Swiss International Summer School for Alpine Archaeology: 12th–18th July 2026
Neanderthal Landscapes
The Universities of Bern and Zurich are organising the seventh Swiss International Summer School for Alpine Archaeology (SISA) from 12th–18th July 2026. This year’s summer school will take place in the Alpstein massif (Appenzell), in St. Gallen, in the Zurich area, and in the Jura mountains (Neuchâtel). The link between these various regions is that they were all inhabited by Neanderthals in the Middle and Late Pleistocene.
Finds from Alpine and Jura caves (Wildkirchli, Cotencher) as well as various lowland areas attest to the presence of humans within specific climates and environments, in which large mammals such as cave bears and mammoths played important roles, not least as game animals. Research on Neanderthal landscapes includes a broad variety of anthropological, archaeological and ecological approaches.
SISA 2026 aims to address Neanderthal landscapes through methodological training led by keynote speakers, site visits (caves and museums), and in-depth discussions of core research topics
Topics:
- Geology, glaciology, natural history
- History and documentation of research
- Cave environments, stratigraphy, dating methods
- Animal bones, stone tools
- Pleistocene vegetation and fauna
- Neanderthals in Europe
- Human-animal relationships
Programme:
To be announced soon…
Cooperations:
Laténium – Parc et musée d’archéologie de Neuchâtel
Organisational unit:
University of Zurich, IAKA Prehistoric Archaeology Division
Intended for:
PhD and advanced MA with special interest in mountain, landscape and environmental archaeology; geography, paleoecology
Location:
Various, from the Alpstein massif across the Swiss Plateau to the Jura mountains.
Dates:
12th to 18th August 2025
Lodging:
Group houses in Weissbad (AI) and La Tène (NE)
Deadline:
Please send your CV and a short letter of motivation by 12th April 2026.
Participation fee:
300 CHF
Contact:
Danae Botsaris SISA2026@iaka.uzh.ch