MASHANTUCKET, Conn. (AP) - Archeologists from around the world are gathering in Connecticut to discuss how to study and preserve old battlefields.

The four-day International Fields of Conflict Conference begins Wednesday at the Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center.

Organizers say it will be the largest military archaeology conference ever held in the U.S., with speakers from 17 countries. The conference takes place every two years in a different nation.

The conference will include discussions of archaeological projects on battlefields ranging from ancient Rome to the modern Middle East, as well as domestic conflicts, including the Boston Massacre, and native American battlefields. Some involve the Pequots, dating to the 17th Century.

The archeologists will discuss topics such as indigenous conflict and diplomacy, military history, health and trauma during times of conflict, and historic preservation.