Andrew Victor Rivadeneira, 2025 Katherine Barton Platt Fieldwork Scholarship Recipient
After 3 years of excavations at the hillfort Gradina Rat on Brač Island in Croatia, this year was a study season. The site is about an hour ferry ride from Split on the mainland. Gradina Rat has a long history of occupation from the Bronze Age through the 19th century. The focus this season was on analyzing and cataloging artifacts previously excavated, instead of on uncovering new material. As researchers, we focused on the processing of the finds and started to build a clearer picture for the function of the site for reports and publication. This was my third year as part of the project and second as a staff member. My role was to aid in processing archaeobotanical samples and help with the field reports.
Views from the ferry boat going from Split to Supetar on Brač.
Flotation is a key archaeological method for recovering small scale artifacts such as seeds, charcoal, and fish bones from sediment. These smaller materials are hard to see during excavation of the deposits. Yet their low density allows them to float and become more visible in water, hence the flotation method. Samples were taken from each context after the modern layers and kept separated throughout the process. We used a full-sized metal water sieve device that was loaned from the University of Zadar for the last two field seasons. The drum was filled with water near the bottom, and then soil was poured from the top over the mesh in the drum. The mesh allowed the dirt to pass through while keeping larger material on the top of the mesh, and for the smaller material to float. The floating material and water then were slowly pushed out of an opening near the top of the drum. There were two different sized micro mesh trays that would then catch the material while allowing the water to filter through and out of the device. Afterwards the collected micro material was dried and later sorted.
Floating a soil sample with my colleague Hannah Hungerford.
Piece of metal found during flotation.
Sorting the floated material proved a meticulous and at times painstaking process. Once dried, samples were transferred onto plastic trays, and then tweezers were used to separate tiny seeds, charcoal, bone, and shell. Trying to distinguish this material from compact dirt or rocks was another challenge especially for seeds. The material then was treated separately, seeds were saved for our archaeobotanist to study to help get a better understanding of possible diet, agriculture, and environment. Fish bones and scales were of particular interest when found since they are so small, and this method is one of the best ways to find them. Other bones are often too shattered and small to be identifiable in most instances to be particularly useful. Larger material gathered from the top mesh were sherds of ceramics, lithics, and metals. Sorting the top mesh was much easier and partially done during flotation.
Spending a night out with the team after the work week.
Working on this project has been extremely rewarding personally and professionally. There is still much to discover and understand about Croatian archaeology. This site provides a fascinating component in helping us understand something about the past. A portion of an early fortification wall was found on the terraced hillside, and there are plans to try to preserve it for the public. There appear to be other signs of domestic structures on the hilltop and slopes, and there is evidence for trade—both locally and abroad—with other Mediterranean civilizations for over a thousand years. The complete story of this site still needs further investigation, though for now we must work with what we currently have. Hopefully this site will soon be accessible to hikers and bikers with signage directing people to the prehistoric wall as part of a Croatian state conservation project!
Preliminary preservation of section of an early fortification wall.
Andrew Rivadeneira is a second year PhD student in Anthropology: Archaeology of the Mediterranean World at the University of Arizona. His research interests are in migration and entanglement in the central Mediterranean, digital/cyber-archaeology, and ways of bringing the ancient world to modern people.
Want to help more students and early career archaeologists get into the field? Donate to the cause today by selecting “Fieldwork Scholarships” as your gift purpose!
Missing Ritual Objects from the Nelson Glueck Excavations of Kheleifeh in the ASOR Archives at the American Heritage Center
Erin Darby, University of Tennessee, 2025 Study of Collections Fellowship Recipient
Paul Flesher, American Heritage Center
You never know where in the world Near Eastern archaeology will take you! Erin Darby’s 2025 ASOR Study of Collections Fellowship took her to Laramie, Wyoming where the American Heritage Center (AHC) houses the American Society of Overseas Research (ASOR) Archives (1900-2023) at the University of Wyoming. Since 2022, the AHC has been the caretaker of this important repository that includes not only documents associated with the history of ASOR but also several collections of records from American-led excavations from the early twentieth century. In her particular case, Erin was on the hunt for unpublished religious artifacts from the Nelson Glueck excavations at Tell el-Kheleifeh.
Paul and Erin with the Tell el-Kheleifeh records from the ASOR Archives in the AHC.
Kheleifeh plays a prominent role in attempts to understand the geopolitical organization of southern Israel and Jordan, particularly in the Iron IIB-C. Since its excavation in 1938-1940, scholars have been interested in whether the site was controlled by the Israelites, Judahites, Edomites, unaffiliated tribal communities, or the Neo-Assyrian and Neo-Babylonian Empires. When it comes to the study of cultic artifacts, however, Kheleifeh is most notable for its absence from the conversation. With the support of AHC staff this past June, Erin was able to excavate a number of unpublished artifacts from the archive and create a database of cultic remains from the site. Owing to the importance of the collection, the University of Tennessee and the AHC are teaming up this coming year to digitize the site’s artifact registration lists so that scholars from anywhere in the world who are interested in the objects from Kheleifeh will be able to identify the relevant records in the AHC holdings.
The American Heritage Center at the University of Wyoming.
Tell el-Kheleifah is only one of several sets of excavation records in the AHC’s ASOR archives. The collection also holds materials from: Khirbet et Tannur, Dibon, Issawiya, Jerash, Nippur, Beth-Zur and Carthage, as well as small holdings of records from Jerash, Lehav and Tell Hesban, and others. (In general, note that artifacts, as opposed to records, are held by Harvard University’s Museum of the Ancient Near East.) There are several collections of Middle East photographs, with the earliest from 1875. Other sections of the collection hold records of past ASOR presidents, including those of W.F. Albright, Nelson Glueck, G. Ernest Wright, Carl Kraeling, Paul Lapp and William Dever. And of course there are ASOR administrative materials from across the decades, including records of ASOR committees and awarded grants. Overall, the American Society of Overseas Research collection holds 180 cubic feet of materials plus 155 GB of digital copies.
