Marta Luciani is an Adjunct Professor at the Department of Prehistoric and Historical Archaeology , University of Vienna. Her research focuses on the archaeology of Arabia and the Ancient Near East, with particular emphasis on Bronze and Iron Age societies, funerary practices, and oasis urbanization. She leads the Saudi Arabian-Austrian Archaeological Project at Qurayyah, exploring ancient settlements and material culture in northwest Arabia. Teaching includes courses like Thesis Seminar and Introduction into the Archaeology of Western Asia . Her work integrates interdisciplinary methods, such as geochemical analysis and hydroarchaeology, to study ancient technologies and environmental adaptation. Key projects include investigations at Qurayyah, Nuzi, Qatna, and Chemchemal, emphasizing Bronze Age transitions and cultural connectivity. Publications highlight topics like oasis sustainability, palatial architecture, and ritual practices. She participates in international conferences and edited volumes, contributing to discussions on ancient urbanism and material culture. Ongoing research bridges archaeological fieldwork with lab-based analyses to reconstruct past human-environment interactions.
Dr. Hannah Rohringer (née Parow-Souchon) is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Austrian Academy of Sciences within the Research Group 'Quaternary Archaeology' since November 2022. Her academic trajectory spans European and Near Eastern institutions, with current research focused on Upper Palaeolithic settlement systems and human-environment interactions. Her educational foundation includes a BA and MA in European Archaeology (Prehistory and Early History) from the University of Cologne (2007-2013), followed by doctoral research on Levantine Upper Paleolithic settlement patterns (2014-2016). Subsequent positions included editorial work at the Rhineland Office for Archaeological Monument Preservation (2017-2019), a Glassman-Holland Research Fellowship at the WF Albright Institute (2019-2020), and postdoctoral research at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (2020-2022). Rohringer's research integrates lithic technology, behavioral ecology, and advanced spatial analysis to investigate human adaptation during the Palaeolithic. Her work emphasizes land-use processes, raw material economies, climate change responses, and social dynamics, with significant contributions to understanding the Ahmarian and Aurignacian cultures through innovative methodologies including GIS modeling and 3D reconstructions. She maintains active fieldwork in the Southern Levant and Austria through projects like Kammern-Grubgraben and Krems-Wachtberg. Her publication record reveals consistent thematic focus on lithic technological transitions, site formation processes, and human behavioral responses to environmental shifts across the Levant and Europe. Recent work demonstrates increasing methodological sophistication through quantitative approaches like Hill numbers analysis and predictive site modeling, while maintaining empirical grounding in field data from key regions including the Wadi Sabra and Petra areas. Glassman-Holland Research Fellowship (WF Albright Institute, 2019-2020) Rohringer directs multiple collaborative projects including 'Kammern-Grubgraben' examining Late Gravettian adaptations, 'Krems-Wachtberg' investigating Central European Quaternary sites, and the 'Austrian Quaternary Sites' database initiative. Her fieldwork integrates geological, environmental, and archaeological data to reconstruct paleolandscapes and human settlement systems, with particular emphasis on methodological innovation in spatial analysis and material culture studies. Her research team operates within the Austrian Academy of Sciences framework, collaborating with international institutions including Ben-Gurion University and the University of Cologne. Current projects focus on predictive modeling of Paleolithic sites, 3D reconstruction of activity areas, and database development for Quaternary archaeological sites across Austria.
Thomas Higham serves as a Professor in the Department of Evolutionary Anthropology at the University of Vienna's Faculty of Life Sciences. His research focuses on Paleolithic archaeology, human evolution, and advanced dating methodologies, contributing to UN Sustainable Development Goals through heritage preservation and environmental understanding. His primary research interests include radiocarbon dating refinement , Mousterian technology analysis , Neanderthal and early Homo sapiens dispersals , and late Pleistocene hunter-gatherer adaptations . Higham's work integrates biomolecular techniques like ZooMS with traditional archaeological methods to reconstruct human evolutionary trajectories during critical climate transitions. Current research trends show concentrated focus on Eastern Mediterranean human dispersals , collagen-based dating protocols , and late Pleistocene faunal assemblages , with publications spanning high-impact journals including Scientific Reports and PLoS ONE. His 2022-2025 output demonstrates particular emphasis on Italian and Balkan Paleolithic sites. Higham leads two major active projects: Tracking the dispersal of Homo sapiens into the Levant and across wider Eurasia (Disperse) (2025-2029) Human Evolution Beyond Collagen (2024-2027, with E. Vegh) These projects investigate human migration routes and develop novel biomolecular dating techniques beyond traditional collagen analysis. His scholarly activities include frequent conference presentations such as the 2024 "Prehistory in a New Light" talk, with significant media engagement including coverage by 96 news outlets, 28 X (Twitter) posts, and 3 Facebook pages. His work maintains substantial academic impact with consistent readership on platforms like Mendeley.
