Dr Andrew Jamieson
Lecturer
Spencer/Pappas Trust Curator
- Telephone:
- (+61 3) 8344 3403
- Email:
- asj@unimelb.edu.au
- Fax:
- (+61 3) 8344 4161
- Location:
- Room G13 (enter via G12), Old Quadrangle
The University of Melbourne VIC 3010
Academic Profile (click on the link for more information)
Biography
Research
Publications
Teaching
Exhibitions
Public programs
Biography
Andrew Jamieson has extensive archaeological field experience and has worked at sites in Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and Australia. In the mid-1990s he was deeply involved in the UNESCO post-war salvage operations in Beirut. For ten seasons he worked at Tell Ahmar in northern Syria. He has taught at Monash University and also been involved in a range of curatorial, conservation and field projects with Heritage Victoria. He is currently developing two new research projects in northern Syria: the establishment of an archaeological artefact repository at Qala’at Nejim and a joint Syrian-Australian excavation at Tell Qumluq.
Andrew is also member (archaeology) of the Heritage Council of Victoria.
Recent Grants & Awards:
- 2009
- Melbourne Early Career Researcher Grant Scheme
(From the Field to the Repository: significance of archaeological collections) - 2009
- Faculty of Arts, Faculty Research Grant Scheme
(From the Field to the Repository: significance of archaeological collections) - 2008
- Special Study Program, Faculty of Arts
(Archaeological museum collections / fieldwork and research north Syria) - 2008
- Cultural Community Relations Advisory Group, University of Melbourne
(National Archaeology Week - ‘Changes and Challenges in Archaeology’)
Research
Andrew’s research interests include the archaeology of the ancient Near East and Egypt, and historical archaeology in Victoria. He specializes in the study of ancient ceramics and archaeological artefact collections.
Current projects
From the Field to the Repository: significance of archaeological collections (Qala’at Nejim)
This project addresses a crucial but often ignored aspect of archaeology: proper care of the material and related records generated in the field and laboratory. Focusing on the archaeological collections from the Euphrates Valley (Tishreen Dam), north Syria, the aim is to develop strategies for short- and long-term collections management. Archaeological resources are non-renewable and any threat to the preservation of archaeological material threatens future research. Curation is seldom raised as a critical issue in an archaeological investigation or research design. The current ‘crisis’ in repository space has increased awareness that the long-term management of culturally significant material requires serious consideration. The primary objective of this project is to develop and test criteria for determining significance and assessing research potential for archaeological collections.
Joint Syrian-Australian Excavation Project: Tell Qumluq
This joint Syrian-Australian project involves salvage excavations at Tell Qumluq; originally located on the east bank of the Euphrates River in north Syria, approximately equal distance between Carchemish and Til Barsib/Tell Ahmar. Since the creation of the Tishreen dam Tell Qumluq is now an island situated within the reservoir, and as a result the site is threatened with destruction caused by flooding. Low lying areas of the site have been inundated and a number of burials from the mid-to-late third millennium BCE were recently destroyed by rising water levels. Large quantities of archaeological artefacts are clearly visible across the surface of the site, especially at the base of the tell. Although there has been no systematic surface survey, previous surface collections and test excavations have indicated evidence for the Uruk, Bronze Age, Iron Age, Classical (Romano-Hellenistic), and Islamic (Ayyubid) periods, clearly demonstrating Tell Qumluq’s historical importance.
Publications
Books
- (Forthcoming) A. Jamieson, Neo-Assyrian Pottery from Tell Ahmar, Leuven, Peeters.
- (Forthcoming) A. Jamieson, Archaeological Ceramics: ethnoarchaeological pottery studies and experimental archaeology from Egypt and the Ancient Near East, Melbourne, Macmillan.
Chapters
- 2007, A.Jamieson (with A. Warfe), (Chapter III:8), ‘Experimental archaeology in the Dakhleh Oasis, south central Egypt: new insights on the prehistoric pottery industry’, in K. Kroper, M. Chlodnicki & M. Kobusiewicz, Archaeology of Early Northeastern Africa, Poznan, pp. 539-555.
