Meetings

ISHE organises an International Congress and a Summer Institute, which take place on alternating years

Les Eyzies, France, 2026

Building Bridges: Dialogues between Human Ethology and Archaeology

The XXVII Biennial Congress will be held in Les Eyzies, France

June 21 – 27, 2026

In cooperation with the Musée National de Préhistoire in Les Eyzies, Dordogne, France.

Les Eyzies, a picturesque village nestled against rock cliffs at the shore of the Vezère, is the cradle of archaeology and prehistory. Research carried out there presented proof that early humans lived in the area, who did not only leave traces of their lithic technology and mobile art, but created the world-famous paintings and petroglyphs deep inside the nearby caves bearing witness of their daring minds and artistic prowess.

The conference will be held in the museum, right under one of the abris where early humans lived and died. Visits to some of the caves and a kayak trip will be organised.

Invited speakers, internationally leading representatives of their field, will cover a range of topics relevant for a better understanding of the eternal question: Who are we?

Human Ethology, the evolutionary biology and biopsychology of human perception, emotion, thought and behaviour, and archaeology, prehistory, palaeoanthropology and palaeogenetics, presenting tangible data from the past, will engage, for the first time in such frame, to present their research and find ways to bridge results and ideas.

We are very much looking forward to welcome you there.

On behalf of the organising committee:

Marian Vanhaeren (marian.vanhaeren@u-bordeaux.fr)
Wulf Schiefenhövel (schiefenh@yahoo.de)
Nathalie Fourment (nathalie.fourment@culture.gouv.fr)
Jan Havlíček (jhavlicek@natur.cuni.cz)

Keep an eye on this page for more information

More information will also be shared on our Facebook and Instagram as it becomes available

Call for Abstracts

Presentation Types

Posters will be presented during the dedicated Poster Session. Posters can present either research findings or project proposals.

Oral presentations will be 15 minutes talk including discussion.

Symposia will be scheduled at suitable times in the programme. Symposia provide the opportunity for a focused session on a key area of research interest in human ethology. Format for symposia is flexible and proposals to be considered by the Program Committee should give details of the proposed topic and format, including Chairperson, proposed speakers (who should have confirmed they are willing to participate), and a proposed schedule (e.g. time allocated to individual talks, whether there will be discussions, panel sessions etc.). As an example, your symposium might have one chair with a 10 min introduction, then four speakers who each have a 20 min slot, and an additional 20 mins scheduled for a panel discussion. Symposia should normally last between one and two hours. Note that for symposia proposals, the proposed Chairperson should submit a proposal for the symposium (i.e. an overview of the entire symposium). Individual speakers who will take part in the symposium should also submit their own abstracts individually.

Guidelines for Abstract Submissions
Abstract proposals can be submitted from the link below. You will need to have ready the following information:

Contact details of the presenting author
Full ordered author list and author affiliations
Abstract (250 words)

Submit your Abstract here

The Deadline for the Abstract Submission April 3, 2026

After Abstract Submission
Abstracts will be reviewed by the Programme Committee and the presenting author will be contacted as soon as a decision is made. The Programme Committee reserves the right not to include submitted abstracts in the congress program.

Student First Authors
First author (i.e. presenting) students whose contribution has been accepted as oral or poster presentation will be exempted from the registration fee and will be allocated to free (shared) student accommodation and banquet ticket.

Plenary speakers and programme committee

Plenary Speakers

Jean-Michel Geneste, University of Bordeaux:

Cave of Forgotten Dreams (Commented film projection)

Jean-Jacques Hublin, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig

Martin Brüne, Rohr University, Bochum:

Evolution of human social minds

Dietrich Stout, Emory University:

The Evolution of Human Tool Use and Technology

Angela Friederici, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig:

Language as a human specific cognitive function

Alison S. Brooks, George Washington University

Sibylle Wolf, Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen:

Materialising Identity in the Upper Palaeolithic

Polly Wiessner, Arizona State University:

