Dr. Amal Al Kassem

Dr. Amal Al Kassem
Researcher
Bernhard-Feilchenfeld Str. 11
Floor 4 - Room 4.07
50969 Cologne

Email: aalkass3uni-koeln.de
Twitter: @amal_kasm

Amal Al Kassem is a researcher at the Institute of Prehistoric and Early History at the University of Cologne. As a flintknapper, she specializes in the lithic industries of the Levant and the Arabian Peninsula. Her research focuses on reconstructing the behavior, mobility, and land use of hunter-gatherer groups through the study of stone tool technologies. Currently, her interests include the preservation and documentation of Syrian heritage and archaeological sites, utilizing both fieldwork and remote sensing imagery. She is actively surveying southern Syria, with a particular focus on identifying and coordinating sites from the Palaeolithic, Epipalaeolithic, and Neolithic periods.

Consultation hours

Digital and personal consultation hours by appointment. Please send appointment request by email.

Current Projects

Documentation and assessment of the impact of the Syrian conflict on archaeological sites, as well as the survey of prehistoric sites in southern Syria.

Research Focus

Techno-typological analysis of lithics of Palaeolithic, Epipalaeolithic and Neolithic
Landscape archaeology
Satellite imagery analysis
Documentation and assessment of damaged archaeological sites
Public relations

CV

Since 2022

Gerda Henkel Stiftung scholarship "Documentation and assessment of the impact of the Syrian conflict on archaeological sites" at the University of Cologne

2016-2021

PhD candidate and assistant researcher at the Institute of Prehistoric and Early History at the University of Cologne

2010-2015

An employee at the Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums, Damascus, Syria.

2013

Master's degree from Damascus University, Syria on the subject of "Palaeolithic sites in Daraa, southern Syria".

2007

Bachelor's degree in Archaeology from Damascus University.

Voluntary Activities

2015 – 2016 Translator-volunteer for the German Red Cross in the Bad Fallingbostel camp.

2017 – Today "17_3_17" Association of Supporters of the Exchange of German and Syrian Culture e.V.

Awards and distinctions

Short list candidate and honory mention for the European Archaeological Heritage Prize 2024

Monographs

2018

Dissertation: A. Al Kassem, Variability of core reduction strategies of the late Middle Palaeolithic of assemblages 6 and 4 of Yabroud I (Syria): An analytical and comparative study. Institute of Prehistoric and Early History at the University of Cologne, 2021. https://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/53414/1/Dissertation_Al%20Kassem.pdf

2013

Dissertation: Palaeolithic sites in Daraa, Southern Syria. Damascuc University, 2013.

Publications

Amal Al Kassem, Huw S. Groucutt, Felix Reize, Mariam Ali Alsuwaidi, Badar Mohamed Ab-dulla Al Ali, Mansour Boraik Radwan Karim, 2024., Neolithic Arrowheads and Bronze Age Industry at Saruq Al Hadid, UAE. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 57, 104581. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104581.

Mohammed Alkhalid, Amal Alkassem, Alessia D’auria, Younes Naime, Felix Reize, Mariam Alsuwaidi, Mansour Boraik, Bader Al Ali., 2024. Archaeological excavation at Saruq al Hadid 2022-2023 season: stratigraphy and new absolute chronological sequence of Area G. Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy, 1-32. https://doi.org/10.1111/aae.12250.

Amal Al Kassem, Huw S. Groucutt, Jürgen Richter, Michel Brenet., (accepted). The impacts of lateral obliqueness and edge angle on Levallois point morphology. Lithic studies.

Amal Al Kassem, Andreas Maier, Juergen Richter, Ismail Ibrahim, Kristen Hopper., (submit-ted)., Preliminary result of discovering Stratified Natufian Sites within Looting Pits at Al Teibeh, Southern Syria. Journal of Paléorient.

Amal Al Kassem, Kristen Hopper, Ismail Ibrahim, Andreas Maier, Jürgen Richter (accepted)., The impact of the Syrian Conflict on Daraa's Archaeological Heritage. Journal of Levant.

Amal Al Kassem et al. 2023. Guide of Archaeological Artefacts Insurance. Book. Dubai Municipality.

Amal Al Kassem., 2022. Die syrische Zeitachse - Ur- und Frühgeschichte. In: Syrien – Gegen das Vergessen. Abdullah, J. (ed.). Köln.

Adnan Mamo., Ismail Ibraheem., Amal Al Kassem., Ahmad Khalil, Kristen Hopper., 2022. The Impact of the Syrian Conflict on Archaeological Sites in Al-Hasakah Province. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 43, 103486. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2022.103486.

Amal Al Kassem., 2016. Documenting damage and clandestine excavations in Eastern Daraa. In: Abdelkarim, M. (Ed), Syrian Archaeological Heritage, Five Years of Crisis 2011–2015. Syrian Arab Republic, Ministry of Culture – Directorate General of Antiquities & Museums. Damascus, Syria, pp. 96-103.

Amal Al Kassem., Khaled Farhan., 2015. From the memory of the restoration. Journal of science and restoration (1), pp. 129-133.

Amal Al Kassem., 2015. Upper Acheulian in Daraa, south of Syria. Journal of Historical Studies, University of Damascus.

Amal Al Kassem., 2015. Al Kawaby Valley: A new site attributed to prehistory, south of Syria. Jordan Journal for History and Archaeology. Vol.9, 89-106.

Posters

2019

The close technological correlation between an obliqueness of two preceeding predetermined convergent removals of Levallois point production and the typical Levallois point. Hugo Obermaier-Gesellschaft/Düsseldorf/ Germany.

2018

The best-preserved Roman Theater (Bosra). Neanderthal Museum, Düsseldorf, Germany.

First observation on Palaeolithic surfaces sites in southern Daraa, Syria. Neanderthal Museum, Düsseldorf, Germany.

Documentation of damaged archaeological sites and illegal excavation in Daraa. Neanderthal Museum, Düsseldorf, Germany.

First archaeological observations on Palaeolithic surface sites 2010 and damaged heritage sites 2015 in southern Syria. Austria/ Vienna.

UNIVERSITY OF COLOGNE

Faculty of Arts and HumanitiesDepartment of Prehistoric Archaeology