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ArgumentThe tradition of burying the dead in burial mounds (kurgans), usually consisting of a funerary chamber limited by stone or brick slabs and covered by dirt and gravel, started in the fourth millennium BCE in the northern Caucasus and then spread south to the rest of the Caucasus regions, eastern Anatolia and northwestern Iran during the Bronze Age and Iron Age. The spread of the kurgan tradition, as well as the territorial, political, social, and cultural values embedded in their construction and their symbolic relation to the surrounding landscape are under debate. The workshop aims to examine chronological issues, cultural dynamics at inter-regional scale, rituals and burial patterns related to these funerary structures. The beliefs and ideologies that possibly connected the "kurgan people" over such a wide geographical area, as well as past and present theoretical frameworks, will also be discussed.Keynote lectureAdam Smith, Goldwin Smith Professor of Anthropology (Cornell University, USA), &#8220;Cult, Charisma, and Kingdom: Bronze Age Funerary Rituals in the Southern Caucasus&#8221;Organizing institutionsCAMNES, SoRS - School of Religious Studies Via del Giglio 15, 50123 - Firenze, Italy https://www.camnes.orgArchéorient-UMR 5133 Université Lumière-Lyon 2/CNRS, 7 rue Raulin - 69365 Lyon cedex 07, France http://www.archeorient.mom.frSubmission guidelinesPlease use the form below to submit an&#160;abstract of the&#160;paper you intend to present at the workshop&#160;(max. 300 words). Workshop abstract submission formAbstract submission deadline: 1 December 2017The organizing committee will select abstracts according to specific criteria such as new or original field data, bio-anthropological data and innovative theoretical and methodological approaches.Accepted contributors will be notified by 15 December 2017.Abstracts of accepted papers will be published on the website by 31 January 2018.The language of the workshop will be English. No translation services will be available. Presentation should not exceed 30 minutes, including 5-10 minutes for questions and discussion.Speakers are requested to deliver the full text of their paper by 20 March 2018 (for guidelines please refer to&#160;the&#160;Chicago Manual of Style. They will have the opportunity to modify and update their text after the conference.Accepted papers will be included in the proceedings of the Workshop and published in a peer-reviewed volume of the SANEM series. Contributions are due by 30 October 2018.ContactsFor more detailed information and updates visit our website:&#160;camnes.orgor e-mail the Workshop Secretariat:&#160;kurgan.workshop@camnes.orgTimelineAbstract submission deadline: 1 December 2017Notification of acceptance by: 15 December 2017Publication of abstracts and final program on website: 15 January 2018Full text paper submission deadline: 20 March 2018Contribution for Proceedings submission deadline: 30 October 2018Organizing and scientific committeeGuido GUARDUCCI (CAMNES)Nicola LANERI (CAMNES-SoRS)Sylvie MÜLLER CELKA (Lyon 2/CNRS)Giulio PALUMBI (Lyon 2/CNRS)Stefano VALENTINI (CAMNES)ParticipationParticipation is free but registration is&#160;mandatory (more details about the registration will be available after the publication of the final program).The attendance of speakers at all the workshop sessions is requested.Speakers must hold a PhD degree or equivalent.Participation includesBadgeWorkshop welcome kit (ONLY for speakers)Morning and afternoon coffee breaks on March 29-30Lunches on March 29 and 30 (ONLY for speakers)Dinner buffet on March 29 (ONLY for speakers).Transportation to the workshop venue and accommodation are at the participant's expense. However, the organizers will book room quotas at special rate in hotels conveniently located near the workshop venue.&#160;