Hieroglyphic Script Analysis Professors and Supervisors

Heidi JauhiainenView profile

Researcher

University of HelsinkiFinland

Dr. Heidi Jauhiainen is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Department of Languages, University of Helsinki, and member of the Centre of Excellence in Ancient Near Eastern Empires (ANEE). With a PhD in Egyptology and BSc in Computer Science, her work bridges ancient text analysis with digital humanities. University of Helsinki Department of Languages Centre of Excellence in Ancient Near Eastern Empires Her research focuses on: Digital epigraphy for Egyptian and Mesopotamian scripts Machine-readable ancient text creation Language technology for dead languages Quantitative analysis of religious texts Statistical dating of cuneiform documents Lexical networks in Akkadian and Egyptian Recent publications demonstrate technical and philological contributions to: Hieroglyphic text alignment algorithms Geospatial analysis of Greek-Egyptian texts Neo-Assyrian religious quantification Akkadian emotion mapping fastText embeddings for ancient languages She leads the MaReTE project and contributes to ANEE's digital infrastructure development, with presentations at ICE XIII and Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale.

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Jean WinandView profile

Professor

Paris Sciences et Lettres UniversityFrance

Jean Winand serves as Full Professor and Chair of Language, Literature and Writing of Ancient Egypt at the University of Liège since 2006, following over fifteen years as a researcher at the National Fund for Scientific Research. He held pivotal administrative roles including Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters (2010-2017) and First Vice-Rector of ULiège (2018-2022). Elected to the Royal Academy of Belgium in 2017, he currently holds a UNESCO chair on open science and interdisciplinarity in the humanities. His educational foundation includes a Doctorate in Oriental Philology (1989), establishing his expertise in ancient languages. Winand's scholarly trajectory evolved from technical linguistic analysis toward broader historical and digital humanities inquiries, reflecting in his co-direction of the Ramses database project—a revolutionary resource for Neo-Egyptian philological research. Research interests span the languages of Pharaonic Egypt (Classical and Neo-Egyptian), with deep focus on writing systems, lexical semantics, and literary text analysis. His recent work explores the Renaissance reception of hieroglyphs, particularly Athanasius Kircher's contributions, culminating in the 2022 Champollion decipherment bicentenary exhibition at Liège's Curtius Museum. This interdisciplinary approach bridges Egyptology with intellectual history and open science principles. Publication trends reveal a progression from specialized grammatical studies (*Time and Aspect in Ancient Egyptian*, 2006) to accessible syntheses (*Hieroglyphs*, 2013) and historical analyses of Egyptology's evolution (*Hieroglyphs in Europe before Champollion*, 2022), emphasizing digital humanities and public scholarship. Scientific recognition includes: Royal Academy of Belgium annual prize (1988) Belgian University Foundation quinquennial Alumni Prize (1998) Anneliese Maier Prize from the von Humboldt Foundation (2015) Knight of the Order of Academic Palms (2015) Administrative leadership defines his career alongside research, with the Ramses project demonstrating sustained grant acquisition and collaborative scholarship. His UNESCO chair actively promotes open science frameworks in humanities, influencing institutional policy beyond ULiège. Winand co-directs the Ramses project with Stéphane Polis (FNRS–ULiège), creating the field's only comprehensive Neo-Egyptian text database. This team enables complex grammatical and lexical queries, establishing a global standard for digital Egyptology while supporting his 2024 guest lecture series on Renaissance hieroglyphic studies.

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Jochem KahlView profile

Professor

Free University of BerlinGermany

Prof. Dr. Jochem Kahl is a leading Egyptologist at the Institute of Egyptology, Freie Universität Berlin , specializing in Ancient Egyptian language, writing systems, and archaeology. He has directed the The Asyut Project since 2003, focusing on the necropolis and regional history of Asyut.