- 2005, A. Jamieson, ‘A Painted Eye-Vase from Tell Ahmar and the Syro-Cilician Painted Ceramic Tradition’, in Si un homme... Textes offerts en hommage à André Finet, P. Talon, V. Van der Stede (éds.) Subartu 16 (Chapter 12) pp. 79-83, (Brepols)
Articles in Refereed Journals
- (accepted), A. Jamieson (with P. Mel & K. Shepherdson), ‘Cypriot pottery in The University of Melbourne: an examination of historical context and conservation issues’, in Leiden Journal of Pottery Studies, 24, (2008)
- 2005, A. Jamieson and A. Warfe, ‘Experimental Archaeology and Prehistoric Technology: An Exploration into Early Pottery-Production in Dakhleh Oasis, South Central Egypt’, in Leiden Journal of Pottery Studies, 21
- 2002, A. Jamieson [with I. Lieft, D. Jamieson, B. Rout, & R. Szymanski], “PIXE cluster analysis of ancient ceramics from North Syria”, in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B, 190, (Elsevier Science), pp. 492-496
Technical publications
- 2005, A. Jamieson, (with A. Warfe) ‘A Prehistoric Pottery Experiment’, in Ceramics Technical, vol. 20, 2005, pp. 53-58.
- 2004, A. Jamieson, ‘Aleppo Pottery Workshop’, in Ceramics Technical, 18, pp. 78-82. (ISSN 1324-4175)
- 2003, A. Jamieson, ‘Egyptian Faience’ in Ceramics Technical, 17, pp. 82-87, (ISSN 1324-4175)
- 2003, A. Jamieson, ‘The Jara of Alexandria’, in Ceramics Technical, 16, pp. 1-5.
Other publications and short notes
- 2008, A. JAMIESON, ‘Australian archaeologists at Pella’, in Agora, 48/3, Journal of the History Teachers Association of Victoria, pp. 9-13.
- 2007, A. Jamieson, Discovering Egypt, Ian Potter Museum of Art, University of Melbourne, Melbourne.
- 2007, A. Jamieson, ‘Calligraphic Creativity: Middle Eastern Manuscripts’, in The Journal of the Asian Arts Society of Australia, 16:1, pp. 7-9 (ISSN 1037 6674)
- 2007, A. Jamieson, ‘Making discoveries: new generations of students and visitors explore the Classics and Archaeology Collection’ in Arts Events Ideas, Issue 2, p. 10.
- 2005, A. Jamieson, ‘Tombs, Treasures and Shipwrecks: University Classics and Archaeology Collection Helps Bring the Ancient World to Life’, in Uni News, Vol. 14, No. 17, 19 September – 3 October, pp. 4-5
- 2005, A. Jamieson, ‘Antiquities: Classics & Archaeology Collection and Early Writing Exhibition’, in Arts, Events, Ideas, Issue 3, pp.10-11
- 2005, A. Jamieson, ‘The Dawn of Glass making’, in Arts Events Ideas, Issue 4, p. 6
- 2005, A. Jamieson, ‘Hands on History: Ancient Rome, Myth and Empire’, in Arts Events Ideas, Issue 4, p. 7
Other significant pre-2000 publications
- 2001, A. Jamieson, (Chapter 13) ‘Identifying Room Use and Vessel Function: A case study of the Iron Age Pottery from Building C2 at Tell Ahmar, North Syria’, in G. Bunnens (ed.), Essays on Syria in the Iron Age, Ancient Near East, Supplement Series, Vol. 7, Leuven, pp. 261-304.
- 1999, A. Jamieson, ‘Neo-Assyrian Pottery from Tell Ahmar’, in A. Hausleiter & A. Reiche (eds.), Studies on Iron Age Pottery from Northern Mesopotamia, Northern Syria and South-Eastern Anatolia, Altertumskunde des Vorden Orients, Munich, pp. 287-308.
- 1998, A. Jamieson, ‘Ceramic Vessels from the Middle Bronze Age Jar Burial F 167 at Tell Ahmar’, in Abr-Nahrain, 35, pp. 106-119.
- 1998, A. Jamieson, ‘Pottery from an Early Bronze Age Burial at Dja'de’, (with E. Coqueugniot, J.-L. Montero Fonellós, & J. Anfruns) in “Une Tombe du Bronze Ancien à Dja'de el Mughara (Moyen-Euphrate, Syria”, in Les Cahiers Euphrate, 8, Éditions Recherche sur les Civilisations, Paris, 1998, pp. 88-95.