Katharina Streit is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Institute for Oriental and European Archaeology within the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna, specializing in the archaeology of the Southern Levant. She leads excavations at Tel Lachish and conducts research on transregional interactions and scientific methodologies in archaeology. BA in Archaeology and Anthropology from University of Oxford (2009) MA in Vorderasiatische Archäologie from Hebrew University of Jerusalem (2009) PhD from Hebrew University of Jerusalem (2012) Postdoctoral Fellowship at Martin Buber Society, Hebrew University (2016-2020) Her research focuses on the Southern Levant from the Neolithic through Iron Age periods, with particular emphasis on transregional interactions and the application of scientific methods in archaeology. Streit's work bridges material culture analysis with chronological studies, examining how cultural exchanges shaped ancient societies across Mesopotamia, the Levant, and Egypt. She employs interdisciplinary approaches including radiocarbon dating, archaeobotany, and zooarchaeology to reconstruct ancient economies and social structures. Analysis of her recent publications reveals consistent focus on Bronze and Iron Age urban centers, particularly Tel Lachish, where she integrates excavation data with textual evidence from Egyptian and Amarna sources. Her work demonstrates sophisticated methodology in resolving chronological debates through scientific dating techniques while examining cultural identity formation during periods of political transformation. Key thematic threads include the material manifestations of cultural interaction, the political economy of ancient city-states, and the development of early writing systems. Streit leads the START project 'Tracing Transformations in the southern Levant from collapse to consolidation in the mid-second millennium BC' and previously directed excavations at Ein el-Jarba (2013-2016). Her collaborative research includes significant contributions to the 'Culture of Defeat' project examining political and social responses to conquest events in the Iron Age Southern Levant. She co-edits major publications and participates in international research teams conducting excavations at key sites including Tel Lachish and Tel Reḥov. As co-director of the Austrian-Israeli Expedition to Tel Lachish, she oversees multidisciplinary fieldwork integrating traditional archaeological methods with scientific analyses. Her research group includes specialists in archaeobotany, zooarchaeology, and radiocarbon dating, working together to reconstruct ancient lifeways in the Southern Levant.
Teresa Bürge is a Research Fellow at the Institute of Oriental and European Archaeology (IOES) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences. She serves as assistant excavation director at the Swedish excavations at Tell Abu al-Kharaz, Jordan, and co-director of the excavation at Hala Sultan Tekke, Cyprus. Since 2020, she holds the APART-GSK fellowship for her project investigating depositional practices in Late Bronze Age Cyprus. PhD in Classical Archaeology, Ancient Semitic Philology, and Oriental Archaeology (University of Vienna, 2016) Research Assistant at IOES since 2013; University Assistant at the University of Vienna’s Institute of Oriental Studies (2013–2016) Her research focuses on Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age material culture in the Eastern Mediterranean and Southern Levant, emphasizing trade networks, migration, pottery chronology, and ritual practices. Key projects include studying intercultural relations in Jordan’s Jordan Valley (Tell Abu al-Kharaz) and organic residue analysis at Hala Sultan Tekke. Her work addresses depositional practices in wells and shafts, exploring whether artifacts were ritualistically deposited or discarded as refuse. She also investigates Bronze Age societal collapse in Cyprus and the provenance of ceramics. Awards: APART-GSK Fellowship, Austrian Academy of Sciences (2020–present) Grants & Collaboration: Co-leads excavations in Jordan and Cyprus Collaborates on projects analyzing organic residues and Bronze Age harbor cities Labs/Teams: Active in the Austrian Academy’s research groups, including the »Mediterranean Economies« project.
Felix Höflmayer is a Group Leader of the Research Group 'Archaeology of the Levant' at the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW) and a lecturer at the University of Vienna in Egyptology, Old Testament Studies, and Oriental Studies. He holds a Master's degree (2005) and PhD (2010) in Egyptology and Classical Archaeology from the University of Vienna. His research focuses on the archaeology of the Southern Levant during the Bronze and Iron Ages, intercultural relations in the Eastern Mediterranean, and chronological studies using radiocarbon dating and Bayesian statistics. He leads the Austrian-Israeli excavation at Tel Lachish (since 2017) and has directed projects such as 'Tracing Transformations in the southern Levant,' supported by the START Prize from the Austrian Science Fund (FWF). Key scientific contributions include redefining the chronology of the Middle Bronze Age through radiocarbon data and Bayesian modeling, analyzing Early Alphabetic Writing fragments from Lachish, and studying animal husbandry practices in ancient Canaan. His work bridges archaeological fieldwork, laboratory analysis, and interdisciplinary chronology research. Publications span over 40 peer-reviewed articles and edited volumes, including studies on Levantine chronology, radiocarbon calibration, and cultural interactions. He serves on the editorial boards of the Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research and the series Archaeology of Egypt, Sudan and the Levant .
