Alexander PRUSS

Dr. Alexander Pruss is a full professor for Near Eastern Archaeology at JGU Mainz since 2015. He has studied Near Eastern Archaeology, Ancient Near Eastern Languages, and Prehistory at several German universities and obtained his Ph.D. degree from the University of Halle in 1996. He has participated in several archaeological missions in Syria and Georgia and has led excavation teams at Tell Fecheriye and Tell Beydar (both Syria). The Beydar excavation was the only fully integrated European archaeological mission in the Near East; leading the German team there has provided Prof. Pruss with vast experience in international scientific cooperation. He participated in several groups of the ERC-funded ARCANE project on 3rd millennium BC chronology.

As WP Leader, Prof. Pruss will lead the WP4 - Heritage and coordinate the activities of its members. He will lead the case study on the European - Syrian archaeological mission of Tell Beydar in which he has been participating for 8 years. He will organize a Local Network Presentation seminar, a Thematic Workshop on Heritage diplomacy and participate in the Project Management Board. He will co-supervise technical subcontractor ICONEM.

Case Study Pitch

Prof. Pruss is co-author of InsSciDE case study n°4.1, A legacy of shared responsibility. Read the pitch for this case study here.

This pitch outlines how case study 4.1 will investigate the attitudes and practices of archaeologists seen in three historic and contemporary cases, focusing on how they have addressed the need for responsibility for heritage conservation shared across political and cultural borders. Key quote: ’Science diplomacy can open new ways to share knowledge and to strengthen the feeling of responsibility for a common heritage of global importance.’