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Natalie KorobzowView profile

Researcher

Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyGermany

Natalie Korobzow is a postdoctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology's Department of Linguistic and Cultural Evolution. Her work focuses on historical linguistics, with expertise in Mayan, Indo-European, and Yeniseian languages. She investigates language prehistory through methods combining comparative philology, diachronic typology, and anthropology. Education: PhD in Linguistics (summa cum laude), University of Cologne (2019–2024) M.A. in Linguistics, University of Cologne (2016–2019) B.A. in Ancient American Studies & Anthropology and Scandinavian Studies (double major), University of Bonn (2012–2016) B.A. in Romance Studies and Celtic Studies, University of Bonn (2011–2014) Research Interests: Her studies explore linguistic phenomena like split ergativity in Ch’orti’ Maya, Proto-Yeniseian sound systems, and the development of Mesoamerican numeral systems. She also engages with script decipherment (e.g., Kushan scripts) and digital tools for historical texts. Current projects include the ERC-funded QUANTA initiative on quantification systems in Mesoamerica. Publications: Her work spans diachronic linguistics, script decipherment, and language reconstruction. Notable contributions include a 2025 PhD thesis on Ch’orti’ Maya ergativity and collaborative studies on the Dašt-i Nāwur trilingual inscriptions. Recent research highlights include partial decipherment of the Unknown Kushan script and reevaluation of Proto-Yeniseian phonology. Awards/Grants: Funded by ERC Synergy (QUANTA) and DFG projects (VedaWeb 2.0). Involved in international collaborations on Central Asian linguistics and Mesoamerican cultural history. Labs/Teams: Member of the QUANTA team and interdisciplinary groups at the Max Planck Institute, focusing on language evolution and cultural heritage projects.

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Ilya YakubovichView profile

Professor

University of ChicagoUnited States

Ilya Yakubovich is a Professor at Philipps University Marburg in the Department of Comparative Linguistics and Celtology. His research focuses on Hittitology, Iranian Studies, and Ancient Indo-European Languages, with a particular emphasis on Anatolian languages like Hittite, Luwian, and Lydian. He has contributed extensively to sociolinguistic and historical studies of Anatolian languages, including their phonology, morphology, and ritual texts. His work explores language contact, script evolution, and religious discourse in ancient Anatolia. Notable projects include the Annotated Corpus of Luwian Texts (ACLT) and collaborative work on the Digital Philological-Etymological Dictionary of Minor Ancient Anatolian Languages. He has authored books such as *Sociolinguistics of the Luvian Language* and *New Ways in Sogdian etymology*. Recent research includes studies on the Kalašma language, Lydian phonology, and Luwian dialectal geography. His analyses often integrate archaeological evidence with linguistic data to reconstruct ancient sociolinguistic dynamics.

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Camilla Di Biase-DysonView profile

Senior Lecturer

Macquarie UniversityAustralia

Dr. Camilla Di Biase-Dyson is a Senior Lecturer in Egyptology at the School of Humanities, Macquarie University. Her career spans institutions including Georg-August University of Göttingen (Junior Professor, 2012–2019), University of Vienna (Research Fellow, 2019–2020), and postdoctoral fellowships at the Excellence Cluster 'Topoi' and Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. She holds a PhD in Ancient History from Macquarie University (2009), with a thesis on foreigners in Late Egyptian Stories. Education: PhD (2009), BA(Honours) (2004) in Ancient History from Macquarie University Her research focuses on Ancient Egyptian language and cognition, exploring word meaning, manuscript studies, digital corpus analysis, and ancient medicine. She integrates linguistics, cognitive science, and anthropology to analyze Ramesside Period texts, emphasizing metaphor, emotion, and semiotics. Recent publications (2024–2025) address ritual texts, mummification terminology, medical practices, and interdisciplinary Egyptology. Her work includes the Macquarie Theban Tombs Project , digital database development, and metaphor annotation in Egyptian texts. Honors: Vice-Chancellor's Learning and Teaching Award (2022), University Medal (2003), Excellence in Postgraduate Research Commendation (2009) She supervises students in Egyptian language, cognitive approaches to ancient texts, literary theory, medicine/magic, and historiography. Active in public engagement, she contributes to media discussions on topics like Egyptian pets, cancer, and diplomacy. Current affiliations include visiting scholar roles at Penn Center for Neuroaesthetics (2024) and Freie Universität Berlin (2024, 2022).

