dr. L. (Lidewijde) de Jong
Research interests
I am an archaeologist of the Near East in the
Roman period. My research focuses on the dynamics
of ancient empires and identity
formation, and extends to the era of the
Hellenistic-Seleucid kings, preceding Roman control, and the period
after Rome was replaced by Byzantine and Early Islamic rulers. I
take a bottom-up approach to ancient imperialism by investigating
the cultural expressions of local communities. Funerary
customs in particular, provide key insights to the
formation and renegotiation of local identities in the face of
imperial and globalizing forces. I am also
interested in archaeological theory, digital approaches, and
initiatives aimed at safeguarding cultural heritage of the Middle
East.
Key words: Archaeology of the Hellenistic and
Roman Near East, Mortuary Studies, Ancient Empires, Globalization
and Identity, Diversity and Sustainability, Archaeological Heritage
in Conflict zones, and Digitalization/Digital Databases