1
. Personal Information
· Full name: Abdulameer M. Al-Dafar Al-Hamdani
· Date and place of birth: May 15th 1967. Nasiriya, Iraq.
· Position: Archaeologist specialized in Mesopotamian archaeology.
· E-mail: عنوان البريد الإلكتروني هذا محمي من روبوتات السبام. يجب عليك تفعيل الجافاسكربت لرؤيته. ; عنوان البريد الإلكتروني هذا محمي من روبوتات السبام. يجب عليك تفعيل الجافاسكربت لرؤيته.
· Phone: +964 780 605 8172
2
. Scientific Qualification
· Bachelor degree in Ancient Archaeology, Baghdad University 1987.
· MA in Archaeology from the Department of Anthropology of State University of New York at Stony Brook-May 2013. It is titled “Town, Village and Marsh Settlement in the Eridu Basin: Economic, Spatial, Political and Ritual Relationships between Settlements in the Sumerian Heartland in the Early Second Millennium BCE”.
· PhD from the Department of Anthropology-the State University of New York at Stony Brook, 2015. It is titled “The Shadow States: The Archaeology of Power in the Marshes of Southern Mesopotamia”
· Local instructor for teaching Arabic at department of Linguistics Stony Brook University since 2010-2012.
· Teaching assistant for teaching Archaeology and Anthropology at Department of Anthropology, Stony brook University
· Specialized in using remote sensing, Geographic Information System, and geospatial techniques in Archaeology.
· Specialized in doing regional archaeological survey, and internal systematic survey.
· Director of the antiquities directorate of Dhiqar province in southern Iraq, and director of Nasiriya Museum 2003-2009.
· good skill in using computer software, Geographic Information system (GIS) and remote sensing. Translate scientific and literature texts from English to Arabic and vice versa.
3.
Professional Experience
3.1.
Survey
· 2003-2009, carried out regional survey and documentation of Archaeological sites and heritages buildings in southern Iraq by using G.P.S (Global Positions System), satellite images, and GIS, adding new 1200 archaeological sites to the archaeological Atlas of Iraq.
· 2004-2010, carried out surveys for the archaeological sites in the marshes of southern Iraq: the central marshes, Hawr al-Hammar, and Hawr al-Huwaiza, which are located between and along the Tigris and Euphrates. 2004-2009.
· Extensive field Experience in guarding and Protecting of Archaeological sites through full Cooperation with Coalition force (American, Italian) and local police since April 2003-2005.This involving arranging patrols and confiscation hundreds of Ancient artifacts from looters and sent them to Iraq National museum in Baghdad.
· 2008, assessing the damage and the impact of the looting activities for the archaeological sites in southern Iraq between Nippur and Ur with a team from the British Museum, SUNY at Stony Brook and the Iraqi State Board of Antiquities and Heritage.
· 2009, surveying the western desert west of Eridu to reconstruct the natural and ancient landscape outside of the alluvial plain in southern Iraq.
· Carried out a project of surveying and documenting the ancient city of Ur in coordinate with the cultural heritage office at the American Embassy in Baghdad and the Global Heritage Fund (GHF).
· 2009-2010, preparing reports and maps of the archaeological sites and features of the Zubair oil field in Basra province, and Badra oil field in Wasit province, by using ground survey and remote sensing data.
· 2010, preparing a report and maps for the UNESCO about the archaeological sites and features in the marshes of southern Iraq, by using ground survey and remote sensing data.
· 2016, contributing in the inscription of the marshes of southern Iraq, and the ancient cities of Ur, Uruk, and Eridu to the Global Heritage list of UNESCO
.
3.2.
Remote Sensing
· digitizing and tracing surface architecture and features in the archaeological sites of central and southern Iraq. The method was using high-resolution satellite images to analysis and trace architectural features the happen to be visible.
· 2013-2015, creating data base and digital atlas maps for the archaeological sites in Iraq, almost 15.000 sites. The method was analyzing satellite images, digitizing previous survey data, and digitizing and georeferencing maps of the department of survey and the Iraq Atlas maps.
· 2013-2015, reconstructing the ancient landscape, settlement systems, and canal systems of southern Mesopotamia during the early second millennium BCE, the late first millennium BCE and the tenth century CE as a part of my dissertation to SUNY at Stony Brook. the method was using ground surveys and remote sensing, as well as ethnohistorical and ethnographic data
.
3.3.
Excavation
· 2003-2004, director of an expedition from the Iraqi State Board of Antiquities and Heritage to excavate the site of Tal Lehem- near Ur-southern Iraq.
