The international conference on “the Beginnings of the Use of Metals and Alloys” (BUMA) is the interdisciplinary gathering of scientists, engineers, archaeologists and historians with a focus on production and use of metals, and an emphasis on cultural interactions and evolutions over time and space especially between the West and the Asian region.

BUMA was founded in 1981 by two eminent archaeometallurgists, Prof. Robert Maddin in Philadelphia, USA and Prof Tsun Ko in Beijing, China, with the strong support of late Professors Cyril Stanley Smith (MIT) and Yunoshin Imai (Tohoku University) . Since its inauguration in Beijing in 1981, the gathering has gone from strength to strength, travelling from Zhengzhou, China (1986), Sanmenxia, China (1992), Matsue, Japan (1998), Gyeongju, Korea (2002), Beijing, China (2006), Bangalore, India (2009). Nara, Japan (2013), Busan, South Korea (2017) and Bangkok, Thailand (2022). During BUMA X in Thailand, 2022, School of Archaeology and Museology, Peking University (PKU) and Institute for Cultural Heritage and History of Science & Technology, University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB) jointly applied for and secured the hosting rights for the 11th BUMA conference in China, which will be held in Quanzhou from September 24 to 28, 2025.

The city of Quanzhou was the destination of merchants from all over the world 1000 years ago, which has recently been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage City for its historical role as an “emporium of the world in Song-Yuan China”. Given this, a special session on maritime trade of metals will be organized to explore the historical significance of merchant harbors such as Quanzhou and the trading networks interconnecting them.

We hope the participants of BUMA XI will also have an interesting journey and find a warm welcome in this medieval “world city” of China.

Registration method

Registration is required, please register in following ways:

1. Online registration form:

https://forms.office.com/r/xrqYy7yWd1

2.Abstract submission:

Abstract should be submitted (jianli_chen@pku.edu.cn) before 15th June, 2025. Template for abstract is available here  Template for abstract.docx

3. Registration fee:

The registration fee will be 150 USD (100 USD for early bird registration), and students will get a 50% discount, early bird registration deadline will be 31st July, 2025, payment methods will be posted soon. The local organizing committee will establish a limited fund to assist attendees facing financial constraints with their travel expenses. If necessary, please fill out the application in the registration form.

The Standing and Local Organizing Committee

February 28, 2025