Research

1. Early humans

2. Origins of agriculture

3. Complex societies

4. Survey projects

5. Regional studies

6. East and West

7. Multiple identities

8. People and environment

1-Early humans

Dating framework for the Lower and Middle Palaeolithic in Levantine Rivers
Dr David Bridgland, University of Durham
Project Aims: To provide a new framework for Lower and Middle Palaeolithic archaeology in the Levant by obtaining age estimates from fluvial terrace deposits that re repositories of archaeological material. Sequences in the rivers Orontes and Euphrates will be targeted using luminescence, uranium series, and potassium/argon dating techniques.

Palaeolithic artifacts and river terrace sequences in Syria
Andrew Shaw, University of Durham (PhD research)

Qadisha Valley Early Prehistory (Lebanon) (2003-2006)
Dr Andrew Garrard, UCL with Dr Corinne Yazbeck, St Joseph’s University, Beirut
The Qadisha Valley Project is the first prehistoric field research in Lebanon for 30 years. It was initiated to explore the adaptations of Palaeolithic and Neolithic communities to the highly mesic forested environments of the north Lebanese Mountains. In summer 2003 a survey was undertaken at various elevations in the valley system, and the team found extensive traces of early prehistoric activity. Of particular interest was a cluster of three cave-sites at Moghr el Ahwal, where surface material was recovered dating from the Lower Palaeolithic through to the Late Neolithic. During summer 2004, excavations were undertaken in the central of the three caves (Cave 2). Although the prehistoric deposits were shallow, they included well preserved occupational horizons relating to the Geometric Kebaran, Natufian and the Late Neolithic. This included a rare human burial with grave goods from the Geometric Kebaran and secondary or disturbed burials from the Natufian. Subsistence strategies show a shift from the hunting of species such as roe deer and wild goat in the Epipalaeolithic to animal herding in the Late Neolithic.
Team Members: Dr Martin Bates (University of Wales, Lampeter), Ms Gassia Artin (University of Lyon).

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2-Origins of Agriculture

Operational sequences and social agency in Levantine late epi-palaeolithic stone tool assemblages
Reconstructing Social Agency through use-wear analysis in the Natufian of the Levant
Tobias Richter, Lampeter University of Wales (former CBRL Research Scholar)

Experimental Archaeology at Beidha (Jordan)
Samantha Dennis, University of Edinburgh (PhD research)
Reconstructing a series of early Neolithic structures for research and presentational purposes. Part of a larger conservation and presentation project organized by CBRL with the Department of Antiquities of Jordan.

Dana-Faynan-Ghuwayr Early Prehistory
Professor Bill Finlayson, CBRL, University of Edinburgh with Reading University
Survey and trial excavations in the Faynan region on Palaeolithic to aceramci Neolithic occupations. Currently approaching publication (part of CBRL Faynan Flagship Project)

Dhra’ Excavation
Professor Bill Finlayson, CBRL, University of Edinburgh, with University of Notre Dame
Multi-disciplinary project that seeks to recover data on the transition from foraging to farming. Dhra’ is the only known apparently sedentary village from the PPNA outside the Mediterranean woodland zone and contains data critical to the PPNA social and economic adaptations.

Beidha Conservation and Presentation
Professor Bill Finlayson, CBRL, University of Edinburgh, Dept of Antiquities (Jordan)
A joint project with Dr Mohammed Najjar (Dept of Antiquities) and Samantha Dennis (PhD student) to protect the important Neolithic site of Beidha and demonstrate how sites of this period may be presented to the public.

Naccharini Cave Excavations (Lebanon)
Dr Andrew Garrard, UCL
Publication of above excavations

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3-Complex Societies

Tel Jezreel Post-Excavation and Publication
Dr Charlotte Whiting, CBRL Research Fellow, Professor Bill Finlayson (management)
Drawing together of previous work of a former BSAJ excavation to bring the results to publication.

South Jordan Iron Age II
Dr Charlotte Whiting, CBRL Research Fellow
Survey and test-pitting of an area between Showback and Wadi Musa to reassess previous models of Iron Age society on the South Jordanian plateau.

