Julien Cooper

Julien Cooper is an Egyptologist, Nubiologist, and archaeologist currently serving as an ARC Future Fellow in the School of Humanities at Macquarie University. His research focuses on the archaeology of the Eastern Desert (Atbai) and the history of its nomadic peoples. He directs the 'Atbai Survey Project,' a fieldwork program surveying the vast deserts between the Nile and the Red Sea, aiming to shed light on the region's heritage from neolithic rock art to ancient Egyptian trade routes and medieval goldmines. Cooper completed his PhD in Egyptology at Macquarie University in 2016, followed by postdoctoral fellowships at Oxford (as an ERC Fellow) and Yale universities, and an Assistant Professor position at United International College-Beijing Normal University from 2020-2022.

His educational background includes a PhD in Egyptology from Macquarie University (2016) with a dissertation titled 'Toponymy on the Periphery: Placenames of the Eastern Desert, Red Sea, and South Sinai.' His academic journey reflects a deep commitment to understanding the complex cultural landscape of Northeast Africa.

Cooper's research interests center on Egypt & Nubia and the networks of connections across Northeast Africa, with specific focus on nomads in the region, survey archaeology, rock art studies, heritage conservation, Nubian history, foreign connections of ancient Egyptian state, Egyptian epigraphy, language contact, and Middle Egyptian language. His work reveals how nomadic peoples significantly influenced the political, economic, and environmental landscape of ancient Northeast Africa, challenging traditional 'Nile Narrative' perspectives that often overlook desert cultures.

His recent publications demonstrate a growing trend toward interdisciplinary approaches combining archaeology, linguistics, and historical geography to understand cultural boundaries and interactions in ancient Nubia. Cooper's work increasingly focuses on heritage conservation in Sudan amid ongoing conflicts, reflecting the urgent need to document and protect vulnerable archaeological sites.

• ARC Future Fellowship 'Rescuing Pharaoh's Gold Mines: Archaeological conservation in Eastern Sudan' (2024-2028)
• Sir Douglas Newbold Archival Project: The Archaeology and History of Eastern Sudan
• Nomades et nomadismes au Sahara oriental (Égypte, Soudan, est libyen)

Cooper has advised numerous students and collaborated extensively with Sudanese academics and scientists. His projects provide training in GIS and archaeological mapping for local communities in Sudan's Red Sea Province. He has organized workshops with UNESCO and international partners to develop strategies for cultural heritage preservation in conflict zones. His fieldwork with the Atbai Survey Project has established a significant presence in Eastern Sudan, with ongoing efforts to document and conserve archaeological sites threatened by looting and environmental degradation.

He leads the Atbai Survey Project team, which conducts extensive fieldwork in the Eastern Desert, documenting rock art, ancient trade routes, and settlement patterns. His work has gained international attention through media coverage of discoveries like 4,000-year-old rock art depicting boats and cattle, which supports the 'Green Sahara' theory. Cooper actively engages with local communities in Sudan, incorporating indigenous knowledge into archaeological interpretations and ensuring research benefits the people whose heritage is being studied.