The Neolithic Studies Group presents an in-person and hybrid online academic conference exploring farming in the British and Irish Neolithic. Organised by Kenny Brophy and Rosie Bishop, the event brings together researchers, academics, and early-career scholars to examine farming practices, tools, and the social and environmental dimensions of early agricultural life.
Despite farming being central to defining Neolithic communities, it remains under-researched in Britain and Ireland compared to other European regions. This conference revisits the topic a decade after the NSG's 2016 conference on Neolithic food and farming systems, now incorporating recent methodological advances, new discoveries, and synthesised evidence that reshape our understanding. Sessions will explore the social nature of farming, what it meant to 'become a farmer', and the longer-term consequences of agricultural introduction—both beneficial and harmful, including health impacts and environmental change. Speakers and poster presenters will share findings from excavations, ongoing research projects, and developer-led archaeology, examining how early farmers navigated climate change and mitigated social and ecological challenges.
