Advisor: Prof. Arlette David

M.A. thesis topic: Egyptian Governors Residencies in the Late Bronze.

Thesis summery: Egyptian Governors Residencies is an architectural type found in the southern Levant during the LBIIb period. The type was first introduced by petrie in 1930, and since than it has become the main architectural type to be recognized with the Egyptian occupation of the southern Levant in the Late Bronze period (parallel to the New Kingdom in Egypt). Our understanding of the Egyptian presence in the southern Levant during the New Kingdom is still very basic, and there are many unresolved questions revolving the matter. My research aims to dismantle and reassemble this architectural type, using parallels from Nubia and Egypt. In doing so, I hope to reach a better understanding of some of the questions concerning the Egyptian occupation of our region.

PhD Dissertation: Hellenistic Hemispherical Moldmade Relief Bowls found in Israel: Production, Exchange and Consumption

Advisor: Prof. Ilan Sharon

Research Summery: Hellenistic Hemispherical Moldmade Relief Bowls (MMBs) have been identified at many sites in Israel. They were not produced however, in Israel but in different locations around the Mediterranean and Black Sea. I am researching how and where the bowls were produced, exchanged and used. In addition to traditional visual analysis, I am also utilizing Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) to determine the provenience of the bowls.

Projects:

• Registrar of Tel Dor, creating catalog of Hellenistic moldmade pottery for Area D4

Advisors: Prof. Leore Grosman and Prof. Gonen Sharon (Tel Hai Collage)

Research Interests:

Bifacial stone tools, primarily handaxes and cleavers, are the hallmark of the Acheulean period. Despite more than a century of research exploring these bifaces from a growing number of sites, their morphological variation in time and space remains enigmatic. This PhD project seeks to quantify the degree of variability of bifaces from sites in Africa, the Levant, South Asia and East Asia. Typical analyses of bifaces rely on two-dimensional measurements which oversimply their complex three-dimensional variability. For this project, three-dimensional scanning and analysis methods are used to better capture this variability as well as extract key technological variables, such as centre of mass, axes of symmetry, outline morphology, volumetric variation and scar segmentation. Key questions to be addressed include whether biface morphology is better explained by cultural or technological factors, as well as whether diffusion or convergence was responsible for their wide geographic spread.

Additional research interests include experimental investigations into the evolution of lithic technology, with a particular emphasis on cognition, skill, efficiency and standardisation. Other work includes lithic analysis at Boncuklu, an early Neolithic site in Turkey, as well as improving methods and applications of measuring lithic reduction intensity.

Publications:

• Muller, A., C. Clarkson, D. Baird and A. Fairbairn 2018 Reduction intensity of backed blades: blank consumption, regularity and efficiency at the early Neolithic site of Boncuklu, Turkey. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 21:721-732.

• Muller, A., C. Clarkson and C. Shipton 2017 Measuring behavioural and cognitive complexity in lithic technology throughout human evolution. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 48:166-180.
• Muller, A. and C. Clarkson 2016 Identifying major transitions in the evolution of lithic cutting edge production rates. PLoS ONE 11(12):e0167244.
• Muller, A. and C. Clarkson 2016 A new method for accurately and precisely measuring flake platform area. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 8:178-186.
• Muller, A. and C. Clarkson 2014 Estimating original flake mass on blades using 3D platform area: problems and prospects. Journal of Archaeological Science 52:31-38.

Advisor: Prof. Erella Hovers

Projects

Analysis of finds from NMO (along with Prof. G. Sharon).

Analysis and publication of IAA excavations of various Middle Paleolithic sites in the Negev.

Analysis and publication of material from a flint mining site in Mitzpe Ramon.

Advisor: Dr. Katia Cytryn-Silverman.

Abstract: In the aftermath of the Ottoman conquest, wilāyat aš-Šarīf - sub-province of Damascus- experienced a cultural shifting encompassing economic and social growth. Historical sources testify that urban and rural settlements flourished around the province, while economic and cultural connections were held on different scales. Liwā Ṣafed, Safed district, represents the perfect case study for an in-depth archaeological investigation of the Early Ottoman renaissance in the region for several reasons: a) it held a prominent economic and cultural role within the region; b) it was setting of numerous archaeological investigations; 3) the retrieved pottery assemblages are large, variegated and from stratigraphic contexts, enhancing quality and purposes of the studies. This material must be approached through a multidisciplinary methodology involving visual analysis, petrography, quantitive analysis, GIS/A mapping and ultimately comparative discussions, in order to obtain a strong chrono-typology and better understand production, distribution and consumption patterns, their extents and the socio-economic implications.   

Research Interests:

• Material culture of the Islamic periods
• Ottoman pottery – chrono-typology, production, distribution and consumption
• Pottery database
• GIS and GIA
• Economic and social history of the Late Islamic periods
• Historical sources in the archaeological research

Projects

• National Treasures, Israel Antiquities Authority - Curator of the archaeology collection of Islamic and Crusader periods (2015-currently)
• Mamluk-Early Ottoman pottery from Kafr Kanna. In progress
• Mamluk and Ottoman pottery from Mughrabim, Jerusaelm. In Progress
• Mamluk and Ottoman pottery from Ohel Yitzchak, Jerusalem. In Progress
• Crusader, Mamluk and Ottoman Pottery from excavations in Safed. In Progress
• Islamic pottery from Bethlehem of Galilee. In progress
• The Ancient Jerusalem Sifting Project - Publication staff member, expert for the Crusader and Late Islamic periods pottery (2014-2015)
• Qara Qorum Archaeological Excavations - Field archaeologist and ceramic found illustrator (August 2014)
• Tiberias Archaeological Excavations - Field archaeologist (July 2012 and February 2013)
• Giv’ati Parking Lot Archaeological Excavation, Area M4 and M5 - Field archaeologist and staff member participant in publication for area M4 and M5 (2012-2014)

Advisor: Dr. Uri Davidovich