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Theoretical Archaeology Group

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Theoretical Archaeology Group
AbbreviationTAG
FormationTAG Conference: December 1977; 47 years ago (1977-12)
TAG National Body: 1979; 46 years ago (1979)
FounderUniversity of Southampton University of Sheffield
Founded atUniversity of Southampton
HeadquartersDurham University
Location
Key people
WebsiteAntiquity TAG Archive

The Theoretical Archaeology Group (TAG) is an academic national body in the United Kingdom founded in 1979 "to promote debate and discussion of issues in theoretical archaeology".[2] Since 1977 TAG conferences have been held in December at various universities in the UK and Ireland discussing a range of contemporary theoretical approaches in archaeology.[2] The conferences are supported by the journal Antiquity.[2][3] Since 1985, regional TAG conferences have also been held in Europe and North America.[1][4][5][6][7][8]

History

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In the mid to late 1970s, the teaching of theoretical archaeology was limited in UK universities. The death of English academic and archaeologist David Clarke in 1976 represented a significant blow to the field.[9]

The Cambridge Interdisciplinary Conferences

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In the 1970s, there were several events which engaged in archaeological theory in British archaeology.[3] The first three Cambridge Interdisciplinary Conferences - Archaeology and Anthropology: Areas of Mutual Interest,[10] Social Organisation and Settlement: Contributions from Anthropology, Archaeology and Geography and Space,[11] Hierarchy and Society: Interdisciplinary Studies in Social Area Analysis[12] - held between 1976 and 1978, are considered to be the most notable precursors to the Theoretical Archaeology Group (TAG) events.[3][c] The first interdisciplinary conference in March 1976 was organised by the Cambridge University Archaeological and Anthropological Societies.[10] Colin Renfrew contributed to these conferences.[10][11][12]

Theoretical Archaeology Group (TAG) Conferences

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The idea for TAG came out of a discussion at Southampton in the spring of 1977 between Andrew Fleming and Colin Renfrew.[9] It was agreed that a new discussion group would be created for like-minded archaeology staff and students from the universities of Southampton and Sheffield.[2][9] TAG began at the University of Southampton in December 1977, with the University of Sheffield hosting the following year.[2] Both conferences were held as seminar-like gatherings and were considered progenitors of the events which followed.[3] From December 1979, TAG became an annual conference open to all universities - the conference was a success.[9] The conferences are now hosted annually by different archaeology university departments across the UK and Ireland.[2] The number of sessions and speakers have progressively grown over the decades too.[3] Regional conferences - such as Nordic TAG and TAG North America - have been organised in Europe and North America respectively since 1985.[1][4][5][6][7][8]

TAG is an example of a parallel session conference. Past conferences have inspired some of the most innovative journal articles in archaeology, published in respected journals such as Archaeological Dialogues, Antiquity, and the Journal of Social Archaeology.[13] The Antiquity Keynote, Wine Reception, Antiquity Quiz, TAG Party and the annual TAG National Committee meeting have become annual features of the conference.[4]

Theoretical Archaeology Group (TAG) National Body

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The Theoretical Archaeology Group (TAG) was established as a national body in 1979. The national body comprises two governing entities: a National Committee and Trustees.[1] TAG is managed and guided by a National Committee, which includes representatives from previous TAG conference host departments. The committee meets annually at the conference.[1] The TAG Trustees convene and organise annual National Committee meetings, administer TAG finances and promote the annual conference.[1]

List of Annual TAG Conferences in the UK and Ireland

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By Conference Year

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The Theoretical Archaeology Group conferences have been held or are planned at the following institutions:[4]

