Dr Amal Al Kassem

Visiting Post-Doctoral Researcher  

What do you do?

I am a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Prehistoric Archaeology at the University of Cologne, where I also completed my PhD in lithic technology of the Middle Palaeolithic. My research uses stone artefact technologies to reconstruct the behaviour, mobility, and land-use patterns of hunter-gatherer communities. Currently, my work is focused on documenting Syrian cultural heritage sites, using remote sensing and field-based surveys to assess the impact of conflict and help inform preservation strategies for the future.

How are you involved in this area of science? 

Together with colleagues, I have continued documenting the conditions of damaged archaeological sites in the Al Hasakah region (north-eastern Syria) remotely, using free and high-resolution Google satellite imagery to systematically record damage for EAMENA data.

The results were published in 2022 in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports under the title, "The Impact of the Syrian Conflict on Archaeological Sites in Al-Hasakah Province." This work contributes to enhancing the use of satellite imagery for documenting archaeological sites in areas that cannot be accessed.

Currently, our efforts continue to document damaged archaeological sites across the entire governorate of Daraa, using satellite imagery and field visits to obtain a comprehensive assessment of site conditions, funded by the Gerda Henkel Stiftung. This work has resulted in two publications that are currently under review.

These publications provide critical analyses aimed at coordinating, understanding, documenting, preserving, and interpreting damages in both recorded and unrecorded archaeological sites, alongside future plans for their protection. Through this project, we have provided a database of nearly 190 damaged recorded and unrecorded archaeological sites in Daraa to the EAMENA project.

What do you love about this topic?

What motivates me in this project is the shared objective among all participants. We are uniting our efforts to support and document archaeological sites damaged by ongoing conflicts. Additionally, we are training local teams to overcome challenging conditions and carry out the documentation processes successfully.

How does this work deliver real-world impact?

Having quick access to archaeological site data facilitates scientific research and raises awareness among local communities and trainees about the significance of heritage sites.