation, dissemination, accessibility and perception of healing know-how and the concept of health.

Scholars active in the study of Ancient Egyptian, Graeco-Roman, Coptic, and Islamic medicine are invited to submit papers tackling one of the following themes:

• Narrating health and healing: Systematisation and dissemination of medical know-how through the texts
• Materialising health and healing: New approaches in the definition and study of healing tools and remedies
• Embodying health and healing: Human bodies as evidence of the cultural and social perception of health
• Socialising health and healing: Role of society and social constructs in shaping healing practices and personal well-being
• Other

The conference will feature a strong comparative and interdisciplinary perspective. Papers applying methodologies and interpretative frameworks derived from other disciplines (such as medical and cultural anthropology, sociology, archaeometry and archaeological sciences, palaeobotany, biomedicine, palaeopathology and bioarchaeology) to the study of ancient and medieval medicine are very welcomed and encouraged.  

Abstract submission

Abstracts for a 20 minutes presentation in English should be submitted through the linked online form here, including: Name, affiliation, email, short bio (150 words max) and an abstract in English (300 words max).

Deadline for submission: December 7, 2025.

For any enquiry or question, please contact Gabriele Mario Conte (gconte@ifao.egnet.net)

Conference proceedings

The conference proceedings will be published by IFAO-PCMA UW. Participants will be requested to submit their contributions by September 15, 2026 at the latest. The editorial guidelines for the proceedings will be announced by the end of April 2026.

Schedule

December 7, 2025                       Deadline for abstract submission

January 7, 2026                                 Notification of acceptance

March 25, 2026                                 Deadline for registration

April 8-9, 2026                                  Conference in Cairo

September 15, 2026                          Deadline for paper submission for the proceedings