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Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ursula Verhoeven-van Elsbergen is a Senior Research Professor and Head of the Mainz Academy project "Ancient Egyptian Cursive Scripts (AKU)" at the Institute of Ancient Studies | Egyptology , Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. Her academic career spans leadership roles in DFG-funded projects, international Egyptological associations, and interdisciplinary research initiatives. Her research focuses on Ancient Egyptian scripts , particularly hieroglyphic and hieratic cursive forms , with applications in digital humanities and material culture studies . Key projects include documentation of the Necropolis of Assiut and analysis of the Mammisi of Edfu . She contributes to the academic community through editorial work and international collaboration. Scientific awards include the Gutenberg Research College Fellowship Academy Prize of Rhineland-Palatinate Fondation Michela Schiff Giorgini Prize . She serves on advisory boards like the Central Directorate of the German Archaeological Institute and the review board of the German Research Foundation, with terminated roles such as Deputy Managing Director of the Institute of Ancient Studies and spokesperson for German-speaking Egyptology.

• Egyptology
• Ancient Egyptian Cursive Scripts
• Digital Humanities
• +7 more

Dr. Elena Luise Hertel is an affiliated researcher at the University of Hamburg’s Centre for the Study of Manuscript Cultures (CSMC). She holds a PhD in Egyptology from the University of Basel (2024) and specializes in ancient Egyptian cursive scripts (Hieratic, Abnormal Hieratic, Demotic), focusing on materiality, writing across media, and cultural change during Egypt’s Late Bronze and Iron Ages. Her current project, funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation, investigates the use of cursive script on stelae during the Third Intermediate Period. She also serves as Principal Investigator for this project (2025–2027). During her Petra Kappert Fellowship (Oct 2024–Mar 2025), she prepared interdisciplinary collaborations, finalized publications, and established technical frameworks for 3D scanning of stelae inscriptions. Education: PhD in Egyptology, University of Basel (2024); studies in Egyptology in Germany and the Netherlands. Research Focus: Materiality of writing, cultural transitions in ancient Egypt, and stelae inscriptions. Her work bridges archaeological and textual analysis, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to manuscript cultures. Projects & Labs: Leading a project on stelae inscriptions, integrating digital technologies like 3D scanning. Collaborates with scholars across disciplines at CSMC to explore script use beyond traditional media contexts.

• Ancient Egyptian Writing Systems
• Materiality of Texts
• Egyptian Cursive Scripts
• +3 more

Tabitha Kraus MA (AKU) is a Lecturer and researcher at the Department of Egyptology at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU Mainz). She holds a Master's degree in Egyptology (2019) and a Bachelor's degree (2015) from the same university, with thesis topics focusing on hieratic script analysis and Egyptian iconography. Her research focuses on Hieratic graphetics , particularly the [BIRDS] sign category , and rock graffiti iconography . She has contributed to the Academy of Sciences and Literature Mainz's "Ancient Egyptian Cursive Scripts" project since 2017 and leads lectures in the "Studying 50Plus" program. Her work bridges digital humanities with traditional Egyptological methods. Tabitha Kraus is part of the "Egyptology goes to school" initiative and has presented at international conferences like the 7ème Académie hiératique (2023) and Graffiti Quest (2023). She has interned at the State Museum of Egyptian Art Munich and the British Museum London.

• Hieratic script analysis
• Graphetics
• Ancient Egyptian cursive scripts
• +3 more