Organized by Prof. Guy Bar-Oz, Prof. Gideon Avni and Prof. Gil Gambash, this Research Group conference is meant to present and scrutinize a coherent and multidisciplinary approach towards the reconstruction of food systems in ancient arid areas, focusing on North Africa, the Near East and southern Europe during the Late Antique period (4th-10th centuries CE).

Over recent decades, archaeological and historical research has intensified, shedding light on the agricultural practices, food systems, and food security of societies that once thrived in these arid zones. This conference will bring together scholars and researchers from various disciplines to discuss and synthesize the wealth of knowledge and databases generated by these studies into one coherent multidisciplinary methodology with broad applications.