The American Heritage Center is an excellent home for the ASOR collection. Even though it is one of the ten largest non-government public archives in the USA and so is large enough to have the resources to look after the collection, it is small enough to care about all its collections and to look after each patron personally. The AHC has a number of services that enable scholars to access the ASOR collection. Laramie, Wyoming, the home of the American Heritage Center, is less than a three-hour drive north of Denver, or just 30 minutes by plane. Start planning a trip by consulting the finding aid for the ASOR collection, readily available online, and then request materials ahead of time from the Reference Services Department (AHCref@uwyo.edu, 307-766-3756).
Collection materials can also be accessed remotely. The Center’s Reference Services department can easily be contacted to answer remote inquiries. (Recently, we looked up old municipal records for the Albright Institute in Jerusalem.) The AHC has a large digitization lab and can digitize collection materials at cost. Finally, the Center has the RRAD program (Remote Research and Discovery) that matches a researcher with a research assistant via Zoom and document camera for a nominal cost. This enables researchers to look through collection materials remotely and identify materials they wish to study. These can then be digitized for more careful examination. The AHC looks forward to helping archaeologists and other scholars from around the world to research its historic ASOR collection.
Trustee Nominations Committee has selected six highly qualified members to stand for election for four open positions on the Board of Trustees. The Board sets the direction for ASOR and provides oversight for our organization. Among other responsibilities, members of the Board agree to attend two meetings each year, to participate thoughtfully in the governance process, and to contribute financially to ASOR.
There are four candidates running for two openings as Membership-elected Trustees for 3-year terms (Sarah Kielt Costello, Ido Koch, Nadine Panayot, and Yorke Rowan). There are two candidates for two openings as Institutionally-elected Trustees for 3-year terms (Kathryn Grossman and Michael Hasel). All ASOR members are eligible to vote in the Membership-elected Trustee Election, while only Institutional Representatives of the 60 ASOR-member schools may vote in the Institutionally-elected Trustee Election. Missions and brief biographies of the nominees will be available in the ballot.
ASOR will conduct the elections by online ballot, and all members and Institutional Representatives will receive the appropriate ballot(s) via email on or around October 16, 2025. We will send out two reminders, and all ballots must be completed by 12:00 PM Eastern Time on Monday, November 17. If you have difficulties completing the online ballot (once they are distributed), please contact Marta Ostovich at programs@asor.org.
Nominees for Membership-elected Trustees (two to be elected)
Sarah Kielt Costello
Sarah Kielt Costello (MA Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology, Bryn Mawr College; Ph.D. Anthropology, Binghamton University) is Professor of Art History at the University of Houston – Clear Lake, a Hispanic-serving regional university dedicated to educating a broad community of scholars, including first-generation, working-class and incarcerated students. She has won two University-wide teaching awards and a University Faculty Fellowship in recognition of exemplary teaching, research and service. At UHCL, she has served in leadership roles including Department Chair and Faculty Senate Executive Committee, in which she oversaw the creation of an equitable workload policy for faculty. She has been active in archaeological fieldwork since 1995, working in Israel, Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus. In her research, Costello specializes in seals and related artifacts; ethics and museum practices; Neolithic imagery; and archaeological theory. Her recent publications include Ethics in Archaeological Practice (AASOR 2024) and Object Biographies, Selections from the Art of the Ancient World in the Menil Collection (Menil/Yale 2021), a volume that takes on the ethical challenges of unprovenienced museum collections.
Mission Statement: In the nearly 30 years that I’ve been involved with ASOR, I’ve seen its membership grow significantly and its members develop far-ranging research agendas. In recent years, ASOR members have forged research pathways into areas such as cultural heritage, sensorial archaeology, climate, bioarchaeology, and ancient dress, and have been on the forefront of developing cutting edge digital and technological approaches to archaeology. Geographically, ASOR has had the opportunity to expand beyond its traditional emphasis on the archaeology of the Bible Lands as its members have engaged in projects in Central Asia, Kurdistan, Egypt, and the Gulf states. It is vital that ASOR continue to embrace new areas of research, and at the same time, confront the ethical challenges of our time by setting agendas and policies that support best practices. Challenging political times put ASOR members in the middle of contentious issues; as a Trustee, I would help maintain our focus on our shared interests in research and stewardship of the past, and the important relationships that sustain that work.
Ido Koch
Ido Koch is Associate Professor in the Department of Archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern Cultures at Tel Aviv University. A field archaeologist of the southern Levant, his research explores interregional connectivity, colonial encounters, visual language, craft, and material religion. He is the author of several monographs, dozens of articles, and co-editor of ten volumes. Koch co-directs the Tel Hadid Archaeological Project, the renewed excavations at Tel Qasile, and the final publication of the Tel Arad excavations—all of which place strong emphasis on innovative documentation strategies, community outreach, and the dissemination of archaeological knowledge to diverse audiences. He is co-PI of several collaborative ventures, including the historical–archaeological study of the depopulated Palestinian village of al-Haditha (one of the few academic archaeological projects addressing the recent past of Israel/Palestine), and the Stamp Seals from the Southern Levant Project together with its comprehensive open-access online companion database. Koch also serves as Editor-in-Chief of Tel Aviv: Journal of the Institute of Archaeology of Tel Aviv Universityand sits on several international editorial boards. Through his research and teaching, he integrates advanced digital tools with inclusive, community-based approaches, engaging both Jewish and Arab students, to help build inclusive and forward-looking connections between academic, archaeological, and wider communities in the study of the southern Levant.
Mission Statement: I have been a member of ASOR since 2009, have attended nearly all annual meetings since then, and have interacted with scores of ASOR members of all ages and backgrounds. ASOR has been my professional cradle and the place where I learned to appreciate the value of an international network, a value I hope my students will inherit.
As a scholar based in the Middle East, I believe ASOR must strengthen the representation of voices from the regions it studies. The societies who live in the lands whose pasts we uncover deserve a place in shaping how that past is researched, understood, and represented. As an Israeli archaeologist working on the remote and recent past of the southern Levant, I am acutely aware of the region’s diversity and complexity. Based on my experience, ASOR and its sister institutions (such as the W.F. Albright Institute) are uniquely positioned to foster dialogue between Israeli and Palestinian scholars, a dialogue urgently needed now more than ever. I see my role as a bridge: between ASOR and local scholarly and cultural communities, and between those communities themselves. In times of deepening divisions, we must hold fast to both our professional and human ties. In my fieldwork and collaborations, I strive to create spaces where Jewish and Arab students, alongside colleagues from different backgrounds and perspectives, can work together toward shared understanding. Archaeology can and should serve as a medium of dialogue, and as a reminder of our intertwined pasts and shared humanity.
