The terms ‘elite weapons’ and ‘elite arms’ are often used interchangeably, despite having different meanings. Elite weapons are high-performance weapons made from the best materials by outstanding craftsmen to ensure superiority in combat. They often have special features and are designed for specific tasks. In contrast, elite arms were not only of the highest quality, but also richly decorated with unique designs and symbolism that emphasised the social status of their owners and served mental or religious protective functions. Sometimes they were merely insignia, not intended for combat, but rather to indicate the owner's position or competence. The following questions arise: which weapons can be considered elite, and did they always have high performance values? Did the cost of a weapon always indicate its elite status, and was its rank determined by its rarity or exoticism? Another important issue is the symbolism and decoration of weapons, as well as their presence in burials as an indicator of the deceased's status – did these burials really belong to the elite?
We are pleased to announce that the 16th Professor Andrzej Nadolski Colloquium on Arms and Armour will take place at the National Museum in Szczecin and the International Centre for Interdisciplinary Research at the University of Szczecin in Kulice from 1 to 3 June 2026. Our activities will cover the period from the Late Roman Period through the Middle Ages to the beginnings of the modern era. We cordially invite weaponry experts, archaeologists, historians, armament historians, and art historians to join us. We are planning paper and poster sessions.
Please note that the official language of the conference is English, although we allow presentations in other conference languages, as well as Slavic languages, provided that the presentation is prepared in English. The organisers reserve the right to decide whether to include a submitted paper in the poster session.
Conference materials will be published in the peer-reviewed journal „Fasciculi Archaeologiae Historicae”: journals.iaepan.pl/fah.If you are interested in participating, please submit your declaration of participation by 28 February 2026: arms.colloquium@gmail.com.
Information concerning costs, accommodation and other organisational matters will be distributed during in the spring 2026.
The colloquium organisers:
Instytut Archeologii i Etnologii PAN: Ośrodek Badań nad Dawnymi Technologiami w Łodzi i Ośrodek Archeologii Średniowiecza
Krajów Nadbałtyckich w Szczecinie
Instytut Archeologii UŁ
Muzeum Archeologiczne Środkowego Nadodrza, Oddział w Świdnicy
Muzeum Narodowe w Szczecinie
Polska Akademia Nauk, Oddział w Łodzi
Uniwersytet Szczeciński, Międzynarodowy Ośrodek Badań Interdyscyplinarnych
