The Second International Conference of RAIA (Romanian Archaeological Institute in Athens), hosted by the West University of Timișoara, turned the ICAM Aula into a true forum of European archaeology last week, bringing together scholars from ten countries. Held 9–11 October 2025, the edition—dedicated to Dr. habil. Aurel Rustoiu on his 60th birthday—focused on “Greeks and Hyperboreans: Cultural interactions between the eastern Mediterranean basin and the populations from the Pontic steppes and temperate Europe (8th century BC–4th century AD).”
At the opening ceremony, messages were addressed to participants, in order of appearance, by: Conf. univ. Dr. Dorel Micle (Conference Chair, West University of Timișoara), Prof. univ. Dr. Dana Petcu (Director, ICAM), Conf. univ. Dr. Valentin Bottez (Director of RAIA, University of Bucharest), Dr. Aris Tsaravopoulos (Honorary Member of RAIA; independent archaeologist, Hellenic Ministry of Culture), Andrei Bălărie (Deputy Director, National Museum of Banat), Univ. Lecturer Dr. Andrei Stavilă (Vice-Dean, Faculty of Letters, History and Theology, West University of Timișoara), and Prof. univ. Dr. Claudiu Mesaroș (Director, Department of History, Theology and Philosophy, West University of Timișoara).
The sessions catalysed substantial discussion on cultural interactions, mobility, exchange of goods, workshops and technologies, funerary rites, and landscape archaeology at the interface between the eastern Mediterranean and the north-Pontic and Central European regions. The conference also presented the first results of RAIA’s fieldwork on the island of Chios (Greece) and facilitated the shaping of collaborations among researchers from across Europe.
More than thirty papers presented at the conference will be brought together in a scientific volume to be published by BAR, an award-winning publisher of international archaeology.
Further information is available at: http://raia.uvt.ro/
Contact person: Dorel Micle (organiser / RAIA, West University of Timișoara) – Tel. +40 721 582 955
