Foreword from the meeting at Ávila

Hosting a scientific meeting is always an occasion both for satisfaction and for reflection. Satisfaction for contributing towards its organisation, and therefore towards the expression of ideas and knowledge and their debate, and reflection because it enables an assessment of their reach and the state of the question. When the host feels part of the meeting, of the expression of ideas and debate, these two actions redouble their intensity. Ávila Museum is a historical museum with a provincial range. Its view of History is broad and integrating as its focus of attention is material culture, as an agent and consequence