Rubina Raja

Rubina Raja is a Professor of Classical Archaeology and Art at Aarhus University, Denmark, and Director of the Danish National Research Foundation’s Centre for Urban Network Evolutions (UrbNet). Her primary affiliation is the School of Culture and Society, specializing in Classical Archaeology. She holds a DPhil from the University of Oxford and has extensive academic leadership experience, including roles as Associate Professor (2009) and Professor with Special Responsibilities (2012).

Educated at the University of Copenhagen and Università La Sapienza in Rome, Raja’s research focuses on classical art and archaeology, particularly visual cultures of the Eastern Mediterranean. She pioneered high-definition archaeological studies through her work with UrbNet since 2015. Her expertise spans urban archaeology, ancient networks, and interdisciplinary methods combining archaeology with natural sciences.

Raja has held prestigious fellowships at institutions like the Max Weber Kolleg, The Getty Institute, and Princeton’s Institute for Advanced Studies. She is an elected member of the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters and the Academia Europaea. Her research leadership includes directing projects like the Danish-German Jerash Northwest Quarter Project and the Khirbet al-Khalde Archaeological Project.

• Research Focus: Urban networks, Eastern Mediterranean archaeology, Palmyrene studies, and cultural heritage preservation.
• Recent Awards: Carlsberg Foundation’s Research Prize (2024), Humboldt Foundation’s Friedrich Wilhelm von Bessel Award (2022), and Queen Margrethe II’s Rome Prize (2021).
• Projects:
  • Centre for Urban Network Evolutions (UrbNet, 2015–2025)
  • Palmyra Portrait Project (2012–present)
  • Khirbet al-Khalde Archaeological Project (2021–present)

Raja’s outreach efforts include national archaeology programs and advocacy for gender equality in academia. She is currently leading the Semper Ardens Advance Grant-funded project Locally Crafted Empires, exploring Eastern Mediterranean portraiture traditions.