Socio-Political Complexity and Inter-Regional Connections in the 5th-4th Millenia Syro-Mesopotamia
Philip Karsgaard, University of Edinburgh (PhD Research)

Jerablus-Tahtani
Professor Edgar Peltenburg, University of Edinburgh
Inter-disciplinary primary research programme designed to investigate the precocious expansion of the Uruk civilization, secondary state formation in Early Bronze Age Syria, environmental and political reasons for widespread urban recession in the late 3rd millennium BC in the Near East and the early history of archaeologically inaccessible Carchemish.

Wadi Rayyan, Ajlun (2001-2007)
Dr Jamie Lovell, University of Sydney
Investigation of olive production and the Late Chalcolithic to Early Bronze transition in the Southern Levant. From 2003 funded by Australian Research Council. Team members: Timothy Adams, David Thomas (University of Cambridge), John Meadows (La Trobe University), Tobias Richter (University of Wales, Lampeter)

Dhiban site conservation/ reconstruction and excavations at Khirbat al-Nudayna Al-‘Aliya (Tall As-Sa’idiyya cemetery)
John Green, UCL (PhD Research)

Publication of Jerash Hippodrome Excavations 1984-1996, in two volumes
Drs Antoni A. Ostrasz, (1929-1996), DoA (1983-1996), University of Warsaw and Ina Kehrberg, CBRL, DoA (1983-1998), University of Sydney
The importance of the publications of the Jerash Hippodrome lies in its unique architectural components, their study and the complete material history of the site from pre-construction, to planning and building, to chariot racing and industrial occupancy allowing a rare and complex insight into workshop organizations and mass production of ceramics in the first seven centuries AD. Unlike most monuments at Jerash and other Jordanian Decapolis cities, the hippodrome encapsulates an uninterrupted and integer sequence of commercial enterprises, political events, cultural trends, and natural disasters which befell and shaped the townships of Roman Gerasa and Byzantine Jerash from the Early Roman period to the Umayyads.

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Ritual Practices in Mortuary and Domestic Contexts in Prehistoric East Mediterranean
Vasilki Koutrafouri, University of Edinburgh (PhD Research)

Household and Community Storage Strategies in 3rd millennium BC Cyprus
Sorina Spanou, University of Edinburgh (PhD Research)

Palaeographical and archaeological analysis of the undeciphered syllabary of Bronze Age Cyprus, Cypro-Minoan
Silvia Ferrara, UCL

Investigation of Bronze Age pottery found in cemetery at Kissonerga, Western Cyprus
Lisa Marie Graham, University of Edinburgh

Investigation of Bronze Age pottery found during emergency excavation of cemetery at Kissonerga, Cyprus
Thomas Lucas, University of Edinburgh

Death, burial and memory in Early Prehistoric Cyprus
Paula Jones, University of Wales, Lampeter

Psemitismenos Trelloukas and polity origins in Maroni Valley, Cyprus
Dr Sturt Manning, University of Reading

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Archaeological exploration of Aredhiou-Vouoppes
Dr Louise Steel, University of Wales, Lampeter
Intensive surface survey, topographic and geophysical survey of a small inland settlement indentified as a LBA farmstead in order to assess the suitability for future archaeological research and examine evidence of agricultural exploitation of LBA Cyprus hinterland.

Corpus of Phoenician Inscription in Cyprus
Dr Robert Allan, CBRL Jerusalem Research Officer

Excavation at Sidon, Lebanon
Dr Claude Doumet-Serhal, British Museum
To reconstruct Sidon’s history through examination of city’s stratified layers.

Ancient Jerusalem (1961-2006)
Dr Kay Prag, University of Manchester
Vols 1-IV already published, Vols V-VI in preparation
Publication Team members: Dr Helen Brown, Dr Kevin Butcher, Dr G. Clarke, Pre B. Couroyer OP, Mr A. Dimoulinis. Dr C. Grigson, Dr John Hayes, Professor C. Koehler, Dr P. Mattheson, Professor Michael Metcalf, Dr M. al-Moreikhi, Dr K. Prag, Professor Richard Reece, Dr David S. Reese, Dr StJ. Simpson, Ms D. Snow

First hand study of Levantine Bronze and Iron Age material culture and sites, in particular at museums in Damascus, Aleppo, Lattakia, Beirut and Amman
Rachel Fentem, UCL

Iron Age Ceramics in West Syria
Matt Whincop, University of Durham (PhD Research)

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