Year Host Institution Theme / Meeting Name Conference Dates
2025 University of York[14] Theory in Action[15] 15-17 December[16]
2024 Bournemouth University Evolution? 13-15 December
2023 University of East Anglia Climate Archaeology: Temporalities and Ontologies[17] 18-20 December
2022 University of Edinburgh Revolutions 15-17 December
2021 Antiquity[a] 17-19 December
2020 University of Leicester[a] Fringe TAG 18 December
2019 University College London TAG@UCL-IoA 16-18 December
2018 University of Chester TAG Deva 17-19 December
2017 Cardiff University 18-20 December
2016 University of Southampton 19-21 December
2015 University of Bradford 14-16 December
2014 University of Manchester 15-17 December
2013 Bournemouth University TAG on Sea 16-18 December
2012 University of Liverpool 17-19 December
2011 University of Birmingham Central TAG 14-16 December
2010 University of Bristol 17-19 December
2009 Durham University 17-19 December
2008 University of Southampton 15-17 December
2007 University of York 14-16 December
2006 University of Exeter Factor X TAG 15-18 December
2005 University of Sheffield 19-21 December
2004 University of Glasgow 17-19 December
2003 University of Wales, Lampeter TAG@25 17-19 December
2002 University of Manchester 21-23 December
2001 University College Dublin TAG in Ireland 13-15 December
2000 University of Oxford TAG 2000 18-20 December
1999 Cardiff University 14-17 December
1998 University of Birmingham 19-21 December
1997 Bournemouth University 16-18 December
1996 University of Liverpool 16-18 December
1995 University of Reading 18-21 December
1994 University of Bradford 14-16 December
1993 Durham University 13-16 December
1992 University of Southampton euro-TAG 14-16 December
1991 University of Leicester 16-19 December
1990 University of Wales, Lampeter 17-20 December
1989 Newcastle University 18-20 December
1988 University of Sheffield 13-15 December
1987 University of Bradford 15-17 December
1986 University College London 15-17 December
1985 University of Glasgow 16-18 December
1984 University of Cambridge 14-16 December
1983 Cardiff University 12-14 December
1982 Durham University 13-15 December
1981 University of Reading 14-16 December
1980 University of Southampton 14-16 December
1979 University of Sheffield 17-19 December
1978 University of Sheffield 8-10 December
1977 University of Southampton 9-11 December

By Host Institution

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The founding institutions of TAG, the University of Southampton and the University of Sheffield, have hosted the most conferences:[4]

Host Institution Conference Years No. of Conferences
University of Southampton 2016, 2008, 1992, 1980, 1977
5
University of Sheffield 2005, 1988, 1979, 1978
4
Bournemouth University 2024, 2013, 1997
3
Cardiff University 2017, 1999, 1983
Durham University 2009, 1982, 1993
University of Bradford 2015, 1994, 1987
University College London 2019, 1986
2
University of Birmingham 2011, 1998
University of Glasgow 2004, 1985
University of Leicester[b] 2020, 1991
University of Liverpool 2012, 1996
University of Manchester 2014, 2002
University of Reading 1995, 1981
University of Wales, Lampeter 2003, 1990
University of York[14] 2025, 2007
Antiquity[a] 2021
1
Newcastle University 1989
University College Dublin 2001
University of Bristol 2010
University of Cambridge 1984
University of Chester 2018
University of East Anglia 2023
University of Edinburgh 2022
University of Exeter 2006
University of Oxford 2000

List of Regional TAG Conferences

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Since 1985, regional TAG conferences have also been held in Europe[4][5][6][7] and North America.[1][8] There is also a SWISS-Tag network group based in Bern, Switzerland.[2][18]

Year Host Institution / City / Town Organiser Country Conference Dates
2026 Kalmar[19] Nordic TAG Sweden 6-9 May[19]
2025 College of William & Mary[20] TAG North America United States 9-11 May
2024 Santa Fe University of Art and Design TAG North America United States 21-23 May
2024 Turku Nordic TAG Finland 6-9 March
2022 Oslo Nordic TAG Norway
2021 TAG-Turkey III[21][a] TAG Turkey Turkey 6-9 May
2021 Stanford University[a] TAG North America United States
2020 University of Lisbon TAG Ibérico Portugal 15 February
2019 Syracuse University TAG North America United States
2018 University of Florida TAG North America United States
2018 Carmona, Sevilla TAG Ibérico Spain 3-4 February
2017 University of Toronto TAG North America Canada 18-20 May[2]
2016 Süleyman Demirel University TAG Turkey Turkey
2016 Terrigal Aus-TAG session Australia 6-8 December
2016 University of Colorado Boulder TAG North America United States 22-24 May
2015 Copenhagen Nordic TAG Denmark
2015 New York University TAG North America United States
2014 Mimar Sinan University TAG Turkey Turkey 5-6 February 2015
2014 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign TAG North America United States 23-25 May
2014 Stockholm Nordic TAG Sweden 22-26 April
2014 University of West Bohemia Czech TAG Czech Republic 3-4 March
2013 Ege University TAG Turkey Turkey 9-11 May
2013 University of Chicago TAG North America United States 9-10 May
2013 Reykjavík Nordic TAG Iceland 21-25 April
2012 University of Glasgow Scottish TAG Scotland 6 October
2012 Oulu Nordic TAG Finland
2012 University at Buffalo TAG North America United States 27-30 May
2011 University of California, Berkeley TAG North America United States 6-8 May
2011 Kalmar Nordic TAG Sweden 26-29 April
2010 Brown University TAG North America United States 30 April-2 May
2011 Stanford University TAG North America United States 1-3 May
2009 Trondheim Nordic TAG Norway 26-29 May
2008 Columbia University TAG North America United States 23-25 May
2007 Aarhus Nordic TAG Denmark
2005 Lund Nordic TAG Sweden
2003 Uppsala Nordic TAG Sweden
2001 Oslo Nordic TAG Norway
1997 Gothenburg Nordic TAG Sweden
1992 Helsinki Nordic TAG Finland
1990 Bergen Nordic TAG Norway
1987 Umeå Nordic TAG Sweden
1985 Elsinore Nordic TAG Denmark

