François Blondel

Dr. François Blondel is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Geneva's Institute for Environmental Sciences (ISE), working on the SNF-funded project 'The Roman Egypt Laboratory' where he reconstructs Nile riverbank species referentials from archaeological wood to analyze Roman-era climate impacts.

His educational path includes:

• Professional carpentry qualifications (CAP, BEP, BAC STI Mechanical Engineering)
• Licence in History (2004, University of Toulouse)
• Research Master in Archaeology-Prehistory (2007, University of Toulouse)
• PhD (2018, University of Bourgogne Franche-Comté) on Auvergne wood supply systems from Iron Age to Middle Ages

Blondel's research centers on dendroarchaeological analysis of ancient wood economies, examining silvicultural practices, forest exploitation dynamics, and wooden object diffusion from protohistory to late Antiquity. His methodology integrates carpentry expertise with archaeological science to decode human-environment interactions through wood remains.

Publication analysis reveals consistent focus on Roman-era France (Clermont-Ferrand, Vienne), investigating construction timber supply chains, funerary contexts, and carbonization effects on dendrochronological dating. His work demonstrates interdisciplinary collaboration with preventive archaeology units and methodological innovation in wood resource modeling.

Current SNF project work in Roman Egypt expands his research into Nile flood-climate interactions. While no student advising or awards are documented, his contributions advance understanding of ancient resource systems through rigorous analysis of archaeological wood collections across European and Mediterranean contexts.