Visual History and Images as Sources

The History Unit of the Athens Institute is organizing a Microsymposium on “Visual History and Images as Sources” as part of the 24^th Annual International Conference on History & Archaeology: From Ancient to Modern, 1-5 June 2026, Athens, Greece sponsored by the Athens Journal of History. 

Visual history draws on multiple disciplines—including art history, media studies, and cultural studies—employing diverse methodologies to analyze images and their historical contexts. The rise of digital technologies has transformed this field, enabling new forms of analysis, broader access to vast collections of images, and the creation of interactive historical narratives.

Research in visual history focusing on the pre-photography period relies heavily on art history databases and everyday images—such as drawings distributed by newspapers or other media—as valuable historical documents. These sources enrich textual evidence and provide insights into past societies, cultures, and events. Images are not merely illustrations of history; they construct narratives, shape perceptions of the past, and reflect the visual culture of their eras.

The field also explores how monuments and public art reflect and shape historical memory and cultural identity. From pyramids and tombs that projected rulers’ proximity to divinity, to the mausoleums later repurposed as churches in Thessaloniki and Sofia, monuments reveal both intended permanence and forgotten histories. The absence of Alexander the Great’s tomb, or the reinterpretation of ancient structures, demonstrates how cultural memory and historical imagination are constructed.

Today, digital technologies allow for the resurrection of destroyed monuments and cities through archaeological and art historical data. What began as “virtual museums” now develops into immersive digital realities that offer alternative interpretations of events and fresh perspectives on the history of humankind.

We invite contributions that address these themes, including but not limited to:

• Methodologies of visual history and image analysis
• The role of images in shaping historical narratives and cultural memory
• Monuments and public art as historical sources
• Digital technologies and their impact on visual history research
• Case studies across different historical periods and regions

You may participate as a presenter of one paper and/or an attendee. Selected papers will be considered for publication in the Athens Journal of History after a double blind peer review process. The ejournal is open access and no fee is required.

Please submit an abstract (by email only) to: atiner@atiner.gr, using the abstract submission form by 28 October 2025 to: Dr. Snezhana Filipova, Deputy Head, History Unit, Athens Institute & Professor, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, North Macedonia. Abstracts should include the following details: Title of Paper, Full Name (s), Affiliation, Current Position, an email address, and at least 3 keywords that best describe the subject of your submission. Decisions are reached within 4 weeks.

Fee structure information is available on www.atiner.gr/fees.

From the Athens Institute’s long experience these events bring together scholars from different countries and disciplines which may result to research collaborations and joint publications. These events include a pragmatic symposium (as organized in Ancient Athens but fine-tuned to synchronous ethics), a special one-day educational island tour, a Mycenae visit, an Athens educational walking tour, a day trip to Delphi, and an ancient Corinth and Cape Sounion visit. Details of the social program are available here.