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Amir HarrakView profile

Professor

• Aramaic & Syriac Studies
• Syriac Chronography
• Syriac Epigraphy
• +8 more

Amir Harrak is Professor of Aramaic and Syriac in the Department of Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations at the University of Toronto. He is based at the St. George campus and is a leading scholar in Syriac studies, with expertise in epigraphy, chronography, art, and the history of Middle Eastern Christianity. Education: Diploma in Classical Philosophy, Syro-Chaldean Dominican Seminary, Iraq (1973) Diploma in Theology, Syro-Chaldean Dominican Seminary, Iraq (1973) Licence in Semitic Philology, Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium (1980) Licence in Archaeology and Art History, Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium (1980) MA and PhD in Assyriology and Aramaic Studies, University of Toronto (1987) His research centers on Syriac language and literature, with a focus on Syriac chronography, legal texts, inscriptions, and the art and architecture of Christian sites in Iraq. He also explores the relations between Syriac Christianity and Islam, and the use of Syriac script for writing other languages like Kurdish (Garshuni). His teaching includes Biblical Aramaic, Aramaic epigraphy, and Syriac historical and exegetical texts. The 15 most recent articles reflect a sustained focus on Syriac manuscripts, chronicles, inscriptions, and cultural history. They span disciplines such as historical linguistics, religious studies, art history, and Middle Eastern archaeology, with recurring themes in Syriac Orthodox historiography, Christian-Muslim interactions, and the material culture of Eastern Christianity. Scientific Awards: No awards mentioned in the provided text. Advising and Grants: No information provided on students or advisees. No grants or funding sources are mentioned in the text. Labs and Teams: No specific research labs, teams, or collaborative groups are mentioned in the source material.

• Semiotics in Archaeology
• Museology
• Symbolism in Visual Media
• +3 more

Prof. Dr. Nikos Chausidis is a Full Professor at the Institute of Art History and Archaeology, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje. He has held academic positions since 1986, progressing from junior assistant to Full Professor (2012). His research focuses on semiotics, archaeology, and museology, with specialization in symbolic transposition of myths, religion, and pagan cultures of the Balkans and Slavs. Education: BA (1984), MA (1992), PhD (2002) in Art History and Archaeology from the University of Skopje. Affiliations: Long-term faculty member at the Institute of Art History and Archaeology; contributor to international archaeological projects (e.g., Neolithic studies, Slavic pagan traditions). Research Interests: Semiotics in archaeology/museology, symbolism in visual media, prehistoric and medieval Balkan cultures. His work bridges archaeology, folklore, and religious studies, emphasizing symbolic interpretations of artifacts and rituals. Publications: Over 150 works including monographs (e.g., Cosmological Images , Dualistic Images ), articles analyzing prehistoric house models, Slavic pagan symbolism, and Byzantine inscriptions. Recent trends focus on Neolithic artifacts, medieval religious iconography, and intercultural symbolism. Grants & Labs: Led projects on prehistoric Wetlands (NEENAWA 2016), Slavic mythological traditions, and interdisciplinary archaeology.

Mirela IvanovaView profile

Lecturer

• Byzantine History
• Medieval History
• Slavic History
• +4 more

Dr. Mirela Ivanova serves as Lecturer in Medieval History at the Department of History, School of History, Philosophy and Digital Humanities, University of Sheffield since 2021. Her research centers on Byzantine intellectual and social history with particular focus on Central and Eastern European medieval contexts, examining written culture, multilingualism, and cultural transmission across political boundaries. Her scholarship operates at two interconnected levels: analyzing medieval textual production as a tool for socio-political change, and critically examining how 19th-20th century nationalist projects shaped Byzantine historiography and heritage practices. Current projects investigate how historiographical frameworks influence contemporary heritage management in Eastern European states, bridging medieval studies with postcolonial theory. Recent publications including the monograph Inventing Slavonic: Cultures of Writing between Rome and Constantinople (2024) and co-edited volume Is Byzantine Studies a Colonialist Discipline? (2023) demonstrate methodological innovation through combining manuscript analysis with critical heritage studies. Her work consistently explores the tension between medieval textual creation and modern identity politics. Scientific recognition includes: BBC/AHRC New Generation Thinker (2021) Junior Research Fellowship, University of Oxford Research Fellowship, Koç University Residential Fellowship, Centre for Advanced Study in Sofia Dr. Ivanova actively engages public audiences through History Today, Los Angeles Review of Books, and BBC Radio 3 appearances. She develops university access initiatives for UK schools while teaching undergraduate courses including Byzantine Intersectionality and postgraduate Presenting the Past , emphasizing critical approaches to historical narratives and heritage.