Drawing on my experience directing and co-directing field projects, I recognize the need for ASOR to advance ethical, inclusive, and community-oriented archaeology. I propose developing a collaboratively produced “fieldwork toolkit,” drawing on the collective knowledge of ASOR-affiliated projects. This toolkit would guide projects that prioritize community engagement, the dissemination of results to local institutions, and accessible digital platforms for sharing data. Through such initiatives, I hope to help ASOR lead by example—making archaeology both academically rigorous and socially meaningful.
Nadine Panayot
Nadine Panayot is an archaeologist currently serving as Curator of the Archaeological Museum and Associate Professor of Practice at the American University of Beirut. A graduate of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, she specializes in the heritage of the Classical Mediterranean, with over three decades of fieldwork across Lebanon and Southwest Asia. Her work focuses on the intersection of archaeology, cultural preservation with a growing emphasis on digital technologies, and community engagement.
Previously, she chaired the Archaeology and Museology Department at the University of Balamand, where she established a Master’s program in Museum Studies and Cultural Heritage Management and co-founded the Ethnographic Museum. She has curated numerous exhibitions and interdisciplinary events, both locally and internationally, emphasizing inclusive practices, accessibility, and cross-cultural dialogue. Following the 2020 Beirut port explosion, she led the restoration of AUB’s shattered glass collection, recognized with the 2023 Nigel Williams Conservation Award (Runner-Up).
A committed advocate for community-led conservation, she directs the Hima Anfehreserve and serves on several scientific and advisory boards. A member of ICOM since 1992, she has held leadership roles in national and regional committees and currently presides over the working committee of the UNESCO National Commission while also serving on the Scientific Committee of ALIPH. In 2023, she was named Chevalier des Arts et Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture. Through her teaching, curating, and policy work, she positions museums and heritage sites as agents of resilience, healing, and social cohesion.
Mission Statement: I am committed to advancing ASOR’s mission of promoting inclusive and rigorous scholarship, safeguarding cultural heritage, and sustaining open, evidence-based inquiry that transcends political and ideological boundaries.
The protection and study of cultural heritage is not only an academic responsibility but an essential ethical imperative. The recent and ongoing destruction of heritage, represents an irreparable loss to humanity, erasing material witnesses to identity, history, and memory. Acknowledging such losses, and working collectively to prevent them, aligns with ASOR’s foundational mission to document, preserve, and interpret the human past. Upholding this principle reaffirms our shared commitment to dignity, justice, and cultural continuity, and reminds us that heritage protection is inseparable from the recognition of our common humanity.
Equally vital is ASOR’s dedication to intellectual integrity and freedom of thought. Scholarship reaches its highest potential when guided by evidence, methodological rigor, and openness to diverse perspectives. When inquiry becomes constrained by ideology, it compromises its ability to engage with complexity and nurture genuine understanding. ASOR’s continued vitality will depend on its capacity to sustain spaces where thoughtful analysis and open dialogue can thrive, uniting scholars and institutions across diverse traditions.
As a Membership-Elected Trustee, I would work to broaden equitable participation, re-engage scholars from Southwest Asia, and Africa and strengthen collaborative and digital initiatives that enhance accessibility, exchange, and trust; ensuring that ASOR remains a beacon of principled, inclusive, and forward-looking scholarship.
Yorke Rowan
Yorke Rowan is an anthropological archaeologist and Research Professor at the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures (formerly the Oriental Institute) at the University of Chicago. He focuses on later prehistory (Late Neolithic, Chalcolithic, and Early Bronze), with thematic research interests in death, prehistoric ritual performance, and material objects mediating these human actions. He is a Fulbright Scholar to Jordan and a NEH Fellow at the W.F. Albright Institute for Archaeological Research in Jerusalem and the American Center of Research in Amman. His most recent publications include The Social Archaeology of the Levant: From Prehistory to Present (2019, Cambridge Press, co-edited with A. Yasur-Landau and E. Cline), “Desert Kites: Neolithic Infrastructure in the Margins” in Infrastructure in Archaeological Discourse: Framing Society in the Past (2024, Routledge, co-authored with A. C. Hill) and “The Black Desert Drone Survey: New Perspectives on an Ancient Landscape” in the journal Remote Sensing (2022) with A.C. Hill. He co-directs the NSF funded Kites in Context and Eastern Badia Archaeological Projects, two projects in the Black Desert of Jordan.
Mission Statement: Since the 1990s, ASOR has been fundamental to my development as a professional scholar and field archaeologist. The first grant I received for field research was an ASOR travel scholarship, and the first national professional paper I delivered was at ASOR in New Orleans. I have a long dedication to the success of ASOR, serving on the editorial boards of Bulletin of the American Schools of Overseas Research and Near Eastern Archaeology, co-chairing the Program Committee after for two previous terms on the committee, serving on the Honors and Awards Committee, and the Committee on Archaeological Policy. In addition, I co-chaired and co-organized various sessions such as the standing session “Prehistoric Archaeology” (2015, 2019-2021) and the member organized “Archaeology of Religion and Ritual” (2005-2006). My involvement with ASOR is complemented by extensive engagement with communities on the ground in different countries, emphasizing my commitment to creating more collaborative opportunities with colleagues based abroad.
The organization has grown tremendously since I joined as a graduate student, with a welcome expansion to include a broader range of topics, geographic regions, and chronological periods. This growth is not limited to scholarly interests but includes increased worldwide accessibility through a hybrid meeting format. I believe it is important to sustain and build on this positive trend to build membership, engage with members at different career stages, and seek to find new collaborative partnerships that will only strengthen ASOR. As ASOR faces new challenges like complicated funding realities, regional civil unrest, and climate change, the organization must mount new initiatives and endeavors to respond to member needs. As a member of ASOR’s Board of Trustees, my goal will be to promote its mission to disseminate knowledge of western Asia and Mediterranean ancient societies, and to make that scholarship more accessible to the public. Finding creative ways to promote our research, particularly those of our research partners, to a variety of audiences is a challenge that will strengthen our organization and continue to interest future generations of students, the public, and scholars.
