The development and workings of complex societies and their products
This is a subject that continues to be of great archaeological importance, especially as it includes the origins and development of urbanism. It also includes the development of art, architecture, ceramics and religion. In addition to supporting new research, this theme also involves the completion and publication of two tell excavation projects, the continuing publication of the work of Kenyon in Jerusalem, and the publication of work at the Jerash Hippodrome.
CBRL has been supporting the following projects:
Ancient Jerusalem (1961 onwards)
CBRL Publication ProjectDr Kay Prag (University of Manchester)
Project Website
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 St J. Simpson, Ms D. Snow
Volumes I to V published.
Archaeological exploration of Aredhiou-Vouppes
Research AwardDr Louise Steel (University of Wales, Lampeter)
Intensive surface survey, topographic and geophysical survey of a small inland settlement identified as a LBA farmstead in order to assess the suitability for future archaeological research and examine evidence of agricultural exploitation of LBA Cyprus hinterland.
Care of collections at St. Katherine's Monastery, Mt. Sinai
Travel grantNikos Androutsopoulos (University of Durham)
Contextualising Late Neolithic Cyprus
Research AwardDr Joanne Clarke (University of East Anglia)
Death, burial and memory in Early Prehistoric Cyprus
Travel grantPaula Jones (University of Wales, Lampeter
Dhiban site conservation/reconstruction and excavations at Khirbat al-Nudayna Al-'Aliya (Tall As-Sa'idiyya cemetery)
Affiliated ProjectJohn Green (University College London)
Excavations at Sidon, Lebanon
Research AwardDr Claude Doumet-Serhal (British Museum)
Project Website
To reconstruct Sidon's history through examination of the city's stratified layers.
First-hand study of Levantine Bronze and Iron Age material culture and sites at museums in Damascus, Aleppo, Lattakia, Beirut and Amman
Travel grantRachel Fentem (University College London)
The funerary topography of Petra
Junior Visiting Research FellowshipDr Lucy Wadeson (University of Oxford)
Household and Community Storage Strategies in 3rd Millennium BC Cyprus
Travel grantSorina Spanou (University of Edinburgh)
Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis of South Jordanian Iron Age II Ceramics
CBRL Staff ProjectDr Charlotte Whiting (CBRL Honorary Research Fellow)
Project Website
Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis to enhance our understanding of the nature of south Jordanian Iron Age II ceramic production, consumption and distribution.
Investigation of Bronze Age pottery found during emergency excavation of cemetery at Kissonerga, Cyprus
Travel grantThomas Lucs (University of Edinburgh)
Investigation of Bronze Age pottery found in cemetery at Kissonerga, Western Cyprus
Travel grantLisa Marie Graham (University of Edinburgh)
Iron Age Ceramics in West Syria
Travel grantMatt Whincop (University of Durham)
Israelite Sanctuaries: New Theoretical Approaches
Travel grantTimothy Smith (University of Cardiff)
Jerablus-Tahtani
Affiliated ProjectProf 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.
Final manuscripts now being produced.
Metals and the political economy in the late 4th through the mid-3rd millennia BC
Travel grantLeigh Stork (University of Edinburgh)
Palaeographical and archaeological analysis of the undeciphered syllabary of Bronze Age Cyprus, Cypro-Minoan
Travel grantSilvia Ferrara (University College London)
Psemitismenos Trelloukas and polity origins in Maroni Valley, Cyprus
Research AwardProf Sturt Manning (University of Toronto)
Ritual Practices in Mortuary and Domestic Contexts in Prehistoric East Mediterranean
Travel grantVasilki Koutrafouri (University of Edinburgh)
Shuaib Hisban Project (1965-)
Dr Kay Prag (University of Manchester)
Project Website
A regional survey and excavations undertaken since 1965.
Socio-Political Complexity and Inter-Regional Connections in the 5th-4th Millenia Syro-Mesopotamia
Travel grantPhilip Karsgaard (University of Edinburgh)
South Jordan Iron Age II Survey and Excavation Project
CBRL Staff ProjectDr Charlotte Whiting (CBRL Honorary Research Fellow)
Project Website
Excavation of Khirbet el-Dabba and survey of the surrounding area between Showbak and Wadi Musa to reassess previous models of Iron Age society on the South Jordanian plateau.
Tel Jezreel Post-Excavation and Publication: The Joint Tel Aviv University and British School of Archaeology in Jerusalem Excavations directed by Prof. David Ussishkin and Mr John Woodhead, 1990-96
CBRL Publication ProjectDr Charlotte Whiting (CBRL Honorary Research Fellow) and Prof Bill Finlayson (CBRL)
Project Website
Drawing together of previous work of a former BSAJ excavation to bring the results to publication.
Tell Nebi Mend
CBRL Publication ProjectPeter Parr (University College London)
Previously part-funded by the British Academy, this project is now a fully-funded CBRL backlog publication project.
Wadi Rayyan, Ajlun (2001-2006)
CBRL Staff ProjectDr Jaimie Lovell (CBRL)
Investigation of olive production and the Late Chalcolithic to Early Bronze Age transition in the Southern Levant. Funded by Australian Research Council and affiliated with CBRL.
Western Cyprus during the Bronze Age
Research Award, Affiliated ProjectDr Lindy Crewe (Manchester University)
Western Cyprus in the Middle Bronze Age
Travel grantLisa Graham (University of Edinburgh)
Additional Activities
- Publication of the "Carchemish Region in the 3rd Millennium BC" conference session as part of the Levant Supplementary Series.