Julien Cooper

Julien Cooper is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Egyptology at Yale University's Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, where he teaches Egyptian language. Holding a PhD from Macquarie University, his research focuses on the peripheral regions of Pharaonic Egypt, particularly Nubia and the Red Sea, with special emphasis on nomadic groups like the Medjay and Blemmyes.

His scholarly interests encompass Egyptian linguistics, the history and languages of ancient Northeast Africa, and the archaeology of Eastern Sudan. Cooper has conducted extensive epigraphic fieldwork in Egypt and Sudan, currently leading the Atbai Survey Project dedicated to elucidating the history of nomads and Pharaonic state imperialism in Eastern Sudan's deserts.

Analysis of Cooper's recent publications reveals a consistent focus on ancient topography, linguistic evidence for cultural groupings, and nomadic-state interactions across Northeast Africa. His work bridges Egyptology, archaeology, and historical linguistics, with particular attention to rock art documentation and the historical geography of the Red Sea region.

Cooper previously served as a post-doctoral researcher on the European Research Council's 'Nomadic Empires' project at the University of Oxford's History Faculty. His current major project involves writing a multi-millennial history of the nomads of the Eastern Desert of Egypt and Sudan.