Alison Betts

Professor Alison Betts holds the Edwin Cuthbert Hall Chair of Archaeology and Mythology of the Ancient Near East at the University of Sydney. She is also Director of the Near Eastern Archaeology Foundation and a member of the China Studies Centre, Sydney Environment Institute, and Sydney Institute of Agriculture. Her research focuses on the archaeology of the Silk Road regions, with expertise in nomadic pastoralism, Bronze Age Central Asia, and cultural transmissions between Eurasia and China. She has conducted fieldwork in Jordan, Uzbekistan, and Xinjiang.

Research Interests:

• Prehistory of the North Arabian steppe
• Origins of nomadic pastoralism in the Near East
• Rock art and Bronze Age military architecture
• Zoroastrian faith development in ancient Khorezm
• Cultural exchanges along the Himalayan corridor

Her recent publications explore topics like Bronze Age agricultural practices in Xinjiang, transhumant pastoralist movements, and Silk Road connectivity. She has received major grants including ARC Discovery Projects on Zoroastrian history and early Eurasian contact.

Notable awards include Fellowships from the Australian Academy of the Humanities (FAHA) and the Society of Antiquaries (FSA). Current research students include Chintan Sheth (Ethno-linguistic prehistory) and Jacek Wankowski (Northern Arabia Mobile Pastoralism).