From Stories to Society: The Making of Imagined Communities

Nicholas Conard, University of Tübingen

Programme committee

Jan Havlíček (Chair), Charles University, Czech Republic

Marian Vanhaeren, University of Bordeaux, France

Wulf Schiefenhövel, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Germany

Maryanne Fisher, Saint Mary’s University, Canada

Iris Holzleitner, University of the West of England, UK

Craig Roberts, University of Stirling, UK

Jaroslava Varella Valentova, University of São Paulo, Brazil

Programme (preliminary)

Sunday, 21^st of June

Maison Bordes
14:00-18:00 Registration, Welcome bag, drink & snack

Lecture Room Museum

18:00-20:00 Setting the scene (film projection & introduction)

Film 1: to be determined

Introduced by Jean-Michel Geneste

Film 2: Eipo, Star Mountains, West-Papua, Indonesia: Rebuilding the sacred men’s house (30 min)

Introduced by Wulf Schiefenhövel

Rooftop Museum
20:00-22:00 Get together

Wine, drinks, Pizza, dried sausages, cheese, bread…

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Monday, 22^nd of June

Lecture Room Museum (1h45min)

9:00-9:15 Welcome & Announcements (15 min)

9:15-10:45 Keynote 1 (1 h 30 min)

What makes us human? Insights from Prehistory & Biopsychology

Jean-Jacques Hublin & Martin Brüne

Rooftop Museum
10:45-11:15 Coffee & Tea (30 min)

Lecture Room Museum (1 h)

11:15-11:30 Presentation 1 (10 minutes + 5 minutes Questions)

11:30-11:45 Presentation 2

11:45-12:00 Presentation 3

12:00-12:15 Presentation 4

Maison Bordes
12:15-14:00 Lunch (1 h 45 min)

Lecture Room Museum (1 h 30 min)

14:00-14:15 Presentation 5

14:15-14:30 Presentation 6

14:30-14:45 Presentation 7

14:45-15:00 Presentation 8

15:00-15:15 Presentation 9

15:15-15:30 Presentation 10

Rooftop Museum
15:30-16:00 Coffee & Tea (30 min)

Lecture Room Museum (1 h 30min)

16:00-17:30 Keynote 2

Fires & caves: centers of human creativity

Pauline (Polly) Wiessner & Nicholas Conard

Dinner at own expense, advanced reservation recommended (list with restaurants & prices to follow)

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Tuesday, 23^rd of June

Lecture Room Museum (1 h 30 min)

9:00-10:30 Keynote 3

On culture & cognition

Dietrich (Dietz) Stout & Angela Friederici

Rooftop Museum
10:30-11:00 Coffee & Tea (30 min)

Lecture Room Museum (1 h 15 min)

11:00-11:15 Presentation 17

11:15-11:30 Presentation 18

11:30-11:45 Presentation 19

11:45-12:00 Presentation 20

12:00-12:15 Presentation 21

Maison Bordes
12:15-14:00 Lunch (1 h 45 min)

13:00-14:00 Meeting Board of Officers

Lecture Room Museum (1 h)

14:00-15:00 Prelude to the Special Exhibit at the Prehistory Museum

Funerary rites & grief: human hallmarks

Nathalie Fourment & Bruno Maureille & Wulf Schiefenhövel & Marian Vanhaeren

Visit Les Eyzies (3 h)
Led by Catherine Cretin, Patrice Boulestin, Roland Nespoulet

Dinner at own expense, advanced reservation recommended (list with restaurants & prices to follow)

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Wednesday, 24^th of June

Lecture Room Pôle d’interprétation de préhistoire (PIP) (1 h)

9:00-9:30 Poster presentations 1-10 (3 minutes/poster = 10 posters in 30 min)

9:30-10:00 Poster presentations 10-20

Entry Hall PIP 10:00-10:30 Coffee & Tea (30 min)

Lecture Room Pôle d’interprétation de préhistoire (1 h 30 min)

10:30-11:00 Poster presentations 20-30

11:00-11:30 Poster presentations 30-40

11:30-12:00 Poster presentations 40-50

Entry Hall PIP
12:00-14:00 Lunch (2 h)

