Education

2019: Doctoral degree in Prehistoric Archaeology, University of Erlangen–Nuremberg. Thesis title: “The Epipalaeolithic Colonisation of the Eastern Sahara”

2011: M.A. in Prehistoric Archaeology, Geography and Islamic Studies, University of Cologne. Thesis title: “Dora 42/8 – ein epipaläolithischer Siedlungsplatz in der libyschen Sahara”

Academic Positions and Fellowships

Since 03/2023: Research associate, Institute of Prehistoric Archaeology, University of Cologne

2022–2023: Postdoctoral fellowship, Fritz Thyssen Foundation

2014–2016: PhD candidate, Project A2: CRC 806 (Our way to Europe) Project A2: Late Quaternary High-Resolution Climate Archives in the Sahara, Institute of Prehistoric Archaeology, University of Cologne

2012–2013: Research associate, African Archaeology Archive Cologne (AAArC), Institute of Prehistoric Archaeology, University of Cologne

2011–2012: Research assistant, CRC 806 (Our way to Europe) Project A2: Late Quaternary High-Resolution Climate Archives in the Sahara, Institute of Prehistoric Archaeology, University of Cologne

Sylvestre, F., Melles, M., Wennrich, V., Dinies, M., Chalié, F., Swingedouw, D., Dallmeyer, A., Shi, X., Claussen, M., Jaeschke, A., Cocquyt, C., Karls, J., Kuper, J., ... & Kröpelin, S. (2026): Decadal-scale droughts disrupted the African Humid Period in the Sahara. Nature 652, 365–370

Kuper, J. (2024): A Paradise of Tools: Wadi Shaw 83/105 und die postglaziale Wiederbesiedlung der sudanesischen Westwüste. In: Uthmeier, T. & Maier, A. (Eds.): Stone Age. Studying Technologies of Non-analogous Environments and Glacial Ecosystems. Papers in Honor of Jürgen Richter (85-98). Bonn: Verlag Dr. Rudolf Habelt GmbH. 

Kuper, J. (2023): The Epipalaeolithic Reoccupation of the Eastern Sahara. Africa Praehistorica 32. Köln: Heinrich-Barth-Institut.

Kindermann, K., Kuper, J., Bubenzer, O. & Henselowsky, F. (2021): Ephemeral but not remote – Insights into the Late Pleistocene of Northeast Africa. In: Litt, T., Richter, J. & Schäbitz, F. (eds.), The Journey of Modern Humans from Africa to Europe (31-40). Stuttgart: Schweizerbart'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung.

Jesse, F.; Kuper, J.; Alkhidir, H. M.; with contributions by Nolde, N. & Röpke, A. (2020): Prehistoric settlement south of the 5th Nile Cataract – Some results of recent archaeological work of the El Gol Project. Der Antike Sudan – Mitteilungen der Sudan Archäologischen Gesellschaft 31, 25–47.

Jesse, F.; Kuper, J. & Nolde, N. (2018): Neue Ausgrabungen am fünften Nilkatarakt: Das El-Gol-Projekt der Universität Münster. Heinrich-Barth-Kurier 2018, 10-15.

Kuper, J.; Schönfeld, P. & Kröpelin, S. (2017): Neu entdeckte prähistorische Grabbauten am Emi Koussi, Tibesti-Gebirge (Tschad). Der Antike Sudan – Mitteilungen der Sudan Archäologischen Gesellschaft 27, 35–42. 

Kuper, J. & P. Schönfeld (2015): Expedition ins Tibesti – Forschung im höchsten Gebirge der Sahara. Heinrich-Barth-Kurier 1/15, 2015, 18-21.

Kuper, J. (2015): Filling a gap: Early Holocene evidence from Central Libya. In: Kabaciński, J., Chłodnicki M., and Kobusiewicz, M. (Eds.): Hunter-Gatherers and Early Food Producing Societies in Northeastern Africa, Studies in African Archaeology 14, Poznan, 337–350. 

Kuper, J. (2011): Dora 42/8 – ein epipaläolithischer Siedlungsplatz in der libyschen Sahara. Archäologische Informationen 34/1, 151–158.

Kuper, J. (2008): Dora 42/8 – Spurensuche in der libyschen Sahara. Heinrich-Barth-Kurier 2/08, 2008, 3-6.

2017: Prehistoric sites at El Gol (Sudan), University of Münster

2013: Selima Oasis Project (SOP), Section Française de la Direction des Antiquités du Soudan (SFDAS), Khartoum 

2012–2013: African Archaeology Archive Cologne (AAArC), University of Cologne

2011–2016: Late Quaternary High-Resolution Climate Archives in the Sahara, 

Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) 806 – Our Way to Europe, Project A2

2011–2012: Out of Africa – Late Pleistocene Rock Shelter Stratigraphies and Palaeoenvironments in Northeastern Africa, Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) 806 – Our Way to Europe, Project A1

2008: Dora – Archaeological excavations in the Jebel Haruj region, Heinrich Barth Institute, Cologne

International Commission of the Later Prehistory of Northeastern Africa

SAfA – Society of Africanist Archaeologists

HBI – Heinrich-Barth-Institut e.V.