SEAC2004 Conference, Aug 26-27-28, 2004
Kecskemet, Hungary

Conference announcement


SEAC, the European Society for Astronomy in Culture, has held annual meeting in various western and eastern European countries since its foundation in 1993. An interdisciplinary body whose members represent a range of academic disciplines including archaeologists, historians, ethnographers, and astronomers, it provides an important European forum for interdisciplinary discussions focusing upon the practice, use and meaning of astronomy in various cultural contexts.

The SEAC2004 Conference will attempt through its main theme to strengthen and consolidate links between archaeologists and archaeoastronomers. Following SEAC tradition, papers will be considered on all topics within European and world archaeoastronomy, although 5 main topics are favoured: time reckoning, archaeology of cult, connection with Venus, communication between East and West, ethnoastronomy.

The symposia will be under the auspices of:
Hungarian National Museum
Konkoly Observatory of Hungarian Academy of Science
Matrica Museum, Szazhalombatta
Physical Association

The meeting will be sponsored by:
The Association for Scientific Dissemination of Culture of Bacs-Kiskun County

The location of the conference
The conference will be held in town of Kecskemet, which is situated about 80 kms from Budapest to the South with perfect public transport connections.
The conference will take place in an ex- synagogue, a nice old building in the very centre of the town.

Organizing Committee
Katalin Barlai, Konkoly Observatory of Hungarian Academy of Science, Budapest, (barlai@konkoly.hu)
Lajos Barta, Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, Budapest
Emilia Pasztor, Matrica Museum, Szazhalombatta, (pasztore@enternet.hu)

Submission of papers
Although the presentations are allowed in English, German and Russian, an extended subtract should be attached in English.
A Scientific Panel will evaluate the papers and final info will be emailed in June, at summer solstice at latest.

The selection of papers will be made on the basis of EXTENDED ABSTRACTS of between 500 and 1000 words.
Please send these to Dr Emilia Pasztor: pasztore@enternet.hu or emipasztor@freemail.hu
The deadline for the submission of extended abstracts is May 20.
 
Fees and payment
There will be a conference fee of € 15.00, to cover refreshments, other minor costs; this fee will NOT be charged to participants from countries which make them eligible for reduced-rate membership of SEAC. It can be paid upon arrival.
The cost of the after-conference excursion to Transdanubia is under working out.
It includes transport and bed-and-breakfast for two nights in twin rooms, but not other meals.
The organizing committee is working hard to raise fund for those who have difficulty in covering the travel costs.
As soon as we find chance we will turn to those colleagues in emails.
We kindly ask every colleague who needs support to fill in and return the registration with the travel cost (in euro!) as soon as possible in order
we can estimate the amount of the necessary fund.
 
Accommodation
Accommodation will be available at the following rates:
In hotels:
Twin Rooms: about € 40.00 per person per night
Single rooms: about € 60.00 per person per night
In pension:
Twin Rooms: about € 28.00 per person per night
Single rooms: about € 40.00 per person per night
In the hostel of Teacher Training College:
About € 12.00 per person per night (without breakfast)
 
Conference publication
We are thinking of publishing all materials in International BAR Series and some selected ones in a fine book with Hungarian translation as well.

The Matrica Museum will open a website for the detailed conference info in March:
http://matrica.battanet.hu