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Roman GundackerView profile

Lecturer

Austrian Academy of SciencesAustria

Roman Gundacker is a Senior Research Associate at the Austrian Academy of Sciences and Lecturer in Egyptology at the University of Vienna. He holds a doctorate 'sub auspiciis praesidentis rei publicae' (2009/2010) and has been active in academia since 2005. Master's (2005): University of Vienna, thesis on early Fourth Dynasty chronology Doctorate (2010): University of Vienna, dissertation on Pyramid Texts linguistic stratification His research focuses on Egyptian linguistics , lexicography , language history , and chronology . He leads the ERC Starting Grant project Challenging Time(s): A New Approach to Written Sources for Ancient Egyptian Chronology (since 2018), which evaluates historical timekeeping through textual analysis. Recent publications highlight trends in Old Kingdom royal names , Pyramid Texts analysis , and linguistic evolution from the Dreisilbengesetz to Zweisilbengesetz . His work spans historical linguistics , onomastics , and funerary literature . Scientific Awards : APART fellowship (2014–2017), Doctorate 'sub auspiciis praesidentis rei publicae'

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Zachary HrubyView profile

Adjunct Professor

Northern Kentucky UniversityUnited States

Zachary Hruby is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology & Philosophy at Northern Kentucky University (NKU), part of the College of Arts and Sciences. He specializes in Mesoamerican archaeology, with a focus on Maya civilization, lithic technologies, and ritual practices. His research spans sites in Guatemala, Mexico, Honduras, and the American West, including studies of obsidian caches and ritual deposition patterns. Hruby holds a Ph.D. from the University of California, Riverside, along with an M.A. from Brigham Young University and a B.A. from Humboldt State University. His teaching includes courses such as Archaeology of Mesoamerica , Mesoamerican Indians , and Peoples of Latin America & the Caribbean . Notable research contributions include analysis of the Copan obsidian cache and fieldwork at sites like Piedras Negras and El Peru-Waka. He has been recognized for his expertise through an invited lecture in Japan (2015). Current projects include investigations of the lost Contact Period city of Nito on Guatemala’s Caribbean Coast and studies of lithic production’s role in Maya socio-political structures.

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Paksi Julianna KittiView profile

Lecturer

University of BaselSwitzerland

Paksi Julianna Kitti is a Lecturer and Scientific Assistant in Egyptology at the University of Basel's Department of Classical Studies, working under Prof. Susanne Bickel's chair since March 2024. Her academic background includes a Ph.D. in Egyptology from the University of Basel and École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE-PSL) in Paris, completed summa cum laude in 2020 with her dissertation on 'Linguistic Heterogeneity in the Ramesside Royal Inscriptions.' She also holds M.A. degrees in Egyptology and International Relations from Hungarian universities. Her research focuses on: Linguistic heterogeneity of Ramesside royal inscriptions Intertextuality and textual transmission in the Theban necropolis Epigraphy of monumental inscriptions Spatial-material context of tomb inscriptions Dr. Paksi's recent publications (2023-2025) demonstrate a sophisticated approach combining linguistic analysis with archaeological context, particularly examining inscriptions in Tomb TT 84 and intertextual relationships between different Theban tombs. Her work reveals how spatial positioning and material conditions influenced textual transmission in ancient Egypt. She has secured competitive research funding through SNSF Postdoc.Mobility and Early Postdoc.Mobility fellowships for projects on textual composition in Theban tombs and intertextuality in the mid-Eighteenth Dynasty necropolis. Her professional trajectory shows progression from doctoral research through postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Liège to her current position at Basel. Dr. Paksi maintains active collaborations with leading Egyptologists across Europe and is preparing a monograph based on her dissertation for publication in the Zeitschrift für ägyptische Sprache und Altertumskunde supplementary volumes.

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Sandrine VuilleumierView profile

Professor

University of BaselSwitzerland

Prof. Dr. Sandrine Vuilleumier holds the Faculty of Humanities professorship at the University of Basel Department of Classical Studies , specializing in interdisciplinary research at the intersection of Egyptian religious practices and textual materiality. Her work examines Evolution of Osirian cult rituals in multicultural Ptolemaic contexts Paleographic analysis of hieroglyphic-hieratic script transitions Funerary composition practices in Greco-Roman Thebes Recent publications investigate cursive hieroglyph adaptations in scribal practices and theological shifts in local goddess worship at Deir el-Medina. She leads ongoing projects on Greco-Roman period burials and serves as Principal Investigator for the Au-delà des texts and Deir el-Medina initiatives. Her email is sandrine.vuilleumier@unibas.ch .