Nominees for Institutionally-elected Trustees (two to be elected):
Kathryn Grossman
Kathryn Grossman is Assistant Professor of Anthropology in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at North Carolina State University. She is an archaeologist with expertise in the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age cultures of Cyprus and Mesopotamia and a methodological specialty in zooarchaeology. She is Director of the ASOR-affiliated Makounta-Voules Archaeological Project (Cyprus), as well as zooarchaeologist for the Kani Shaie Archaeological Project (Iraqi Kurdistan), the Wadi el-Hudi Expedition (Egypt), and the Petra North Ridge Project (Jordan). She is currently co-editing, with Jesse Casana and Eric Jensen, the final report on the excavations at Tell Qarqur, Syria.
Mission Statement: I have been involved with ASOR for seventeen years. I began attending and presenting at the annual meeting as a graduate student, and my engagement has deepened over time. I served on the Committee on Archaeological Policy for two terms, and during that time I also chaired the CAP Fellowships Subcommittee. In 2018, I presented the work of the Fellowships Subcommittee at that year’s Legacy Dinner, and in 2023 I received an ASOR Service award for my work on the CAP Fellowships Subcommittee. I chair the Archaeology of Syria sessions at the Annual Meeting, am a member of the Damascus Committee, a member of the Executive committee, the chair of the Trustees Nominations Committee, and I serve as the institutional representative for ASOR at North Carolina State University. In my time as an ASOR member, I have watched the organization grow dramatically in its geographic scope and evolve to meet the demands of 21st-century scholarship. In serving as an Institutionally-elected member on the ASOR Board of Trustees, I look forward to helping ASOR move forward with the issues that loom before us, including increasing our outreach to diverse audiences at home and abroad, and promoting the preservation of tangible and intangible cultural heritage.
Michael Hasel
Michael G. Hasel is Director of the Institute of Archaeology and Lynn H. Wood Archaeological Museum at Southern Adventist University, where he also serves as Professor of Near Eastern Studies and Archaeology since 1998.
Hasel has participated and served in administrative capacities on eleven different excavations in the Middle East, including Gezer, Ashkelon, Dor, Miqne-Ekron, Masada, and Hazor, in Israel; Idalion, Cyprus; and Jalul in Jordan. He has directed excavations and surveys at Khirbet Qeiyafa and Socoh and currently is co-director of The Fourth Expedition to Lachish. As curator of the Lynn H. Wood Archaeological Museum, Hasel was responsible for planning and displaying art and objects from the ancient Near East in a state-of-the-art exhibit entitled “Vessels in Time: A Journey into the Biblical World” and several temporary exhibits including “Peace and War: The Assyrian Conquest of Lachish” (2023-2025) and “The Ivory Comb: Lice and Literacy at Lachish” (2025).
Hasel, an ASOR member since 1989, has chaired several ASOR sessions and served on the Agenda Committee. He held the Samuel H. Kress Fellowship at the W. F. Albright Institute for Archaeological Research (AIAR) in 1995-96 and a Fulbright at the Cyprus American Archaeological Research Institute (CAARI) in 2005 and the NEH Fellowship at the Albright Institute in 2025-26. He is also a fellow of the Institute for Biblical Research and Tyndale House, Cambridge.
Hasel joined the ASOR Board in January 2014.
Mission Statement: Over the past 36 years of my involvement with ASOR, I have watched ASOR grow into a strong society representing a wide variety of interests and research foci in the ancient Near Eastern and Mediterranean worlds. During that same period, I have been actively involved in excavations in Israel, Jordan, and Cyprus while also engaged in Egyptological research. As an excavator I am interested in encouraging the archaeological interplay between text and material culture. This integration has been one of the historic strengths of ASOR and I believe it remains vital as ASOR continues to position itself as an important and relevant voice to a large segment of North America. As a museum director part of my vision is to make our field relevant for future generations through popularizing archaeological discoveries and making it accessible to a larger segment of society. This would include encouraging young scholars who are searching for direction and belonging to get involved in ASOR while fostering connections in the regions it serves. To accomplish these goals, I would welcome the opportunity to continue to support and serve as a member of the Board of Trustees for another term.
Join the Carolyn Midkiff Strange Committee on Growth, Innovation, and Visibility
The Carolyn Midkiff Strange Committee on Growth, Innovation, and Visibility (GIV) serves as a resource for and leader in engaging and broadening the professional community of ASOR, in order to expand access to the history and cultures served by ASOR. For more information about the committee, click here.
GIV Committee members volunteer to serve a three-year term (January 1, 2026—December 31, 2028) with the possibility to renew for a second term. Committee members are expected to attend monthly hour-long Zoom meetings during the academic year and to contribute to ongoing committee initiatives. If the time is not right for you now, this open call will be held every year.
Please fill out the committee application form,by Saturday, November 1, 2025 to be considered for the GIV Committee Class of 2028. Your responses and materials will be reviewed and considered by the current members of the GIV Committee, the Chairs Coordinating Council, and select ASOR Staff.
2025 Shepard Urgent Action Grant: Emergency Stabilization of Cuneiform Tablets and Sealings at Kurd Qaburstan: a Conservation Partnership
Tiffany Earley-Spadoni (University of Central Florida)
Unfired clay objects are incredibly fragile and begin to deteriorate rapidly as soon as they are exposed during excavation. Without prompt conservation, newly discovered Middle Bronze Age cuneiform tablets and sealings from Kurd Qaburstan risk permanent damage. This ASOR-affiliated project is led by grantee Tiffany Earley-Spadoni of the University of Central Florida, working in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
2025 excavations in the lower-town east
In summer 2024 and 2025, archaeologists excavating the lower-town palace complex at Kurd Qaburstan, ancient Qabra, uncovered a remarkable group of air-dried cuneiform tablets and sealings dating to the early second millennium BCE. ASOR’s Shepard Urgent Action Grant made it possible to respond immediately, addressing ancient objects in need of immediate care.