Stefano RapisardaView profile

Professor

• Romance Philology
• Linguistics
• Medieval Philology
• +11 more

Stefano Rapisarda is a Full Professor of Romance Philology and Linguistics at the Department of Humanities, University of Catania. He has held academic positions since 2002, progressing from Researcher to Associate Professor (2018) and Full Professor (2021). He is President of the Master's Degree in "Linguistic Sciences for Education and Interculturality" at the Special Teaching Structure of Ragusa and serves on multiple university commissions. He has been delegated to lead the Special Educational Structure of Ragusa and represents the University of Catania on the Board of Directors of the Ibleo University Consortium. His research focuses on three interrelated areas: the philology of medical-scientific and magical-divinatory texts; intercultural contacts in the Mediterranean from Late Antiquity to the Early Modern period; and the intersections between philology, history, politics, and ideology. He has conducted extensive textual editions of medieval works, including the Thesaurus pauperum , Nicole Oresme’s Contre la divination , and various chiromantic and scapulomantic texts. His work emphasizes material manifestations of interculturality such as bilingual glossaries, multilingual inscriptions, and codices with mixed scripts. The 15 most recent publications highlight a sustained engagement with medieval divination, philology in wartime, intercultural textual practices, and the political dimensions of language and scholarship. Key themes include prognostication, textual criticism, linguistic hybridity, and the role of intellectuals during periods of conflict. His recent books examine the global history of the Spanish language and the ideological uses of philology in the 19th and 20th centuries. Scientific Awards and Honors: Candidate for the 'Premio Prezzolini per la Traduzione Letteraria' Qualified under the Fulbright Program for teaching at Northwestern University (2011) Advising and Grants: While no specific students are listed, Rapisarda has been a member of doctoral committees at the University of Macerata and the University of Catania. He has served as Principal Investigator on multiple funded research projects, including 'Scholars in Arms' (€15,500), 'Transnational Intellectual Networks' (€22,500), and 'Scholarship in Wartimes' (€30,000), managing over €70,000 in institutional funding. He has contributed to major national research initiatives (PRIN) and international collaborations, including a HERA-funded proposal on academics in wartime. Labs and Research Groups: He directs the 'Professori in Guerra' Digital Library, an archive of autobiographies and militant texts by scholars. He co-directs the 'Divinatoria' book series with Classiques Garnier and has organized international workshops on divination. He is a founding member and treasurer of the International Society for the Critical Study of Divination and serves on the editorial board of the International Journal of Divination and Prognostication .

Victor GhicaView profile

Professor

• Archaeology
• Egyptology
• Early Christianity
• +6 more

Victor Ghica is a Professor of Antiquity and Early Christian Studies at MF University College (2015–present), following a tenure as Associate Professor at Macquarie University (Sydney) and roles at the Institut français d'archéologie orientale (Cairo) and Université Laval (Québec). His work bridges archaeology, linguistics, and religious studies, focusing on Late Antiquity and Early Christianity in Egypt and Dalmatia. Ph.D. in Theology (Université Laval, 2006) Doctorate in Religious Sciences (EPHE, Paris, 2006) Licentiate in Ancient Near Eastern Studies (Pontificium Institutum Biblicum, Rome, 2002) B.A. in Arabic and Islamic Studies (Rome, 1999) B.A.Hons. (Universitatea Bucuresti, 1996) Ghica’s research spans archaeological fieldwork (Egyptian oases, Croatia), textual analysis of Coptic and Syriac manuscripts, and the material culture of Early Christian communities. He directs the ERC-funded DEChriM project, which reinterprets fourth-century Egyptian Christianity through archaeological evidence. His recent publications focus on excavations at Dayr Muṣṭafā Kāšif, Šams al-Dīn, and Dush in Egypt’s Kharga Oasis, alongside Croatian fieldwork in Bribir. These works emphasize the interplay between ritual practices, desert settlements, and cross-cultural exchanges in Late Antiquity. As a field director and project coordinator, Ghica leads international teams in Egyptian oases and Croatia. He co-edits the Texts and Studies in Eastern Christianity series (Brill) and contributes to understanding Early Christian material culture through archaeobotany, epigraphy, and architectural remains.

