The transhumance as movement of animals (above all sheep/goats) on short and long distance represented an important phenomenon and an economic and cultural model of Middle Age Europe (6th- 15th A.D.). Besides the historical approach meanly based on the analysis of written documents, we think that zooarchaeology can be a source of knowledge for an activity, like transhumance, that requires a close relationship between man and animal. The Middle Age knew also other movements of animals that people wanted or simply caused. For example, particular consumer uses provoked the request of living animals or animal products on the markets. It is known that some Royal courts liked exotic animals or that some animals liked living with people.

These subjects provoke a range of questions that can help to create new knowledge instruments and to give not usual answers:

• Are there any zooarchaeological marks for transhumance activities?
• What zooarchaeological indicators can lead to know animal and human transhumant groups? What other animals were transhumant besides ovins?
• Can the transhumance exist naturally or can it only be controlled? And is it possible to consider the transhumance as a phenomen only influenced by the environment?
• How human activity caused the introduction of exotic animals?
• What other reasons (cultural, ideological...) induced people to take animals outside their own habitat?

We hope these questions can incite to find comparisons among different or similar models of animal exploitation models in Europe during Middle Age and to find changes and developments in animal movements through 6th-15th centuries.

New kinds of methodological approaches for the knowledge of animal movement dynamics are also welcomed.

We wait for young students working to thesis and PhD projects above all.

The abstracts for papers or posters and any comments or questions can be addressed to: Antonietta Buglione, Giovanni De Venuto, archeozoologia@unifg.it, a.buglione@unifg.it.

The deadline for sending abstracts of papers and posters (max 20 lines) is 31st May 2006. If the number of the abstracts is more than 15 for papers and 20 for posters, a selection will be applied. The posters must be delivered on the Conference day and the organization will provide to their exhibition.

The Organizers : Prof. Giuliano Volpe, Claudia Minniti, Antonietta Buglione, Giovanni De Venuto. Dipartimento di Scienze Umane, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italia.