· 2008-2009 a member of an expedition from the Iraqi State Board of Antiquities and Heritage to excavate the site of Umm al-Aqarib-southern Iraq.
· 2011-2012 a member of an expedition from the State University of New York at Stony Brook to excavate the site of Tell Sakhariya near Ur.
· 2015 2011-2012 a member of an expedition from the State University of New York at Stony Brook to excavate the ancient city of Ur.
· 2011-2012, scientific adviser of the Italian expedition from Rome University-La sapienza that excavated at the site of Abu Tubaira near Ur in southern Iraq.
· Preparing files in both Arabic and English to nominate the ancient city of Ur and the Mesopotamian Marshes for UNESCO list of World Heritage List, 2009.
· Editing the Arabic version of the visual Iraqi museum which was part of project of English and Italian web page in coordinate with National Research Center in Rome 2008.
· Digitizing the Past: Making a digital atlas maps for the archaeological sites in Iraq in coordination with the Research Foundation at Stony Brook University and the Cultural Heritage Center at the U.S. Department of State, from 2013 to present
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3.4.
Teaching:
· Teaching Archaeology at Dhiqar University 2007-2009-Iraq.
· Teaching Arabic at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, 2010-2012.
· Teaching assistant at the State University of New York at Stony Brook to teach anthropology and archaeology, 2014-2015.
4
. conferences:
· Participation in a conference on Iraq Heritage held after April 2004 in Baghdad, and one in Jordan/Petra with G.H.F.
· Participating in GIS and remount senses study in State University of New York at Stony Brook in the period from January 21st – May 21st 2008.
· Participating a workshop in the ancient world heritage which took place in Istanbul by Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC) and The American Academic Research Institute in Iraq (TAARII), September 2007.
· Participating a conference about cultural relations between ancient Near East and Mediterranean civilizations during the classical periods, Rome 2008.
· Participating a conference about “Looting of the Iraqi cultural heritage”, and giving a lecture about “protecting and documenting the archaeological heritage in Southern Iraq during and after the 2003 war” in the Oriental institute in Chicago, April 2008.
· Participating in many national and international conferences about archaeology and cultural heritage of Iraq and the Near East.
5.
Lectures and presentations
· 2008, “Protecting and documenting the archaeological heritage in Southern Iraq during and after the 2003 war”, in the Oriental institute in Chicago, April 2008.
· 2008, a lecture at the American Academy in Rome on October 2008.
· 2008, a lecture at the Italian National Research Center in Lechi, Nov.2008
· 2008, a lecture at the Department of oriental studies at Geneva University. Switzerland, Nov. 2008
· 2008, a lecture at International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM). Italy 2008.
· 2011, “Current situation of Archaeological Sites in Iraq: Excavation and Survey Projects, Looting and Protection Efforts”, at a conference “Cultural Heritage Now: Iraq and Beyond at Rutgers”, at the State University of New Jersey. April 27, 2011.
· 2011, “Saving Iraq’s Ancient Heritage at Ur”, a Seminar on Global Heritage Conservation and Sustainable Development. Global Heritage Fund, May 11, 2011 at Roosevelt House, Hunter College, New York.
· 2011, “Preserving Iraq's cultural Heritage”, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Oct. 6th 2011.
· 2011, “A new survey of the archaeological sites in Southern Iraq”, the annual meeting of the American School of Oriental Research (ASOR), San Francesco Oct. 18 2011.
· 2012, “Survey of archaeological sites in Southern Mesopotamian Marshes”, The annual meeting of the American Schools of Oriental Research (ASOR), Chicago 2012.
· 2012, “Using remote sensing techniques and GIS to survey archaeological sites in southern Iraq”. The Iraqi Cultural Center in Washington, Dec 8, 2012.
· 2013, “The destruction, efforts of protection and preservation, and projects of surveys and excavations in Iraq”. At a conference “Ten years after the catastrophe: the current situation of the archaeological sites in Iraq”. The Oriental Institute of Chicago University, Apr 16, 2013.
· 2013, “The Encounter: Americans, Iraqis, and a Decade of War” at the Institute for Middle East Studies at George Washington University, October 3rd 2013.
· 2014, “The implications of the current fighting for Iraq's cultural Heritage”, the Iraqi Cultural Center in Washington DC, on July 18th 2014.
· 2014, “The Role of Small Settlements in the Sumerian Heartland in the Early Second Millennium BCE.” 2014 ASOR Annual Meeting in San Diego- California, Nov 20, 2014.
· 2014, “Protecting Iraqi Cultural Heritage in Times of War: Past and Present Challenges”. The University of Maryland and The American Academic Research Institute in Iraq. University of Maryland, College Park, Dec 11, 2014.
