Call for Papers

Timely Tusks: New Approaches to Global Medieval Ivories

61st International Congress on Medieval Studies, Kalamazoo (May 14 - 16, 2026)

Due by 15 September 2025

1997 was a landmark year for the study of Gothic ivories, with the exhibition Images in Ivory at the Detroit Museum of Art and a plenary talk and two sessions at Kalamazoo. Thirty years later, the field has seen an explosion of scholarship and approaches, making for a timely revisit. The proposed session welcomes papers that examine ivory from 500-1500 - from anywhere and of any type. Topics might include the trade and market in raw materials, the organization and processes of production, the use and handling of various object types, issues of iconography, and post-medieval collecting, reception and treatment.

For more information and to submit, visit: https://wmich.edu/medievalcongress/call