- 1993, A. Jamieson, ‘The Euphrates Valley and Early Bronze Age Ceramic Traditions’, in Abr-Nahrain, 31, pp. 35-92.
- 1990, A. Jamieson, (Chapter 3), ‘Area A – Pottery’, in G. Bunnens (ed.), Tell Ahmar 1988 Season, Abr-Nahrain Supplement Series, Vol. 2, Leuven, pp. 25-105.
Teaching
107-102 Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia 1st Year (with Professor Antonio Sagona and Dr Louise Hitchcock)
107-211 Egypt Under the Pharaohs 2nd year
131-302 New Kingdom Egypt, the Aegean and the East 3rd year (with Dr Louise Hitchcock)
Recent Exhibitions
Greek vases
Ian Potter Museum of Art, University of Melbourne
Exhibition dates 20 September 2008 – 5 April 2009.
Some of the most important pottery producing centres of the Greek world are represented in the University of Melbourne Classics and Archaeology Collection: Athens, Corinth, east Greece and south Italy. This important collection covers the period from the thirteenth to the fourth centuries BCE and is one of the most highly regarded collections of classical antiquities in Australia.
Further information
Australian archaeologists at Pella
Ian Potter Museum of Art, University of Melbourne
Exhibition dates 10 April 2008 – 14 September 2008.
This exhibition looked at the ancient city of Pella in the North Jordan Valley and told the story of technology, trade and daily life over many centuries. It also described the significant discoveries Australian archaeologists have made in Jordan for over fifty years.
Further information
Cypriot antiquities
Ian Potter Museum of Art, University of Melbourne
Exhibition dates 5 September 2007 – 16 March 2008.
The university’s collection of Cypriot antiquities is representative of the human history on this strategically important island and includes a wide range of Bronze and Iron Age artefacts that were brought to Australia by the late Professor JR Stewart from the 1930s until the early 1960s.
Further information
Discovering Egypt
Ian Potter Museum of Art, University of Melbourne
Exhibition dates 31 March 2007 – 26 August 2007.
The Egyptians are one of the most fascinating peoples of the ancient world. This exhibition includes artefacts drawn from University of Melbourne and Queen’s College collections. The exhibition also includes several key items from the Egyptian collection of Museum Victoria. A number of private collectors have also kindly contributed objects to the exhibition. The Discovering Egypt exhibition demonstrates the distinctive character of Egyptian civilisation which emerged in the Nile valley during the early third millennium BCE and survived right through until the spread of Christianity. Through a survey of artefacts spanning the Palaeolithic, Predynastic, Pharaonic, Classical and Coptic periods the exhibition introduces and informs visitors to the main historical and cultural achievements of ancient Egypt.
Further information
Public programs at the Ian Potter Museum of Art
Ancient Culture: Think through ancient cultures
Thinking Through Ancient Cultures is an exciting educational program which provides year 7-12 students with an opportunity to experience the fascinating and rewarding world of Classics and Archaeology. Designed by expert staff at the University of Melbourne’s Centre for Classics and Archaeology and coordinated by Dr Andrew Jamieson, Spencer/Pappas Curator, this program is offered in cooperation with the Ian Potter Museum of Art.
The program, quite literally puts ancient cultures in the hands of the students. Students can get a ‘behind the scenes’ look at the Classics and Archaeology Collection at the Potter Museum and actually work with artefacts in the Collection.
The Classics and Archaeology Collection is one of the oldest and most important art collections of the University of Melbourne. With more than 2,400 objects, the collection provides an opportunity for students to explore the cultures of the ancient Near East, Egypt, Greece and Rome. Artefacts range from Pre-Dynastic Egyptian vessels more than 6,000 years old to Bronze Age Near Eastern weaponry, Classical Greek vases and Roman coinage.
Furthermore students will see how artefacts are recovered through excavation, how they are processed and conserved, how they are analysed, how they reveal the secrets of the past, and how all of this information is important for us today.
Further information about the Ancient Cultures schools program at the Ian Potter Museum of Art.