Katherine S Burke

Katherine S. Burke is a Lecturer in Near Eastern Languages and Cultures at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), specializing in Islamic Archaeology. Her research focuses on 12th–13th century CE cultural contacts in Egypt and Syria, particularly using ceramic analysis to trace regional interactions. She has conducted extensive work on Red Sea port archaeology, including studies of Quseir al-Qadim and Jaffa's medieval and Crusader-era pottery assemblages. Her research integrates textual and material evidence to explore trade networks, urban development, and economic systems in the medieval Islamic world.

Research Interests:

• Islamic Archaeology
• Crusader Archaeology
• Ceramic Analysis
• Medieval Mediterranean Trade
• Red Sea Port Studies
• Text-Material Correlation

Publications Highlights:

• Lead author on The History and Archaeology of Jaffa 2 (2017)
• Key analysis of Quseir al-Qadim's Sheikh’s House texts and artifacts (2021)
• Pioneering studies on Jaffa’s Crusader ceramics (2021)
• Reviews of major archaeological works including Myos Hormos and Quseir al-Qadim

Projects:

• Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project (since 2007)
• Excavations at Quseir al-Qadim and Jaffa’s Qishle site