New ANR project at GEODE: the SINJA-ARCHAEOLAND project

MC.BAL Coordination

Published on August 25, 2026 – Updated on August 25, 2026

The SINJA-ARCHAEOLAND project, funded by the ANR from 2027 to 2030 and coordinated by Marie Bal, aims to reconstruct the agro-pastoral and environmental evolution of the Sinjajevina plateau in Montenegro since the Holocene, by combining interdisciplinary approaches and documenting pastoral practices that are at risk of disappearing.

We are delighted to report that at the end of the ANR General Call for Proposals (AAPG) 2026 evaluation process, the SINJA-ARCHAEOLAND project, which coordinated by Marie Bal (GEODE), was selected for funding (2027-2030).

The interdisciplinary SINJA-ARCHAEOLAND project combines archaeological, geoarchaeological, palaeoenvironmental, ethnoarchaeological and remote sensing approaches to explore one of the largest and still active pastoral plateaus in the Balkans. Sinjajevina (Montenegro) is exceptional not only for its extent (400 km²) but also for the remarkable preservation of its archaeological features, pastoral traditions and present-day practices. The data acquired will allow a spatial and chronological understanding of the dynamics of the Sinjajevina agro-pastoral landscape during the Holocene, and will document practices related to this landscape that are in danger of extinction.

The international consortium groups research laboratories/Universities (GEODE CNRS 5602, TRACES CNRS 5608, LIVE CNRS 7362, EA CNRS 7206 and University of Montenegro, Historical Institute of Montenegro) and Montenegrin stakeholders (Museum of Kotor and NGO Expeditio).