Call for Papers: Coins as Social Artifacts

CALL FOR PAPERS:
Coins as Social Artifacts

Organized by the Numismatics Interest Group of the Archaeological Institute of America
For the Annual Meeting of the Archaeological Institute of America

January 7-10, 2021
Chicago, IL

Coins are more than just indicators of a monetized society. All the activities for which people use coins are embedded in social relations and the social aspects of their use often influence the life histories of coins. From the many socially and politically influenced decisions that are involved in the making of coins (e.g., the intentionality of types for different purposes), through manipulations and alterations that suggest functions or meanings beyond their original intended purpose (e.g., piercing, graffiti, integration into other objects), to ramifications of the findspots on our interpretation of ancient societies (e.g., ritual deposition, spatial structure of coin losses), coins play an active role in social actions of many different kinds. This session welcomes papers that explore the ways in which the archaeology of coins can illuminate the meanings and roles they played in society beyond the purely economic.

Please send an abstract of no more than 500 words to Martin Beckmann (beckmam@mcmaster.ca) by February 24, 2020, in order to allow time for anonymous peer review. Please remember to make your abstract anonymous. Papers will be 15 or 20 minutes (please specify requested time) and all presenters will have to be AIA members in good standing at the time of the meeting. Please distribute this call for papers to anyone you think may be interested in submitting a proposal.