70th Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale
“From Cradle to Grave. Everyday Life in the Ancient Near East”
We are pleased to announce that the 70th Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale will be held in Prague from July 7 to 11, 2025, with the theme “From Cradle to Grave: Everyday Life in the Ancient Near East”. This conference invites scholars from around the world to explore the rich and diverse aspects of daily life in the ancient Near East, a region known for its profound cultural and historical impact on the world. From birth to death, and every moment in between, ancient peoples navigated complex social, economic, and religious landscapes that shaped their experiences. This conference will provide a unique platform to examine how daily routines, family structures, food production, craft activities, rituals, and burial practices influenced both individual lives and broader societal dynamics in Mesopotamia, the Levant, Anatolia, and beyond. By bringing together experts in Assyriology, archaeology, and related fields, we aim to foster interdisciplinary discussions and new perspectives on the often overlooked elements of ancient life.
Daily life in the ancient Near East was a tapestry of routines, traditions, and social obligations woven into the fabric of these ancient societies. From bustling urban centers to rural villages, people engaged in a wide range of activities, including agriculture, trade, crafts, and religious observance. Family structures were central to social organization, while community life revolved around temples, markets, and workshops. Rituals, festivals, and legal obligations marked key moments in people’s lives, from birth rites to funerary practices. By studying these everyday events, we can gain a deeper understanding of how the ancient Near Eastern people lived, worked, worshipped, and maintained their communities, and gain insight into the larger civilizations they helped to create.
Recent News
Third Circular (June 24, 2025)
Dear participants,
As the start of the conference approaches, we are pleased to share some important logistical information to help you prepare for your arrival in Prague.
Registration
Registration opens on Monday, 7 July, at 8:30 AM at the entrance of the main building of the Faculty of Arts, Charles University, located at nám. Jana Palacha 1/2, 116 38 Prague 1. Registration will also remain open on subsequent days before the start of the first morning session to allow participants to collect their badges and conference materials.
Please note that on-site payment will not be possible. All fees must be paid in advance.
Badges
For security reasons, all participants are required to wear their conference badge at all times while on the premises. Badges grant access to all sessions, coffee breaks, official ceremonies, and the conference reception.
Venue & Accessibility
All General Track and Workshop sessions will take place in the Faculty of Arts building. Entry is through the main entrance on the square. For participants with special accessibility needs, a fully accessible entrance is available on the opposite side of the building (please, ring the bell), equipped with an elevator providing access to all floors. This entrance is clearly marked on the map available on the conference website.
The elevator is located in the inner courtyard of the faculty. To ensure access through this entrance, please contact us in advance.
Conference rooms are distributed across multiple floors. Their locations, (first, second, and third floors), are indicated on the venue map. Tables for coffee breaks and booksellers’ stalls are going to be located in the corridors in front of the stairs. Restroom facilities are available on every floor.
WiFi
A dedicated WiFi network named conference (password: cuni2025) will be available to all RAI participants. If your institution is a member of Eduroam, you may also connect using your institutional login credentials.
Facilities for Parents
For participants attending the RAI with small children, a dedicated room will be available for nursing and diaper changing. The room is private and quiet, ideal for feeding or changing, though please note that no childcare personnel will be on site. If you require access, please contact the organizers, who will provide the key.
Presentation Guidelines
All speakers are kindly asked to adhere to a 20-minute time limit for their presentation, followed by 10 minutes for discussion. To maintain the schedule, each presentation will begin at its designated time, regardless of whether the previous speaker uses their full slot or not.
Conference rooms are equipped with Windows-based PCs. Please ensure your file is compatible accordingly. We kindly ask speakers to bring their presentation on a USB flash drive and hand it over to the staff in their session room during a break before their talk. If your talk is scheduled first in the morning, please be sure to provide your file at least 15 minutes before the session begins. Due to computer network security regulations, it is not possible to connect any personal devices (such as laptops). Presentations must therefore be run exclusively from the official computers installed in each conference room.
Remote Attendance
Please note that remote participation is not available this year. All sessions and events will take place in person only. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
IAA General Meeting
The General Meeting of the IAA, open to all members of the Association, will be held on Thursday, 10 July, from 16:00 to 17:30, in room P131 on the first floor.
Reception
The conference reception will take place on the same day, Thursday, 10 July, from 19:00 to 22:00, at the Carolinum (entrance from Ovocný trh 5, Prague 1). Further information can be found here.
Group Photo
The group photo is scheduled for Wednesday, 9 July, at 13:00, in front of the Rudolfinum Music Hall, located on the same square as the conference venue. We will meet at 12:45 at the main entrance of the Faculty building and walk to the photo location together.
We look forward to welcoming you to Prague and thank you in advance for your attention and cooperation. For further details, please visit the rest of the conference website or contact us at rai70@ff.cuni.cz.
Warm regards,
The 70th RAI Organizing Committee
Registration for RAI 70 is closed (June 18, 2025)
Registration for the conference is now closed. We look forward to seeing you in Prague.