13:00-14:00 Meeting Board of Trustees

Poster Rooms 1&2 at the Pôle d’interprétation de préhistoire (PIP) (3 h)

13:30-14:00 Hanging Posters

14:00-16:00 Poster discussion session at the PIP

Entry Hall PIP
16:00-16:30 Coffee & Tea (30 min)

Lecture Room Museum (1 h 30 min)

16:30-18:00 Keynote 4

Art, Jewels & Beauty

Alison Brooks & Sibylle Wolf

Dinner at own expense, advanced reservation recommended (list with restaurants & prices to follow)

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Thursday, 25^th of June

Excursion Rouffignac (4 h)

9:00 Departure Les Eyzies

9:40-11:00 Group 1 (n=30)

10:00-11:20 Group 2 (n=30)

10:20-11:40 Group 3 (n=30)

Maison Bordes
12:00-14:00 Lunch (2 h)

Lecture Room Museum (1 h 30 min)

14:00-14:15 Presentation 22

14:15-14:30 Presentation 23

14:30-14:45 Presentation 24

14:45-15:00 Presentation 25

15:00-15:15 Presentation 26

15:15-15:30 Presentation 27

Rooftop Museum
15:30-16:00 Coffee & Tea (30 min)

Lecture Room Museum (1 h 30 min)

16:00-16:15 Presentation 28

16:15-16:30 Presentation 29

16:30-16:45 Presentation 30

16:45-17:00 Presentation 31

17:00-17:15 Presentation 32

17:15-17:30 Presentation 33

Terrace of the Abri Pataud (or, if it rains Maison Bordes) (1 h)

18:30-19:30 Flint knapping

Terrace of the Abri Pataud (or, if it rains Maison Bordes)

19:30-22:00 Apéritif dînatoire

Wine, drinks, Pizza, dried sausages, cheese, bread

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Friday, 26^th of June

Lecture Room Museum (1 h 3 0min)

9:00-9:15 Presentation 11

9:15-9:30 Presentation 12

9:30-9:45 Presentation 13

9:45-10:00 Presentation 14

10:00-10:15 Presentation 15

10:15-10:30 Presentation 16

Rooftop Museum
10:30-11:00 Coffee & Tea (30 min)

Lecture Room Museum (1 h)

11:00-11:15 Presentation 34

11:15-11:30 Presentation 35

11:30-11:45 Presentation 36

11:45-12:00 Presentation 37

Maison Bordes
12:00-14:00 Lunch (2 h)

Lecture Room Museum (1 h 30 min)

14:00-14:15 Presentation 38

14:15-14:30 Presentation 39

14:30-14:45 Presentation 40

14:45-15:00 Presentation 41

15:00-15:15 Presentation 42

15:15-15:30 Presentation 43

Rooftop Museum
15:30-16:00 Coffee & Tea (30 min)

Lecture Room Museum (2 h)

16:00-18:00 General Assembly Meeting

Rooftop Museum

20:00-24:00 Conference Dinner

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Saturday, 27^th of June

Excursion Lascaux IV (Lascaux International Center of Parietal Art), Montignac

Kayak on the Vézère river, Les Eyzies

Registration

Earlybird rates (until 10 May 2026)

ISHE Members USD200

Non-members USD320

Students*/retirees ISHE Members USD100

Students*/retirees Non-Members USD150

Late registration rates (after 10 May 2026)

ISHE Members USD260

Non-members USD390

Students*/retirees ISHE Members USD150

Students*/retirees Non-Members USD210

Banquet ticket USD 60

*Students who are presenting as First Author (SFA), and whose presentation has been accepted by the Programme Committee, are eligible for free registration and accommodation

Venue

Les Eyzies, a picturesque village nestled against rock cliffs at the shore of the Vézère, is the cradle of archaeology and prehistory. Research carried out there presented proof that early humans lived in the area, who did not only leave traces of their lithic technology and mobile art, but created the world-famous paintings and petroglyphs deep inside the nearby caves bearing witness of their daring minds and artistic prowess.

The conference will be held in the museum, right under one of the abris where early humans lived and died. Visits to some of the caves, including Lascaux IV, and a kayak trip will be organised.

