Held by the University of Copenhagen, this conference addressed the changing perspectives in old testament studies. An opening address of around 60 minutes was delivered by Jack Sasson who spoke at length about Mari and our knowledge of the details of life there, including relations between the components of society, archaeological digs, preservation, trade, palace intrigue, and peasant conflicts over irrigation water. The American scholar explained the potential of archaeology to present an expansive image of life in archaeological sites going back 4,000 years. Overall, there was consensus among the conference participants that the conference was constructive, of very high academic standard and that discussions on the papers were conducted according to rigorous academic principles.