Conservator Carmen Gütschow, one of the most experienced professionals working in Iraq today, joined the team in Erbil to lead the conservation efforts. Using scalpels, soft brushes, and magnification, she gently cleaned each object and stabilized its surface with adhesives suited to Iraq’s climate. More than 80 sealings and a group of tablets were successfully treated. In several cases, broken fragments were rejoined with impressive results: inscriptions that had been illegible became clear again. These objects are now being studied by the team’s lead epigrapher, Paul Delnero, and its art historian, Marian Feldman, both of Johns Hopkins University.
A young visitor joins the conservation team at IICAH
The project also prioritized collaboration and training. ASOR funding allowed the Kurd Qaburstan Project to organize a two-day workshop at the Iraqi Institute for the Conservation of Antiquities and Heritage (IICAH), where Gütschow shared her methods with local museum professionals. One memorable moment came when a young visitor, accompanying her parent, was invited to try a simple restoration technique on a practice tablet. Her quiet concentration captured the spirit of the work: careful, hands-on engagement with the past.
Dr. Abdullah Khorsheed, director of the IICAH, greets workshop participants with Carmen Gütschow. Pictured right in the photo is Muhammad Hamakharib Muhammed, simultaneous translator.
Thanks to ASOR’s support, cultural heritage was preserved, conservation skills were shared, and the story of ancient Kurd Qaburstan became a little clearer. The excavators also thank the University of Central Florida College of Arts and Humanities for co-funding the conservation endeavor, and the National Science Foundation for supporting broader research at Kurd Qaburstan.
Gabrielle Puckett, 2025 Eric and Carol Meyers Fieldwork Scholarship Recipient [/vc_column_text][mk_divider margin_top=”10″][vc_column_text]It’s 4:00am in the sleepy town of Polis Chrysochous, Cyprus. The sun isn’t up yet, but the alley cats are finding their morning snacks. I’m on breakfast duty, so in addition to the egg boiling and tomato cutting of the night before, it’s my team’s job to go fill the coolers and water jugs for the field day ahead. We pile Landy, the beloved but ancient Land Rover of one of our co-directors, with the equipment and food for the day.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”105749″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][mk_padding_divider size=”10″][vc_column_text]After our work for this morning’s breakfast is complete, we take a rest in the seats at the bottom of the apartment building and wait for the bus to arrive. I find it vital in these moments to remind myself to take in every single detail of this amazing experience so that I have things to look back on when I make the inevitable journey home. My favorite thing about these dark and tiresome mornings is the way the sun looks as it starts to rise just barely over the peaks of the mountains while the moon still shines bright above.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”105754″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][mk_padding_divider size=”10″][vc_wp_text]Making our way to the bus at 5:00am and climbing in, I find my favorite seat right next to the door on the window side. A ritual I have developed for these short bus rides is to take in the view of the sea as we drive past. Of course, I am also covering myself in more sunscreen than has ever been deemed necessary because you can never be too careful.[/vc_wp_text][vc_single_image image=”105750″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][mk_padding_divider size=”10″][vc_column_text]Arriving at the site of Makounta-Voules, we have the first hill climb of the day, a beautiful path (if I do say so myself) we landscaped the first day being here that only steals some breath on the journey up. I remember before this trip how worried I was that I wouldn’t like this enough to be happy with the early mornings and heat, but I can safely say that’s not an issue as I now know I need to do this for the rest of my life. I leave the trench fifteen minutes before breakfast to help with my roommate and the rest of our breakfast crew setting out the tarp on which we will feast and nap while we set out the food. At around 8:30am we can hear the call of “BREAKFAST” shout down the mountain and prepare for the incoming team ready to fuel themselves for the rest of the day.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”105751″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][mk_padding_divider size=”10″][vc_column_text]We spend the day digging and taking elevations, pictures when necessary, and reminding ourselves to trust our guts while we sift. It’s Thursday, which means at the end of the day it’s time for everyone’s favorite segment: Trench Tours. We show off the work we’ve done for the week, being sure to take a look at the trenches we aren’t a part of in order to learn more about the site as a whole.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”105752″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][mk_padding_divider size=”10″][vc_column_text]After the bus ride home, we have some lunch and begin pot washing, but I have a special task. I am working on a project to clean up our faunal remains from past seasons and remove their thick calcium accretions through various methods. After an hour or two of this lab work, we have some lovely free time which is always best spent at the beach. A view that I strongly believe can’t be beat is the Mediterranean Sea after a long day of digging. With a fifteen-minute walk, we arrive ready to take in the wonderfully clear water. The hours spent on this beach are some that I would be hard pressed to ever give up, let alone the friends I get to spend it with. Throughout this project I have had so many experiences that I hope aren’t limited to being once-in-a-lifetime. We are back at it bright and early tomorrow, and I just can’t stop taking in every detail knowing that there are only so many days left here—but I’ll be back.[/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider size=”20″][vc_single_image image=”105753″ img_size=”450×600″ alignment=”center”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][mk_padding_divider size=”30″ visibility=”visible-dt”][vc_wp_text]Gabrielle Puckett is an undergraduate student in her third year at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. She is a double major in Anthropology and Religious Studies and minors in both Classical Civilizations and Judaic Studies. She has a strong interest in zooarchaeology in the Near East and the applications for isotopic analysis in the area.[/vc_wp_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][mk_divider][vc_wp_text]
Want to help more students and early career archaeologists get into the field? Donate to the cause today by selecting “Fieldwork Scholarships” as your gift purpose!
ASOR Receives $100,000 Grant for Cyrene Conservation Initiative in Libya
Media Release
ASOR Receives $100,000 Grant for Cyrene Conservation Initiative in Libya Project to Preserve and Educate at Flood-Damaged World Heritage Site
WASHINGTON, DC — The American Society of Overseas Research (ASOR) is pleased to announce it has been awarded a $100,000 grant from the American Institute for Roman Culture in support of the Cyrene Conservation Initiative—a conservation and heritage education project at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Cyrene in eastern Libya.
