ARAM Society for Syro-Mesopotamian Studies is organizing a series of
conferences on transmission and innovation: scientific, technological and
religious thought in the Syro-Mesopotamian area and the Arabian peninsula
(3000 BC-2000 AD), and its 18th international conference will study the
theme of alcohol, 15-17 July 2002 at the University of Oxford.  The theme
will include many disciplines, such as the art of brewing, medicine,
physics, chemistry, history, archaeology, poetry, philosophy, cosmology,
religion, mythology, and astrology.  The conference will start on Monday,
15 July 2002, at 9 am, finishing on Wednesday, 17 July 2002, at 1 pm.  Each
speaker's paper is limited to 25 minutes, with an additional 10 minutes for
discussion.  All papers given at the conference will be published in a
future edition of the ARAM periodical, subject to editorial review.  Those
who wish to give a paper should submit a 200-word abstract for
consideration by the Organising Committee by January 2002.  The email
address is: [log in to unmask], with a website at
http://users.ox.ac.uk/~aram/.  The mail address is ARAM Society for
Syro-Mesopotamian Studies, Oxford University, The Oriental Institute, Pusey
Lane, Oxford, OX1 2LE, England.

(I owe this reference to my colleague Edwin M. Yamauchi.  David Fahey
<[log in to unmask]>)