Conference on Landscapes of War and Fear

From antiquity to modern times, defensive structures of different sizes and functions were built in contested spaces, landscapes, around settlements, and as private residences. Many scholars have highlighted the multifunctional nature of these structures, considering them in relation to topics such warfare and political instability, kingdom formation and state structures, the role of local and aristocratic power, to name but a few. This conference will not only focus on the built landscape, but explore also the emotional and societal costs of war-driven reactions, particularly the role of fear in shaping civil landscapes.

What fears existed, and how were these mobilised for social and technological projects? What were the real impacts of defensive works on local societies, and what kinds of negotiations and interactions took place between the different agents invested in defensive works? To what extent can we relate social transformations to fear-driven projects – were social relations and community-identities shaped by perceptions of threat and war? Did societies’ responses to fear and risk reduction activities lead to community resilience, allowing certain groups to respond to, withstand, and recover from adverse situations, or the reverse?

Viking Beacons research project

The Landscape of War and Fear conference is organised by the Viking Beacons project at the Museum of Archaeology, University of Stavanger, which is investigating beacons, defence and militarism in Northern Europe.

Call for papers

We welcome papers that explore the wider landscapes and human responses to military action, including physical monuments (e.g. beacons, hillforts, castles, dykes, earthworks), to consider the local societies engaged and affected by them. Contributions are sought from papers dealing with the Central Middle Ages (AD 600-1350) in western and northern Europe.

Of particular interest are papers that touch on one or more of the following themes:

1. Reactions to fear. What was the physical expression of fear? To what extent can we relate the archaeology of defensive works in the landscape to episodes or perceptions of threat? Can we recognise “fearful places” in the landscape?

2. Socio-economic resources. What was the human and economic cost, logistics and architectural energetics of defensive projects?

3. Social transformations. How did war and fear effect civil societies and community cohesion over time? How are cooperation and alliances embedded in the local physical and political landscape?

Abstracts should be up to 300 words. Please write the abstract in English.

The submission deadline is 15 June 2025.