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d e Due to the Covid-19 pandemic this conference was held online.
  2. ^ Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Leicester's 2020 conference was held online.
^c This is the view taken by the organisers of the conferences at least.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Theoretical Archaeology Group (TAG) conferences | Antiquity Journal". www.antiquity.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 2020-03-15. Retrieved 2020-01-10.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "Introduction to TAG | Antiquity Journal". www.antiquity.ac.uk. Retrieved 2024-12-17.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Gaydarska, Bisserka (2009). "A brief history of TAG". Antiquity. 83 (322): 1152–1162. doi:10.1017/S0003598X00099439. ISSN 0003-598X.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "TAG archive | Antiquity Journal". antiquity.ac.uk. Retrieved 2024-12-23.
  5. ^ a b c "About". Nordic Theoretical Archaeology Group. 2021-07-06. Retrieved 2024-12-16.
  6. ^ a b c Czech TAG 2014 – Programme https://kar.zcu.cz/doc/projekty/strategie/konference/Czech%20TAG%202014%20ProgrammeTisk.pdf
  7. ^ a b c "tag turkey". North American Theoretical Archaeology Group. Retrieved 2024-12-29.
  8. ^ a b c "previous meetings". North American Theoretical Archaeology Group. Retrieved 2024-12-16.
  9. ^ a b c d Fleming, Andrew; Johnson, Matthew (1990). "The Theoretical Archaeology Group (TAG): origins, retrospect, prospect". Antiquity. 64 (243): 303–306. doi:10.1017/S0003598X00077929.
  10. ^ a b c Spriggs, Matthew, ed. (1977). Archaeology and anthropology: areas of mutual interest. BAR supplementary series. Oxford: British Archaeological Reports. ISBN 978-0-904531-63-3.
  11. ^ a b Green, David; Haselgrove, Colin; Spriggs, Metthew, eds. (1978). Social Organisation and Settlement: Contributions from Anthropology, Archaeology and Geography. BAR International Series/Supplementary 02. Oxford: British Archaeological Reports. ISBN 978-0-86054-023-6.
  12. ^ a b Burnham, Barry C.; Kingsbury, John, eds. (1979). Space, hierarchy, and society: interdisciplinary studies in social area analysis. BAR international series. Oxford: B.A.R. ISBN 978-0-86054-060-1.
  13. ^ "Theoretical Archaeology Group Conference 2016". University of Southampton. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  14. ^ a b "TAG45 @ Bournemouth on X". X. 2024. Retrieved 2024-12-17.
  15. ^ "Antiquity Journal on X". X. 2025. Retrieved 2025-02-17.
  16. ^ "TAG 2025". Theoretical Archaeology Group 2025. 2025. Retrieved 6 March 2025.
  17. ^ "Theoretical Archaeology Group Conference 2023 - Climate Archaeology: Temporalities and Ontologies". Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  18. ^ "Swiss TAG". 2021-01-15. Retrieved 2025-04-06.
  19. ^ a b "Kalmar, May 6-9 2026". Nordic Theoretical Archaeology Group. 2025-02-24. Retrieved 2025-03-29.
  20. ^ "next TAG meeting". North American Theoretical Archaeology Group. Retrieved 2024-12-17.
  21. ^ "Ana Sayfa". TAG-Turkey 2021 (in Turkish). Retrieved 2024-12-17.


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