1851st Meetings of the Paris Anthropological Society (SAP)

The 1851st SAP Meeting – Société d’Anthropologie de Paris will take place from 28 to 30 January 2026 in Geneva

The ARCAN laboratory is pleased to announce the organization of the next SAP Meeting, to be held at the University of Geneva. Over three days, this scientific event will focus on major topics in biological anthropology of past societies, with a special emphasis on interdisciplinary approaches and recent research developments.

The first theme, entitled “Paths from the Past – Interdisciplinary Approaches to Mobility in Ancient Populations”, will explore the many forms of human mobility. Whether individual or collective, voluntary or forced, temporary or permanent, mobility is a key issue for understanding the social, economic, and cultural dynamics of past societies. The invited speaker will be Marco Milella (Department of Biology, University of Pisa), who will present a lecture entitled “Mobility and Social Dynamics Across the Alps during the Late Iron Age”.

The second theme, “Injured Bodies, Violent Societies – Crossed Perspectives on Interpersonal Violence in Past Societies”, will focus on the expressions and meanings of violence within ancient communities. The invited lecture will be given by Linda Fibiger (School of History, Classics and Archaeology, University of Edinburgh), entitled “Exploring the Emergence of Warfare and Gendered Violence in Prehistoric Europe”.

The third theme, “Current Research”, will be dedicated to recent advances in the field. It will include presentations on new discoveries, methodological innovations, and new interpretations, offering an overview of current trends in biological anthropology.

In addition to the scientific program, two parallel events will be organized to enrich the meeting and encourage exchanges with a wider audience:

• On Wednesday, 28 January 2026, in the late afternoon, a guided visit of St. Pierre Cathedral will be offered in collaboration with the Cantonal Archaeology Service, providing participants with a unique opportunity to discover this major heritage site in Geneva.
• On Thursday, 29 January 2026 at 6:30 pm, a public lecture will take place at the Museum of Art and History of Geneva. Entitled “Health Inequalities and Their Anthropobiological Markers”, it will be given by Rozenn Colleter and jointly organized by the Cercle genevois d’archéologie, the Musée d’art et d’histoire, and the Société d’Anthropologie de Paris.

For more information:

https://sapweb.fr/index.php/fr

https://cga.unige.ch/programme

Highlights