Developed in close collaboration with the Libyan Department of Antiquities, the Cyrene Conservation Initiative is a response to the devastating impacts of Storm Daniel, which caused catastrophic flooding in September 2023. The project will focus on key areas of the ancient city that were particularly affected by the flood, including Valley Street and the Sanctuary of Apollo terrace, one of the most iconic districts in the city.
“Working together to save and appreciate shared cultural heritage is a crucial element in uniting people today,” said ASOR President Sharon Herbert. “ASOR is proud to be part of this project with archaeologists from the Libyan Department of Antiquities and the American Institute for Roman Culture and Ancient Rome Live.”
Project objectives include:
Documenting and protecting heritage damaged by the flooding;
Restoring safe access to monuments on the Sanctuary of Apollo terrace;
Enhancing on-site interpretation through new educational materials for Libyan and international visitors.
“ASOR has been privileged to work closely with Libyan partners and the U.S. State Department to invest more than $1,000,000 in heritage and education projects over the past decade,” said ASOR Executive Director Dr. Andrew G. Vaughn. “The heritage of Libya is rich and varied, exhibiting important international connections for millennia. ASOR is now honored to begin a partnership with American Institute for Roman Culture and Ancient Rome Live to ensure that the important Roman heritage in Cyrene is conserved and protected from future flood damage.”
Executive Director of American Institute for Roman Culture and Ancient Rome Live, Darius Arya, says, “we are so pleased that for our inaugural grant distribution we are able to partner with such a leader in the field of conservation and participate in the important preservation of such a historically relevant site as Cyrene!”
From its beginning as the earliest Greek colonization in North Africa, Cyrene became a major center of Greek and Roman culture and a dramatic example of urban life on the edge of a mountainous plateau. The Cyrene Conservation Initiative and Ancient Rome Live will help ensure that this unique expression of Libyan heritage endures for future generations. For more information about the Ancient Rome Live online learning platform, please visit https://ancientromelive.org/.
For more information about ASOR’s cultural heritage efforts, please visit www.asor.org/chi.
About ASOR
The American Society of Overseas Research (ASOR) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to initiate, encourage, and support research into, and public understanding of, the history and cultures of the Near East and wider Mediterranean world, from the earliest times. ASOR fosters original research, archaeological excavations, and explorations; encourages scholarship in the Near East’s basic languages, cultural histories, and traditions; builds support for Near Eastern studies; and advocates high academic standards. ASOR is apolitical and has no religious affiliation.
About the American Institute for Roman Culture The American Institute for Roman Culture is a U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to the promotion, preservation, and study of ancient Roman history and culture through innovative educational programming and heritage protection projects.
### Media Contact: Rachel Bernstein Email: rachel.bernstein@asor.org Phone: 703-789-9234
The American Society of Overseas Research The James F. Strange Center 209 Commerce Street Alexandria, VA 22314 E-mail: info@asor.org Telephone: 703-789-9229
ASOR Seeks Volunteer Photographer for 2025 Annual Meeting
ASOR is seeking a volunteer photographer to help capture our upcoming 2025 Annual Meeting at the Hilton Boston Park Plaza from November 19–22, 2025, including our 125th Anniversary Celebrationon Saturday evening. We hope to document the special occasion with high-quality photos that will be shared on our website, social media, and future publications.
Volunteer Responsibilities:
Photograph guests, speakers, and program highlights during the Annual Meeting and 125th Anniversary Celebration
Provide ASOR with digital copies of the photographs after the event
Ideal Candidate:
Has experience photographing conferences and/or events
Owns and can bring personal photography equipment
Is comfortable engaging with attendees and taking both posed and candid shots
Located in the Greater Boston area or attending the Annual Meeting
This is an uncompensated position, but reimbursements and hotel nights are negotiable. To apply, please email programs@asor.org with a brief letter of interest and a sample or link to your work. Applications due October 15th.
2025 Harris Grant Report: CraftLand Project, Kurdistan Region of Iraq
Dr. Claire Padovani, CNRS Archéorient
The launch of the Crafting Landscape Project (CraftLand) in May 2025 in the Chamchamal region was made possible through the generous support of ASOR’s Charles Harris Project Grant. This pilot mission enabled the finalization and validation of a survey contract with the General Directorate of Antiquities in Erbil and the Directorate of Antiquities in Slimani, as well as the establishment of a partnership with Ashur Brick, a Kurdish company producing clay bricks in the region. In addition, we were able to test several methodological components of the project and to initiate the work in our three fields of investigation.
The objective of CraftLand is to investigate the strategies of natural resources exploitation and organisation of pottery manufacture–in relation to other economic productions–in a clay-rich environment in the Chamchamal region. This geological context, known as the Injana formation, extends over approximately 380 km² (figure 1). It is composed of sandstone, siltstone, and high quality claystone, a favourable combination for ceramic production. In Iraq, outcrops of this formation are also found near Kirkuk and the Mosul lake. The study spans from the beginnings of ceramic production to the present day, with particular emphasis on periods of major economic transformations, such as urbanisation and state formation.
A distinctive feature of the Chamchamal’s Injana formation is its location within a zone close to cultivable lands, mineral and organic resources, formerly adjacent to woodlands, and easily connected to the Bazian Pass, a strategic route through the Qara Dagh piedmonts of the Zagros mountains. The establishment of large-scale ceramic workshops comprising dozens of kilns in the region–such as Logardan in the Early and Middle Bronze Age and Girdi Qala during the Chalcolithic and the Islamic period–suggests that the high quality of these clay resources was already recognised. Today, the Chamchamal region hosts four major brick factories supplying construction materials across Iraq, alongside traditional potters, as well as numerous farmers and pastoralists (figure 2). However, it is unlikely that raw material quality alone accounts for the recurrent and sustainable development of large-scale production in this area.