• Islamic literary traditions in the Horn of Africa
• Modern and classical Arabic literature
• Islamic manuscripts
• +4 more

Alessandro Gori is an Associate Professor at the Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies, University of Copenhagen. His research focuses on Islamic literary traditions in the Horn of Africa, classical and modern Arabic literature, Islamic manuscripts, and African cultural heritage. Specializes in Islamic manuscript cultures across Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Yemen Principal Investigator for ERC-funded project Islam in the Horn of Africa (2013-2018) Coordinator in COST Action 18129 on Mediterranean Islamic legacies Research Interests: Gori examines textual connections between Islamic and Christian traditions in the Horn of Africa, with particular emphasis on Qur'anic transmission mechanisms and multi-text manuscript structures. His work bridges historical linguistics, paleography, and interfaith dialogue studies. Publications: Recent works analyze Ethiopian zoological lists in Arabic, spiritual genealogies connecting Yemen and Africa, and manuscript-based knowledge networks across maritime boundaries. His research involves comparative approaches to Islamic legal texts and Sufi mystical traditions. Scientific Contributions: European Research Council Advanced Grant (2013-2018) Extensive publications on Islamic manuscript cultures in Africa Editorial leadership in Africana Ambrosiana series Academic Activities: Gori maintains active engagement through international conferences, manuscript workshops, and visiting research appointments at institutions like École des hautes études en sciences sociales (2025). His network spans Islamic studies, African history, and comparative religious scholarship.

Véronique PleschView profile

Professor

• History of European art and culture (1300-1800)
• Christian iconography
• Medieval French literature
• +1 more

Véronique Plesch is the James M. Gillespie Professor of Art at Colby College, specializing in European art and culture from 1300-1800, Christian iconography, and interdisciplinary word-image studies. She holds a Ph.D. and M.A. from Princeton University and dual Licence ès Lettres degrees from Université de Genève in Medieval French Literature and Art History. Ph.D., Princeton University M.A., Princeton University Licence ès Lettres, Université de Genève (Medieval French Literature & Art History) Her research explores intersections between visual and textual cultures, focusing on graffiti as historical evidence, medieval drama's visual manifestations, and intermedial relationships. She examines devotional practices, regional artistic identities, and the semiotics of sacred spaces. Key publication trends include analyses of Mediterranean intermediality, Alpine art exchanges, and graffiti's role in memory preservation. Her work spans from 1985 studies on Grisons art to recent explorations of 20th-century illustrated books. Professional leadership includes: President, International Association of Word and Image Studies (2008-17) Editorial Board, Early Drama, Art and Music series (2005-18) President, New England Medieval Conference (2011-12) Advisory Editor, Interfaces (2002-) She teaches courses like 'Graffiti, Past and Present' and 'Vienna 1900', integrating her expertise in medieval/modern art transitions and visual rhetoric.

• Late Antiquity
• Epigraphy
• Religious History
• +3 more

Konstantin Klein is a Visiting Professor at the University of Amsterdam 's Faculty of Humanities, specializing in History, European Studies, and Religious Studies. His research focuses on Late Antiquity, particularly the intersection of epigraphy, religious history, and urban development in Constantinople and Jerusalem. Research interests include: Epigraphic analysis of ancient Semitic inscriptions Digital humanities applications in text restoration Urban spatial organization in religious contexts Material culture of Late Antique cities Gender roles in epigraphic patronage Recent publications demonstrate expertise in: Machine learning for damaged inscription recovery Comparative urbanism of Byzantine capitals Analysis of Palmyrene funerary art Epigraphic patterns in Christian holy sites Interpretation of Late Antique decay processes Gender-regulated epigraphic expressions

Roman KrivkoView profile

Associate Professor

• Old Church Slavonic
• Byzantine Hymnography
• Slavic Epigraphy
• +3 more

Roman Krivko is an Associate Professor at the Department of Slavonic Studies , University of Vienna. His research focuses on Old Church Slavonic , Byzantine hymnography , and historical linguistics of Slavic languages. Specializes in medieval Slavic epigraphy and liturgical text analysis Key contributor to studies on Christian traditions in Slavic contexts Active editor and researcher in international Slavic studies Research Themes include: Quantitative analysis of loanwords in Slavic Gospels Textological studies of service menaia and kontakia Historical development of Old Bulgarian language Linguistic networks in Central/Eastern Europe Scientific Contributions span Editorial work on Slověne journal Notable publications on the Temnić inscription and Samuil's epigraph Collaborations with institutions like Vinogradov Russian Language Institute

