Silvia Prell

Dr. MA Silvia Prell is a Guest Researcher at the Austrian Archaeological Institute (Österreichische Archäologische Institut) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW). Her work focuses on Egyptology, Classical Archaeology, and Near Eastern studies. She has extensive experience in excavations across Germany and Egypt, including roles as deputy excavation director of the Qantir-Piramesse project (2002–2009) and project leader of the ÖNB-funded 'Complex Stratigraphies' study at Tell el-Dab'a (2021–2023). Since 2023, she has been involved in the FWF project investigating Hyksos and Egyptian palace architecture in Avaris/Tell el-Dab’a.

Education: Studied Egyptology, Classical Archaeology, and Pre- and Early History at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. Key research interests include macrolithic tools of Egypt’s 2nd Intermediate and New Kingdom periods, material culture in the eastern Nile Delta, Egypt-Levant trade networks, early Ptolemaic architecture, and Greek-Roman necropolises in Egypt.

Grants & Projects: Coordinated the ERC Advanced Grant ‘The Enigma of the Hyksos’ (2016–2021). Currently leads FWF-funded projects on palace architecture and spatial semiotics in Avaris/Tell el-Dab’a. Her work integrates stratigraphic analysis with architectural studies to reconstruct ancient urban dynamics.