Pottery was one of the most widely used materials in ancient societies. Its production required raw materials, fuel, workforce, and access routes. CraftLand examines pottery production in its landscape and seeks to reconstruct spatial relationships between production facilities and the natural environment (raw material sources; water; topography), as well as the social and economic contexts (settlement pattern; roads; agricultural, pastoral, and other artisanal activities). Reconstructing these networks provides a valuable framework for understanding the evolution of the production organisation on a regional scale and assessing its impact on the landscape depending on the period.
To address its research questions, CraftLand employs an integrated, interdisciplinary approach organised into three complementary fields of research, with all data consolidated within a single Geographic Information System (GIS). This pilot season has already seen significant progress in the three research areas:
a) Archaeological survey
A GIS with a standardized recording protocol was implemented in collaboration with Jonathan Lisein (Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech Liege University). Thirty sites were identified through satellite imagery and have begun to be surveyed by pedestrian prospection.
The initial priority was to test a hypothesis regarding the location of large-scale ceramic workshops in order to assess the potential for predicting their spatial distribution. Based on the conditions documented at Logardan, we hypothesized that the establishment of major pottery workshops was contingent upon specific criteria: proximity of less than 5 kilometres to a large settlement occupied at the same period, direct access to a river, and the availability of nearby clay sources. Using the GIS, Tepe Swez, a site meeting these conditions was identified and subsequently surveyed. The site is situated 3.3 kilometers from Chamchamal (ancient Azuhinum), with a river flowing at its base, and in proximity to a clay source (Gurgay Chawsur) that is used by present-day potters. On the gentler southern slope, numerous greenish fragments of large ceramic vessels were documented, together with circular alignments of burned stones organised in terraces interpreted as kiln bottoms (figure 3). Based on the pottery typology, the possible pottery production area most likely functioned during the Middle Bronze Age.
The project’s landscape analyses integrate geomorphology, geology, and vegetation reconstruction to identify natural raw material sources (clay, stone, and bitumen), as well as anthropogenic features (such as basins, clay pits, roads, and field terraces).
Part of this work began with the investigation of ancient clay extraction sites in the region. During the ethnographic survey (see below), we identified clay outcrops that are currently exploited by traditional potters. These extraction sites are located in close proximity to archaeological sites with important pottery production facilities (Gurgay Chawsur close to Tepe Swez and Qudrata close to Logardan). Samples were collected from these sources. A geological survey was conducted between Qudrata and Logardan in collaboration with Zirak T. Yaseen, geologist at Salahaddin University, in order to to assess whether the clay composition varies or is homogeneous within the Injana formation (figure 4).
The survey documented the accessibility between sites and included sampling of multiple clay outcrops along the way. XRF analyses, conducted by Zirak T. Yaseen at the Salahaddin University in Erbil, provided preliminary results indicating that clay outcrops within the Injana Formation present various geochemical signatures. This suggests the potential to discriminate clay sources (figure 5). In collaboration with the French Archaeological Mission in the Qara Dagh directed by Johnny S. Baldi, ongoing analyses are comparing the composition of a selection of sherds from different stratigraphic levels of Logardan workshop with sampled clays. Ultimately, the possible extraction sites identified through geomorphological analyses by Luca Forti (University of Milan) will be systematically surveyed and sampled to characterize their geochemical composition. The overarching goal is to provide an open-access map of ancient clay extraction sites, including their geochemical profile, to support clay provenance studies in the region.
Documentation of the actual clay production system (traditional and industrial) started with interviews using structured questionnaires and observations of practice. The survey seeks to assess the vitality of traditional pottery in relation to local industry, and to investigate sensory-based clay selection and the mechanisms of clay craft knowledge transmission.
Clay products are currently in demand (tannurs, water jars, and even living-rooms faced with unfired bricks) as people want to ‘live as in ancient times’ and maintain cultural traditions. However, local clay products remain relatively expensive–with a tannur costing around 20 dollars–and most pottery sold in local shops is imported from Iran by truck. Despite the renewed interest in ceramics, traditional potters are at risk of disappearing, as many are old and no longer pass on their craft.
The survey enabled the identification of a network of traditional clay artisans. Interviews were conducted in collaboration with Rawa Karim (Directorate of Antiquities of Slimani) and Brwa Raza (Charmo University). Preliminary results suggest that pottery and brick making may have been transmitted vertically, from one generation to the next within the same family, whereas tannur making may be more commonly transmitted horizontally, between neighbours (figure 6).
The decline of traditional pottery production is not only related to economic changes but might also be linked to the region’s recent history of political violence, notably the Anfal campaigns of the late 1980s that killed and displaced thousands of people. Although a potter’s clay source may change–often based on the reputation of the source–potters remain closely tied to their place of birth and initial apprenticeship. Beyond family ties, this connection is probably based on access to other essential ingredients for the clay matrix, such as straw used as a temper, as well as to spaces suitable for firing. Consequently, it is not uncommon for potters to return to their birthplaces to collect straw from family fields, or to stop producing pottery when these fields or firing areas are no longer accessible in their new village. This practice illustrates the deep interconnection between clay production and other economic activities, such as agriculture, as well as the critical role of spatial organisation in sustaining craft traditions. Therefore, the violent disruption of these socio-spatial networks during the Anfal probably contributed to the decline of traditional craft practices.
The results obtained in each research area are highly promising for the regional development of the project. This pilot mission strengthened ties with local communities and enterprises and initiated the survey of archaeological sites. The preliminary results also pointed to possible ways of reconstructing and interpreting production networks through spatial analysis and the recurrence of patterns, as well as through the socio-economic logics observed among present-day potter communities. The backbone of the project is to consider the social ecology of pottery production in its spatial dimension in order to understand long-term transformations in regional organisation. Subsequently, the production patterns documented in the Chamchamal region will provide points of comparison with those of other regions, helping to determine the processes and impacts of social transformations (like urbanisation and state emergence) in contrasting environments. In addition, by emphasizing the long-standing tradition of clay crafts and their influence on the landscape and the regional identity, CraftLand will leverage heritage to foster community empowerment and reinforce connections to the environment.