Travel

How to get there

From Bordeaux airport (Bordeaux Mérignac Aéroport, BOD)

-Bus: navette 30’Direct (every 30 minutes to Bordeaux central train station) + Train to Les Eyzies via Périgueux (1 change)

-Drive (185 km via toll road, 164 km via national roads)

From Bordeaux central train station (Bordeaux-Saint-Jean)

-Train with 1 change in Périgueux (Bordeaux-Saint-Jean – Périgueux – change – Périgueux – Les Eyzies)

From Périgueux central train station

-Train (c. 30 min)

From Bergerac airport (EGC)

-Bus (Line 333) to Bergerac central train station (Bergerac Gare sncf) + Train to Les Eyzies via Le Buisson-de-Cadouin (1 change)

-Drive (55 km)

From Bergerac central train station

-Train with 1 change in Le Buisson-de-Cadouin

(Bergerac – Le Buisson – change – Le Buisson – Les Eyzies)

From Brive – Souillac airport (BVE)

-Drive (55 km)

From Paris Charles de Gaule airport (CDG)

-TGV INOUI to Bordeaux + Train with change in Périgueux

-Drive (570 km)

From Paris Orly airport

-Bus (Flixbus) to Limoges + Train with change in Périgueux

-Drive (520 km)

From Paris Gare d’Austerlitz train station

-Train with 2 changes (Limoges-Bénédictins and Périgueux)

Accommodation & Eating out

Hotel des Roches
Clos des Rochers
Hotel Cro-Magnon
Hotel Le Passeur
Chambres d’Hôtes chez Maria
Maison Bordes

Social Programme

Check back soon for more information

Code of Conduct

The International Society for Human Ethology (ISHE) holds annual meetings to enable its membership to present and discuss research findings, to share knowledge of techniques and skills, and to build professional networks. At both its Congress and Summer Institutes, ISHE is dedicated to providing a harassment-free event experience for everyone. We do not tolerate harassment of event participants in any form. Event participants violating these rules may be sanctioned or expelled without a refund at the discretion of the ISHE Board of Officers.

ISHE is dedicated to diversity, equity, inclusion, and the free expression of ideas. The Society seeks to provide an environment in which diverse participants may learn, network, and enjoy the company of colleagues in an environment of mutual human respect. We recognize a shared responsibility to create and hold that environment for the benefit of all.

Some behaviours, therefore, are specifically prohibited:

• Harassment or intimidation, including but not limited to that based on gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, age, appearance, religion, or other group status.

• Sexual harassment or intimidation, including stalking (physical or virtual) and recurring unwelcome sexual attention or physical contact.

• Sustained disruption or threatening presenters (verbally or physically).

All participants are asked to frame discussions as openly and inclusively as possible and to be aware of how language or images may be perceived by others.

Critical examination of beliefs and viewpoints does not, by itself, constitute hostile conduct or harassment. Similarly, use of sexual imagery or language in the context of a professional discussion might not constitute hostile conduct or harassment if it is necessary to the topic of discussion and presented respectfully.

Enforcement

Participants who are asked to stop any harassing behaviour are expected to comply immediately.

If a participant engages in harassing behaviour, event organizers retain the right to take any actions to keep the event a welcoming environment for all participants. This includes warning the offender or expulsion from the meeting with no refund.

Event organizers may take action to redress anything designed to, or with the clear impact of, disrupting the event or making the environment hostile for any participants.

We expect participants to follow these rules at all event venues and event-related social activities.

Reporting

If someone makes you or anyone else feel unsafe or unwelcome, or if you believe a harassment problem exists, please report it as soon as possible to any member of the ISHE Board of Officers or event organizers.

References

This anti-harassment policy is adapted (with permission) from that drawn up by the Society for the Improvement of Psychological Science (https://improvingpsych.org), using language and concepts adapted from the following sources:

Geek Feminism wiki:

http://geekfeminism.wikia.com/wiki/Conference_antiharassment/Policy

American Library Association code of conduct:

http://alamw14.ala.org/statement-of-appropriate-conduct