The Graduate Archaeology at Oxford (GAO) International Conference 2021 provided early career researchers with the opportunity to share their work and ideas in regard to interaction, trade and mobility in archaeology. Over the three-day conference, this topic was analysed from different perspectives: social interactions, economy and trade, and maritime network. The array of papers, all characterised by a coherent theme, contain contributions from researchers in different academic and geographical backgrounds. Interactions, trade and mobility can be interpreted and conceived in a variety of ways, and this is especially evident in these proceedings, as the conference was organised and took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, which significantly affected how we interact in everyday life.