Artsoundscapes ERC project

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Artsoundscapes ERC project

The ARTSOUNDSCAPES ERC project deals with sound, rock art and sacred landscapes around the world.

07/08/2026

📢 Artsoundscapes at FIA 2026

On 13 August, former Artsoundscapes Principal Investigator Margarita Díaz-Andreu will deliver a keynote lecture at the XIV Congress of the Ibero-American Federation of Acoustics (FIA 2026), held in Lima, Peru (12–14 August).

Her lecture, "Archaeoacoustics: Analysing Sound in Archaeological Sites and Landscapes," will explore how acoustic research is transforming our understanding of past societies by investigating the sonic dimensions of archaeological sites and cultural landscapes.

The congress is organised by the Peruvian Acoustical Society at the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú.

🔗 Learn more about the conference: https://fia-2026.pucp.edu.pe/

25/07/2026

🔊 Can archaeology recover the sounds of prehistory?

After six years of research, international collaboration and fieldwork across three continents, the ERC Advanced Grant Artsoundscapes has come to an end.

Our final blog looks back at a project that has explored prehistoric rock art through a completely new perspective: sound. By combining archaeology, acoustics, psychology, neuroscience and ethnomusicology, Artsoundscapes has investigated how echoes, reverberation and the acoustic properties of landscapes may have shaped ritual, movement, music, dance and artistic expression in prehistoric societies.

From the rock art landscapes of the Iberian Peninsula, Siberia, southern Africa and North America to the study of Neolithic shell trumpets, the project has shown that listening can reveal new dimensions of the human past.

Read our final blog and discover six years of research, fieldwork, publications and public engagement:

👉 https://www.ub.edu/artsoundscapes/artsoundscapes-prehistoric-rock-art-soundscapes/

22/07/2026

🥁 Why has rhythmic drumming been used in rituals across so many cultures?
This question is not only relevant to psychologists and neuroscientists. It also matters to archaeologists trying to understand the role of sound and music in prehistoric societies.
We are delighted to share a new publication by Raquel Aparicio-Terrés, Sergio López-Mochales, Margarita Díaz-Andreu and Carles Escera in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences:
"Rhythmicity and Trait Absorption Are Linked to Nonordinary States of Consciousness."
The study explored how listening to rhythmic drum sounds influences people's subjective experiences. Participants exposed to rhythmic drumming reported stronger feelings of unity, while people with higher levels of trait absorption experienced greater spirituality and disembodiment. Interestingly, these effects were linked to both rhythmicity and individual personality traits, rather than to neural entrainment itself. These findings offer new perspectives on why rhythmic sound has been such a widespread component of ritual practices throughout human history.
For the Artsoundscapes project, this research adds another piece to the puzzle of understanding the cognitive and emotional effects of sound, helping us build bridges between archaeology, neuroscience and the study of music in the past.
📖 Read the open-access paper here:
https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.70316

13/07/2026

Last week, we had the pleasure of organising a one-week course on Archaeoacoustics at the Institute of Continuous Learning of the University of Barcelona (IL3).
Bringing together 9 expert instructors and 14 enthusiastic participants, the course explored how archaeoacoustics helps us understand sound, music, and listening practices throughout human history. Over the week, we shared knowledge, discussed ideas from different perspectives, and reflected on the role of sound in past societies.
It was a real pleasure to work with such a diverse and engaged group of students. Thank you all for your curiosity, thoughtful discussions, and enthusiasm. We truly enjoyed learning together and hope this is only the beginning of many future collaborations.
Until next time! //
La semana pasada tuvimos el placer de organizar un curso intensivo de una semana sobre Arqueoacústica en el Instituto de Formación Continua de la Universidad de Barcelona (IL3).
Con la participación de 9 docentes especialistas y 14 estudiantes entusiastas, el curso exploró cómo la arqueoacústica nos ayuda a comprender el sonido, la música y las prácticas de escucha a lo largo de la historia de la humanidad. Durante la semana compartimos conocimientos, debatimos ideas desde diferentes perspectivas y reflexionamos sobre el papel del sonido en las sociedades del pasado.
Fue un verdadero placer trabajar con un grupo de estudiantes tan diverso, participativo e interesado. Gracias a todas y todos por vuestra curiosidad, vuestras aportaciones y vuestro entusiasmo. Disfrutamos enormemente de esta experiencia de aprendizaje compartido y esperamos que sea solo el comienzo de futuras colaboraciones.
¡Hasta la próxima! //
La setmana passada vam tenir el plaer d'organitzar un curs intensiu d'una setmana sobre Arqueoacústica a l'Institut de Formació Contínua de la Universitat de Barcelona (IL3).
Amb la participació de 9 docents especialistes i 14 estudiants entusiastes, el curs va explorar com l'arqueoacústica ens ajuda a comprendre el so, la música i les pràctiques d'escolta al llarg de la història de la humanitat. Durant la setmana vam compartir coneixements, vam debatre idees des de perspectives diverses i vam reflexionar sobre el paper del so en les societats del passat.
Va ser un autèntic plaer treballar amb un grup d'estudiants tan divers, participatiu i motivat. Gràcies a totes i tots per la vostra curiositat, les vostres aportacions i el vostre entusiasme. Hem gaudit molt d'aquesta experiència d'aprenentatge compartit i esperem que sigui només l'inici de moltes col·laboracions futures.
Fins a la propera!

03/05/2026

Ya está abierta la matrícula para el curso de verano de 20h "Introducción a la arqueoacústica" que tendrá lugar del 6 al 10 de julio en la UB. Para aquellos a quienes les interese, el curso es equivalente a 2 ECTS. Más información en https://www.il3.ub.edu/ca/juliols/introduccio-larqueoacustica-una-altra-historia-musica // Registration is now open for the 20-hour summer course ‘Introduction to Archaeoacoustics’, which will take place from 6 to 10 July at the UB. For those interested, the course is worth 2 ECTS credits. Further information at https://www.il3.ub.edu/ca/juliols/introduccio-larqueoacustica-una-altra-historia-musica

30/04/2026

Excited to share the publication of a new piece exploring the connections between rock art, dance, and ritual! https://theconversation.com/rock-art-dance-and-ritual-what-we-learned-from-paintings-in-zimbabwe-279266

This work brings together perspectives on movement, symbolism, and prehistoric visual expression, highlighting how embodied practices like dance may have played a central role in the creation and meaning of rock art. It’s an invitation to think about these ancient images not as static remnants, but as part of dynamic, lived experiences.

Grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this conversation and to everyone involved in making this research possible.

Dirección

Universitat De Barcelona, Carer De Montalegre 6
Barcelona
08001

Página web

https://www.ub.edu/artsoundscapes/

Notificaciones

Sé el primero en enterarse y déjanos enviarle un correo electrónico cuando Artsoundscapes ERC project publique noticias y promociones. Su dirección de correo electrónico no se utilizará para ningún otro fin, y puede darse de baja en cualquier momento.