· 2015, “Destruction of Iraq's Heritage: When Heritage becomes a Target of a Bullet”. In a workshop titled History Under the Sword: Tracking Cultural Heritage Destruction, Human Migration, and the Dynamic Nature of Conflict in the Middle East. Harvard University’s Radcliffe Institute of Advanced Study, 9-10 July 2015.
· 2016. "Current Concerns on the Ground: The story of the Destruction of Iraq's Cultural Heritage", at a conference titled " Culture in Crisis II" at the Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage, Yale University, in collaboration with the Victoria and Albert Museum London under the patronage of UNESCO, April 11th 2016.
· 2016. "A New Survey for Umma-Lagash Region in southern Mesopotamia" at the 10th International Congress on The Archaeology of the Ancient Near East, 25–29 April 2016, Vienna, Austrian Academy of Sciences.
· 2016. "The Challenges Facing the Iraqi State Board of Antiquities and Heritage, and A New Hope", in a conference titled " The conflict and Living Heritage in the Middle east", at the American University in Iraq in coordination with Institute Francais du prouche-Orient, Sulaimanya May 11-12th.
· 2016."Recent National and International archeological projects in Iraq", at a conference titled "Facing the Chaos: Heritage Protection in the XXI century". Institute of Oriental Manuscripts, May 19-20th, St. Petersburg, Russia.
· 2016."Protecting the Archaeological Sites of Southern Iraq ", at the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia.
· The Settlement and Canal Systems in the lower Southern Mesopotamia during the First Sealand Dynasty (1721-1340 BCE), in a workshop titled "Ur in the Twenty-First Century CE", as a part of the 62nd Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale. University of Pennsylvania, July 11-15th 2016.
6.
Publications:
· 2008, a chapter titled (The damage sustained to the ancient city of Ur), in a co-authors book of "Destruction of the cultural heritage in Iraq", which is published in Newcastle University in 2008.
· 2009, (article)Protecting and documenting our archaeological heritage in Southern Iraq, this has been published in Near Eastern Magazine in the American School of Oriental research (ASOR). Boston 2009.
· 2011, (Co-Article with Stephanie Rost) which titled “Traditional dam construction in modern Iraq: A possible analogy for ancient Mesopotamian irrigation practices”, Iraq, volume LXXIII 2011.
· 2012, Excavation at Tell Sakhariya in Dhiqar Province in Southern Iraq. TAARII Newsletter Spring 2012.
· 2014, The Mesopotamian Marshes archaeological heritage: Surveying and documenting archaeological sites in southern Iraq marshes, TAARII Newsletter Autumn 2014.
· 2014, Iraq’s heritage faces new wave of destruction, in the Heritage Daily.
· Editor in chief for (Sumerian Art) magazine, Issued by Dhi-qar University, College of Art (2007-2009).
· Several articles in Arabic deal with Mesopotamian archaeology have been published in Iraqi newspapers and magazines such as: Sumer Magazine, and Sumerian Arts magazine
.
7.
Fellowships
· 2008. A fellowship from the Consul of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC) for three month of research at the American Academy in Rome (RAA) and International Center of Conservation of Cultural properties (ICCROM), as a part of the cultural exchange program between the Middle East and the Mediterranean.
· 2010, a fellowship from the Global Heritage Fund to prepare for the project of making a master plan of managing and rehabilitation of the ancient city of Ur.
· 2011-2012, a fellowship from the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology for working in the project of digitizing the archives of the ancient city of Ur.
· 2013, Mesopotamian fellowship from the American Schools of oriental Research (ASOR).
· 2014, a fellowship from the Statue Foundation –New York City.
· 2015, a fellowship from the Research Foundation at SUNY-Stony Brook to introduce modern techniques and methods in conducting field works to young archaeologists of Iraq
.
8.
Memberships:
· International Center of Conservation of Cultural properties (ICCROM).
· The American Academic Research in Iraq (TAARII).
· The American School of Oriental Research (ASOR).
· Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC).
· World Archaeology Conference (WAC).
· The New York Academy of Sciences.
· Umma Foundation for Protecting Cultural History in Conflict Zones.
· The Columbia University Seminar on the Ancient Near East.
· The International Consul of Museums (ICOM)
· American Academy in Rome (AAR).
· The Iraqi Association of Archaeologists
· The Iraqi Heritage Foundation-London, senior adviser
· Iraqi Union of Journalists
· Iraqi Union of Writers, director of Dhiqar province union.
· The Iraqi Consul of Peace and Solidarity
· Voices for Iraq Organization, board director