Carlo Giovanni CeretiView profile

Professor

• Zoroastrian Studies
• Middle Iranian Philology
• Sasanian History
• +4 more

Carlo Giovanni Cereti is a Full Professor of Iranian Philology, Religions, and History at the Department of Classics, Faculty of Humanities, Sapienza University of Rome. His academic career spans over three decades, with notable roles including Director of the Italian Archaeological Mission in Iraqi Kurdistan and Cultural Counsellor at the Italian Embassy in Tehran (2009–2017). He holds leadership positions such as Coordinator of the Humanities Class at Scuola Superiore di Studi Avanzati and Director of the Winter School in Cultural Heritage of the Near and Middle East. Education: PhD in Iranian Studies (1992, Istituto Universitario Orientale, Naples), Postgraduate studies at SOAS (1986–1987), and MA in Oriental Languages (1985, Istituto Universitario Orientale). Research Focus: Zoroastrian traditions, Sasanian history, Middle Iranian epigraphy, and cultural heritage preservation. His work bridges textual analysis with archaeological fieldwork, particularly in Iraqi Kurdistan. Awards: Farabi Prize (2010), UNESCO/ISESCO recognition, and leadership roles in international organizations like UNIMED and the Association for the Study of Persianate Societies. Cereti’s scholarly output includes over 150 publications on Iranian languages, Zoroastrian texts, and Sasanian archaeology. He contributes to editorial boards of journals like Iran and the Caucasus and Journal of Persianate Studies . His current projects emphasize interdisciplinary approaches to Iranian cultural heritage and international academic collaboration.

Timothy GreenwoodView profile

Professor

• Medieval Armenian History
• Armenian Culture
• Byzantine History
• +5 more

Timothy Greenwood is a Professor in the School of History at the University of St Andrews, UK, based in the Arts Building on The Scores. He actively supervises postgraduate research students and contributes to the Centre for Anatolian and East Mediterranean Studies, Centre for Late Antique Studies, Institute of Legal and Constitutional Research, and Institute of Medieval Studies. His research specializes in medieval Armenian history (400-1100 CE), utilizing literary, epigraphic, and architectural sources to analyze Armenian interactions with Byzantine, Persian, and Islamic empires. He also investigates 16th-17th century Armenian manuscript illumination, with his work establishing a unique fingerprint in Armenian SSR studies, 10th century history, and historic contexts. Greenwood's recent publications (2019-2025) consistently explore Armenian historical identity at imperial crossroads, emphasizing cultural negotiation, primary source analysis, and comparative frameworks across Byzantine, Islamic, and Persian spheres. His scientific recognition includes: Correspondant étranger of the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres (France, 2022) Distinguished Visiting Scholar award (2017) Election as Fellow of the British Academy (2024) Greenwood has supervised four postgraduate students and maintains extensive academic service through 41 manuscript peer reviews, 18 conference participations, and 8 consultancy engagements for major funding bodies including the European Research Council (ERC), Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR), and Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). He serves on the editorial board of Harrassowitz Verlag and participates in external examinations.

• Assyriology
• Cognitive Science of Religion
• Ancient Mesopotamian Mythology
• +3 more

Amar Annus is an Associate Professor of Near Eastern Religions at the University of Tartu , Faculty of Arts and Humanities, School of Theology and Religious Studies since 2021. He has held visiting positions at institutions like the Free University of Berlin (Marie Curie Fellow) and École française d’Extrême Orient in Pondicherry, India. PhD in Assyriology from the University of Helsinki (2003) Specializes in Assyriology and Cognitive Science of Religion Active in translating and commenting on classical Near Eastern texts His research interests span ancient Mesopotamian mythology, royal ideology, cognitive science of religion, and intertextuality between ancient Near Eastern and Judeo-Christian texts. His 2025-2024 publications focus on Assyrian royal genealogy, Enochic responses to Mesopotamian sages, and comparative cognitive models in ancient scholarship. He received Estonian National Science Awards in 2023, 2022, and earlier Akadeemia magazine awards. Annus supervises two PhD students and has led major projects like Forms of Creativity in the Intellectual History of Ancient Mesopotamia (2017-2020), funded at €177,600.

