Event Type: Local / Community

Takes Place: 8th September 2026

Time: 9:00am to 5:30pm

Venue: Royal Armouries, Leeds

Description: The Royal Armouries’ Weapons in Society conference has showcased the varied interactions between arms, armour, and culture since 2019. The intersection and exploration of these factors reveal insights into the way society organises itself and operates, ranging from the experience of war to the value of material culture, the handling of difficult heritage to depictions of warfare in popular entertainment. Together, they occupy a central place within historical research and the heritage sector. Held at the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds, this sixth conference aims to provide an opportunity for early career and postgraduate researchers to share innovative research which explores the social, cultural, and political contexts of arms and armour, and to shine a light on the roles these have played throughout history. It also seeks to demonstrate the benefits of preserving and working with collections and artefacts. The steering committee welcomes proposals for papers, based on original research from any perspective or discipline, on arms, armour, and their links to society. These topics can relate to any range of time and any location. Individual papers should be no more than 20 minutes. Themes may include, but are not restricted to: - The perception of weaponry, in both the past and present - Experiential archaeology and weaponry - Arms and armour as social and/or national symbols - The politics of showcasing arms and armour - Weapons as material culture - The impact of weapons technology development on society - The connections between arms and armour, and the supernatural The event will be held in-person and include an opportunity to handle items from the national collection of arms and armour related to the themes of the conference. To apply, please submit an abstract of no more than 350 words through https://forms.office.com/e/WUE3cs3SPu by 9am on Thursday, 30 April 2026. We also anticipate making no more than 5 bursaries of £150 available to support speakers’ attendance, prioritising those without access to institutional support. Applications for these bursaries can be made at https://forms.office.com/e/7mTETLKjze, and should be submitted by Thursday, 30 April 2026. For questions or advice, contact the organisers at samantha.vaughn@armouries.org.uk

Email: samantha.vaughn@armouries.org.uk

Organiser: Royal Armouries, Leeds

Region: Yorkshire and Humber