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Mykola TarasenkoView profile

Research Fellow

University of OxfordUnited Kingdom

Mykola Tarasenko is a Research Fellow at the University of Oxford , affiliated with the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies . He serves as an Associated Fellow at Trinity College and holds leadership positions at the А. Yu. Krymskyi Institute of Oriental Studies (NAS Ukraine) , where he directs the Centre of Egyptology . Specializes in ancient Egyptian funerary literature and art , particularly the Book of the Dead Coordinates international projects like the Ukrainian Mummy Project and the Bab el-Gasus Project Focuses on visual-textual traditions of funerary objects (papyri, coffins, mummy bandages) Active in field archaeology across Egypt and Eastern Europe His recent research integrates digital humanities through the Online Egyptological Bibliography project, addressing challenges in Cyrillic-script Egyptological materials. Publications emphasize Third Intermediate Period elite funeral practices and the dissemination of Egyptian artifacts in Eastern Europe.

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Annick PayneView profile

Associate Professor

Ca' Foscari University of VeniceItaly

Annick Payne is an Associate Professor at the Department of Humanities , Ca' Foscari University of Venice. Her research focuses on Anatolian hieroglyphs , Lydian and Phrygian languages , and the historical and cultural contexts of the Ancient Near East . Her recent publications address topics such as Phrygian inscriptions, Luwian hieroglyphic writing systems, and linguistic analysis of ancient Anatolian languages. She has contributed to edited volumes and peer-reviewed journals like Written Language & Literacy and News from the Lands of the Hittites . For detailed contact, visit her personal website at www.unive.it/persone/annick.payne or email annick.payne@unive.it .

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Nathan LovejoyView profile

Research Fellow

Ca' Foscari University of VeniceItaly

Nathan Lovejoy is a Research Fellow at the Department of Humanities, Ca' Foscari University of Venice. His work focuses on Anatolian studies, particularly the analysis of ancient symbols and epigraphic systems in the Near Eastern context. Research interests include: Deciphering Anatolian hieroglyphic symbols (Sarma1-3) Cultural interpretation of ancient iconography Historical semiotics in Late Bronze Age civilizations Comparative analysis of Near Eastern writing systems Recent publication trends indicate specialization in Anatolian epigraphy and symbolic representation patterns, with a 2025 contribution to Anatolian Studies examining Sarruma's skirt iconography as a semiotic system.

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Jesper NielsenView profile

Associate Professor

University of CopenhagenDenmark

Jesper Nielsen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies at the Faculty of Humanities, University of Copenhagen. His research centers on Mesoamerican iconography, epigraphy, and religious systems across Maya, Teotihuacan, and Epiclassic cultures, with additional focus on early Colonial studies in central Mexico and research historiography. He earned his MA (1998) and Ph.D. (2003) from the University of Copenhagen's Department of American Indian Languages and Cultures. His doctoral dissertation examined Teotihuacan's artistic influence on Early Classic Maya society (A.D. 380-500). Nielsen's research integrates archaeological analysis with epigraphic interpretation to reconstruct Mesoamerican worldview systems. His work emphasizes cross-cultural interactions between Teotihuacan and Maya regions while documenting religious continuity into the Colonial period through studies of murals, codices, and ritual objects. Recent projects explore the symbolic significance of natural phenomena like monarch butterfly migrations in indigenous belief systems. Analysis of his 2023-2025 publications reveals intensified focus on Central Mexican sites (Xochicalco, El Cerrito, Tula) and innovative interdisciplinary approaches bridging archaeology, environmental history, and religious studies. His work consistently demonstrates how pre-Hispanic iconographic traditions persisted and transformed during Spanish colonization. Scientific Awards: No specific awards documented in source materials Advising and Research: Students: No graduate advisees listed Grants: Collaborative funding through UNAM project affiliations Current Projects: Proyecto La Pintura Mural Prehispánica en México (UNAM) Laboratory and Team Affiliations: Proyecto La Pintura Mural Prehispánica en México at UNAM Consejo de asesores for Arqueología Mexicana journal Collaborative network with Christophe Helmke on Mesoamerican writing systems

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