Joshua Micallef, 2025 P.E. MacAllister Fieldwork Scholarship Recipient. [/vc_column_text][mk_divider margin_top=”10″ margin_bottom=”10″][vc_wp_text]I was part of the TERRSOC ‘Reading’ Ancient Landscapes: Peasant Decision-Making and Terraced Agriculture in Central Palestine over la Longue Duree project. This year’s excavation took place in Jordan, specifically at Tell Hesban and the nearby wadi. Seeing my interest in landscape archaeology, I was assigned to the Wadi Hesban team.
The first week started with a survey of a section of the south side of Wadi Hesban. To say the vistas were breathtaking is an understatement. The landscape is dramatic, with agricultural terraces, both in use and relict, dotting the landscape. The barking of dogs and bleating of sheep and goats is an ever constant companion, and the trickle of fresh water from the local spring is a refreshing contrast to the Jordanian sun. The locals were truly friendly, as is to be expected in this region of the world. We would continue to make local connections, and be offered copious amounts of tea, throughout our time at the wadi.[/vc_wp_text][vc_single_image image=”105402″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” onclick=”img_link_large” img_link_target=”_blank” css=”.vc_custom_1757089224675{padding-right: 10px !important;}”][mk_padding_divider size=”20″][vc_wp_text]Shunat Dhiab, mentioned in the 1889 traveller’s account of Major C. R. Connor, was identified atop the high grounds, with two water-driven mills of possible Ottoman date located further down the slope of the wadi. During the survey, a number of possible terrace sites for excavation and sampling were identified. After the day’s trek, preliminary Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dates from the 2024 campaign awaited us at the hotel, and these supported what is known of the occupation of the area.
The second day commenced early, as would all subsequent days. Two trenches, S3 and S4, were opened behind a terrace wall located close to Shunat Dhiab. The work was hard, but always rewarding, and the vistas made the daily trek up to the site worth the effort. The trenches would continue to be excavated in the next three days, reaching depths of around two metres. Sampling commenced on trench S3 on day four. Samples for various analyses, such as soil biomarkers, OSL dating, soil texture, and microbotanical analysis, were collected. On day five, due to the absence of two of the team members, it was decided to postpone sampling of trench S4 to the second week of excavations. Thus, day five saw the opening of trench S5 lower down the slope of the wadi, below a terrace wall located close to the presumed older of the two water-driven mills. By the end of the day, the trench had reached over a meter in depth.[/vc_wp_text][vc_single_image image=”105403″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][mk_padding_divider size=”20″][vc_wp_text]Week two continued in much the same vein. The first day commenced with the sampling of trench S4, with another OSL sample being taken from trench S3. At trench S5, the first OSL sample was taken from under the terraced wall. Day two saw the continuation of sampling in trench S5. One of the team members also commenced a survey of the high ground of the wadi around Shunat Dhiab. Several other structural remains, architectural fragments, and rock cut features had been observed in the area during the first week, and these were mapped via GPS points. The day ended with a search for a possible location for trench S6. Two potential sites were identified further down the wadi slope in an area that is actively cultivated. Day three commenced with photogrammetry of trench S5, which was eventually followed by drone flights to photograph the area of the wadi under investigation, creating an orthophotograph. Trench S6 was also opened after discussions with the landowner, who was more than willing to allow us to investigate and dig along the terraced walls of his field. On day 4, the final day at the wadi, trench S6 was completed, documented, and sampled.
It was undoubtedly a rewarding two weeks, though the rugged terrain and steep slopes did make the going quite tough at times. The views at the wadi were a reward in themselves, and few things could beat the sight of the sun still rising over the wadi at 6 am. The hospitable and helpful nature of the locals was also without measure, and in part, the successful completion of these two weeks could not have been possible without the Jordanian locals.[/vc_wp_text][vc_single_image image=”105270″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” onclick=”img_link_large” img_link_target=”_blank” css=”.vc_custom_1756908305317{padding-right: 10px !important;}”][mk_padding_divider size=”20″][vc_wp_text]The experience was undoubtedly illuminating and fulfilling. It gave me the opportunity to work closely with individuals from different countries and experience Jordanian culture and hospitality. The multi-cultural aspect of the team was truly an experience I will hold dear to me. I have also gained further hands-on experience, and especially important to me was the landscape element and the sampling of soil for various scientific tests. Sampling for OSL was particularly illuminating, with the need to ensure the sample was not exposed to light.[/vc_wp_text][mk_padding_divider size=”20″][vc_single_image image=”105404″ img_size=”medium” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” onclick=”img_link_large” img_link_target=”_blank” css=”.vc_custom_1757089432627{padding-right: 10px !important;}”][mk_padding_divider size=”20″][vc_wp_text]
Joshua Micallef has pursued various careers, including in the financial services sector and software testing. As of 2020, he studied at the University of Malta, attaining a BA in Archaeology (Hons) with Geography, and is currently reading for an MA Asian Studies: Islamic Archaeology at the University of Bonn. His main area of interest lies in the Medieval period of the Central Mediterranean.
[/vc_wp_text][mk_divider][vc_wp_text]
Want to help more students and early career archaeologists get into the field? Donate to the cause today by selecting “Fieldwork Scholarships” as your gift purpose!
Collection materials can also be accessed remotely. The Center’s Reference Services department can easily be contacted to answer remote inquiries. (Recently, we looked up old municipal records for the Albright Institute in Jerusalem.) The AHC has a large digitization lab and can digitize collection materials at cost. Finally, the Center has the RRAD program (Remote Research and Discovery) that matches a researcher with a research assistant via Zoom and document camera for a nominal cost. This enables researchers to look through collection materials remotely and identify materials they wish to study. These can then be digitized for more careful examination. The AHC looks forward to helping archaeologists and other scholars from around the world to research its historic ASOR collection.
Trustee Nominations Committee has selected six highly qualified members to stand for election for four open positions on the Board of Trustees. The Board sets the direction for ASOR and provides oversight for our organization. Among other responsibilities, members of the Board agree to attend two meetings each year, to participate thoughtfully in the governance process, and to contribute financially to ASOR.
The Carolyn Midkiff Strange Committee on Growth, Innovation, and Visibility (GIV) serves as a resource for and leader in engaging and broadening the professional community of ASOR, in order to expand access to the history and cultures served by ASOR. For more information about the committee, click 