Christian MannView profile

Professor

• Ancient History
• Greek History
• Roman History
• +7 more

Christian Mann is Professor and Chair of Ancient History at the Historical Institute, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Mannheim. He has been in this position since 2011, following research and teaching roles at Freiburg, Frankfurt, Brown University, Konstanz, and Basel. He earned his PhD in 1999 with a thesis on the political significance of athletes in early Greek polis formation and completed his habilitation in 2005 on demagogues in democratic Athens. His research spans Greek and Roman history, with a focus on ancient sports (MAFAS project), political culture, populism, and the social roles of athletes. He examines how ancient athletic competitions functioned as mechanisms of inclusion and exclusion, and draws parallels between classical demagoguery and modern populism. His recent work includes a 2023–2024 Opus Magnum scholarship from the Volkswagen Foundation to write Greek Athletes: A Social History . He is co-editor of KLIO and a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Gerda Henkel Foundation. His publications from 1998 to 2024 cover topics such as gladiatorial games, equestrian competitions, democratic theory, and religious aspects of sport. His recent articles reveal a strong trend in analyzing athletic competitions as social institutions intertwined with politics, religion, and identity. He frequently employs epigraphic and literary sources to explore honor systems, talent promotion, and cross-cultural comparisons, particularly between Greek, Roman, and Jewish traditions. Opus Magnum scholarship, Volkswagen Foundation (2023/24) Christian Mann has supervised academic projects and interdisciplinary seminars, such as the Mannheim Hall of Antiquities (2016) and a seminar on Karl Popper’s Open Society (2019). He has received external research funding, notably the Opus Magnum grant, supporting extended scholarly writing. There is no public list of his advisees in the provided text. He leads the MAFAS (Mannheim Research Focus on Ancient Sports) initiative, which investigates the sociopolitical dimensions of athletic competition in antiquity. His chair fosters interdisciplinary collaboration, as seen in joint seminars with colleagues from other departments.

• New Testament Textual Criticism and Biblical Manuscripts
• Ancient everyday life and documentary papyri
• Greco-Roman World and its influence on New Testament writings
• +1 more

Christina Maria Kreinecker is a Professor at the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies, KU Leuven, where she heads the Research Centre for Multilingual Manuscripts (LEMMA) and serves on the Faculty Council. She is an active member of LECTIO – KU Leuven Institute for the Study of Text Transmission and LILI – KU Leuven Interdisciplinary Language Institute. Her research integrates New Testament Textual Criticism with papyrological analysis of documentary evidence to reconstruct ancient everyday life and Greco-Roman cultural contexts. She specializes in multilingual manuscript traditions, examining how linguistic diversity shaped biblical transmission across antiquity. Her methodology bridges textual scholarship with socio-historical analysis of early Christian communities. Recent publications reveal consistent focus on 1 Corinthians' textual history across multilingual contexts, particularly in patristic writings. Her work demonstrates how Vulgate, Coptic, and Old Latin witnesses preserve evidence of interlingual interactions, with significant contributions to understanding language contact in early Christian textual practices. Kreinecker leads eight major research projects including the 1Cor-Tekst initiative (2022-2027) tracing 1 Corinthians' transmission across the first millennium and the NTTMMC center (2019-2029) dedicated to multilingual New Testament contexts. Her grants examine textual phenomena in Origen, Cappadocian Fathers, and Augustine while exploring papyrological metaphors in Romans 6-8. As director of LEMMA, she coordinates investigations into bilingual manuscripts to detect interlingual interactions within New Testament traditions. Her leadership in LECTIO and LILI fosters interdisciplinary collaboration between textual scholars, linguists, and papyrologists studying transmission mechanisms across historical periods.

• Ancient Roman History
• Cultural Memory
• Epigraphy
• +4 more

Dr. Yuko Fukuyama is an Associate Professor at Waseda University's School of International Liberal Studies since 2022, with additional appointments at Università degli Studi di Firenze (2023). Her research focuses on Ancient Roman History and Cultural Memory in Mediterranean and Japanese contexts.