Dr. Hannah Rohringer is a Research Fellow at the Austrian Archaeological Institute (ÖAI), specializing in Quaternary Archaeology. Her work focuses on Upper Palaeolithic settlement patterns, lithic technology, and GIS-based predictive modeling. She holds a PhD from the University of Cologne (2016) with research on Levantine Palaeolithic mobility, followed by postdoctoral positions at Ben-Gurion University and the W.F. Albright Institute. Current projects include the 'Austrian Quaternary Sites' database initiative and excavations at Kammern-Grubgraben. Education: BA/MA in Archaeology (University of Cologne, 2007-2013) PhD Thesis: 'Upper Palaeolithic settlement patterns and mobility in the Levant' (2014-2016) Recent Appointments: Glassman-Holland Fellow (2019-2020), Postdoctoral Researcher (2020-2022), and current position at ÖAI (2022-present) Research interests span lithic raw material procurement strategies, hunter-gatherer behavioral ecology, and spatial organization of prehistoric sites. She employs advanced methods like 3D modeling and remote sensing to analyze site function and environmental adaptation. Recent work explores site diversity metrics using Hill numbers and investigates Late Gravettian industries in Central Europe. Her publications (7 journal articles, 1 monograph, 3 conference papers) address topics ranging from Levantine Aurignacian material culture to Ethiopian Middle Stone Age contexts. Collaborative projects include the Al-Ansab excavations in Jordan and environmental studies linking archaeology to paleoclimatic shifts.
Dr. Lyndelle Webster is a postdoctoral researcher at the Austrian Academy of Sciences (OeAW), affiliated with the research groups "Prehistoric Phenomena" and "Archaeology of the Levant". Holding degrees in Physics (BSc, Australian National University), Engineering (BEng, University of Melbourne), and Archaeology (MA, MRes, PhD, Macquarie University; PhD, University of Vienna), she specializes in archaeometry with particular expertise in radiocarbon dating and soil micromorphology. BSc in Physics (Australian National University, 2005) BEng (University of Melbourne, 2007) MA and MRes in Archaeology (Macquarie University) PhD in Archaeology (University of Vienna and Macquarie University, 2021) Her groundbreaking research includes developing radiocarbon-based site chronologies using Bayesian modeling, with a focus on resolving long-standing chronological debates in the southern Levant. She pioneered the first comprehensive 14C analysis of Late Bronze Age chronology in this region and has conducted innovative work on radiocarbon dating of challenging materials like plaster and ceramics. Her Post-DocTrack fellowship supported a pilot study on direct radiocarbon dating of Egyptian-style pottery. Current research centers on integrating microscale techniques (soil micromorphology, radiocarbon dating) to investigate archaeological deposits, particularly in settlement archaeology. The FWF-funded Esprit project (2023-) applies this approach to Early Neolithic settlements along the Vardar-Morava River corridor in Serbia and North Macedonia. Her work contributes to understanding ancient water systems and the archaeology of the Levant during the Bronze and Iron Ages. Scientific contributions include: Post-DocTrack fellowship recipient Collaborative work across Eastern Mediterranean and Balkan regions Development of radiocarbon dating methodologies for difficult materials Integration of microscale techniques in settlement archaeology Lyndelle has contributed to numerous excavation projects, working with international teams to resolve chronological questions through archaeometric analysis. Her publications span prestigious journals including PLoS ONE, Radiocarbon, and Antiquity, reflecting her interdisciplinary approach combining archaeology with natural sciences.
Mareike Stahlschmidt is an Associate Professor in the Department of Evolutionary Anthropology at the Faculty of Life Sciences. Her research focuses on Pleistocene and Holocene archaeological contexts, with a strong emphasis on micromorphology, sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA), and human-environment interactions. Active since 2015, she leads the MicroStratDNA project (2022–2027), investigating Paleolithic population dynamics through microstratified paleogenomic analysis. Her work integrates archaeological, geochemical, and genetic methodologies to address questions about early human migration, subsistence strategies, and technological innovation. Key research themes include the analysis of archaeological sediments, bone taphonomy, and the application of ancient DNA to reconstruct past environments and human behavior. Collaborations span institutions globally, with recent studies in South Africa, Germany, and the Levant. Stahlschmidt has delivered talks on environmental DNA in archaeology and the role of fire in human evolution. Publications emphasize methodological advancements in DNA recovery, interpretations of stone age sites, and interdisciplinary approaches to prehistoric ecology. Her contributions highlight the transformative potential of sedimentary DNA in rewriting narratives of human prehistory.
