Ellen Belcher

Ellen Belcher is an Associate Professor and Special Collections Librarian at CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice. She manages rare books, manuscripts, College Archives, and digital collections, including digitized materials on the Internet Archive. Her academic expertise spans Ancient Near Eastern Art and Archaeology, with a focus on gender, embodiment, and adornment in the Halaf period (6th millennium BCE). She excavates in southeastern Turkey and specializes in beads, pendants, and figurines from sites like Domuztepe and Tell Kurdu.

Education highlights include a PhD in Ancient Near Eastern Art and Archaeology from Columbia University (2014) and advanced certifications in library science and archival preservation. Her research integrates archaeology with modern digital initiatives, such as the Halaf Figurines Project and the Law Enforcement News Digital Library.

Belcher’s work bridges archaeology and library science, emphasizing open access to cultural heritage. She collaborates on international excavations and maintains active projects like the Lost Ornaments Survey of NYC, studying urban material culture. Her publications explore prehistoric identity, artifact production, and digital curation methods.