Cremation practices in Frankish Gaul (5th – 9th centuries) – 4th Gaaf Rendez-vous

Du Wednesday 11 March au Thursday 12 March 2026
Caen

The pre-proceedings of the 4th Gaaf Rendez-vous are now available.

The conference was held in Caen (France), 11 and 12 March 2026, and around the theme “Cremation practices in Frankish Gaul”.

Approximately forty participants attended the two-day event, which comprised a series of presentations and discussions. The Gaaf was pleased to note the diversity of participants, representing all sectors of archaeological research (universities, the CNRS, Inrap, local authorities, and private organisations).

The first day was devoted to papers covering the full span of the Early Middle Ages and with material drawn from France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. The programme concluded with a presentation focusing on a case study from the 12th–13th centuries.

The second half-day took the form of a round table and was dedicated to a discussion of funerary cremation practices during the Merovingian and Carolingian periods in Frankish Gaul, informed by the examples presented on the first day.

At the conclusion of the event, a number of avenues for further reflection and potential collaboration were identified. These discussions underscored the importance of continuing research into early medieval cremation practices—an archaeological reality that must be acknowledged and more fully integrated into both excavation strategies and broader research frameworks.

The organisers extend their thanks to all participants.

Organizing Committee : Erwan Nivez (Inrap, UMR 6298 Artehis)Vanessa Brunet (Inrap, UMR 6273 Craham)Astrid A. Noterman (Uppsala University)

Scientific and financial partners : DRAC NormandieDépartement du CalvadosUMR 6273 Craham UMR 6298 ArtehisStockholm UniversityInrap

Photo gallery of the meeting