Vita

Post-Doc Wissenschaftler für Islamische Archäologie und Kunstgeschichte

Raum 5.516

Tel: 069/798-32292
m.ahmad@em.uni-frankfurt.de

Sprechstunde: Mi. 10:00-11:00 Uhr,
sowie nach Vereinbarung

 
   

Short biography

  • 2012-2021
    PhD in Islamic History and Archaeology, University of Lumière Lyon 2 – France.
  • 2008-2012
    MA in Islamic Archaeology, University of Damascus - Syria
  • 2006-2008
    MA in Ancient Semitic languages, University of Aleppo - Syria
  • 2002-2006
    BA in Archaeology, University of Aleppo - Syria

 

Research Interests

  • Landscape Archaeology.
  • Christian archaeology in the early Islamic period.
  • Monastic settlements.
  • Cultural Transformation and Acculturation.
  • Transfer of Techniques in Material Culture.
  • Islamization of Landscapes.
  • Islamic Material Culture Studies (with focus on Ceramics).

 

Professional and Academic Positions

  • 2024 - Present
    Post-Doc researcher at Goethe-University Frankfurt.
  • 2021 – Present
    Research assistant at the German Archaeological Institute – Orient Department, Berlin
  • 2019-2021
    Research assistant at Institut für die Kulturen des Alten Orients (IANES), University of Tübingen
  • 2017-2019
    Research assistant at CIHAM (UMR 5648), University of Lumière Lyon 2 – France
  • 2016-2018
    Director and co-founder of MEDMAK - The Syrian Archaeologist Research Centre. London-UK
  • 2014-2016
    Research Fellowship. Institut français du Proche-Orient (Ifpo), Erbil – Iraqi Kurdistan
  • 2012-2013
    Director of Research Team for GIS projects, General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums (DGAM), Damascus-Syria

 

Fieldwork and Projects

  • 2025 – Present
    Deir Za’faran Archaeological project, Iraqi Kurdistan (Goethe-University Frankfurt)
  • 2022 – Present
    Qurh / Al-Mabiyat – Saudi Arabia. Ceramist (German Archaeological Institute – Orient Department).
  • 2019 – Present
    Tell Bassetki and Eastern Ḫabur Archaeological Survey (EHAS) projects – Iraqi Kurdistan. Ceramist (University of Tübingen)
  • 2021-2024
    Al-Ḥīra Archaeological Project - Iraq. Ceramist. (German Archaeological Institute – Orient Department, Museum for Islamic Art – Berlin, Technical university of Berlin)
  • 2015-2018
    French Archaeological Survey mission of Sulaymaniyah Governorate (MAFGS) – Iraqi Kurdistan Ceramist (IFPO)
  • 2016 – 2021
    Darband-i Rania Archaeological Project (Sites: Qalatga Darband, Usu Aska and Murad Rasu). Ceramist. (British Museum – UK).
  • 2017
    Ancient City of Qalachwalan Survey project (Sulaymaniyah – Iraqi Kurdistan). Director. (Funded by IFPO and Baban Cultural Center).
  • 2016
    Kani Shaie (Islamic Levels), Iraqi Kurdistan. Trench Supervisor. (Funded by IFPO).
  • 2015
    Erbil Citadel, Iraqi Kurdistan. Ceramist.
  • 2015
    Tanjaro Valley Survey, Iraqi Kurdistan. Ceramist. (Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne).
  • 2015
    Shahrizor Survey Project, Iraqi Kurdistan. Ceramist (LMU-Germany).
  • 2010
    Hadir-Qinnasrin, Syria. Trench supervisor and ceramist. (Maison de l'Orient et de la Méditerranée-Lyon)
  • 2009 – 2010
    North Syrian Dead Cities (Ruweihe and Bara), Syria. Trench supervisor (Maison de l'Orient et de la Méditerranée-Lyon and University of Damascus).
  • 2005 – 2006
    Munbaqa, Syria. Trench supervisor. (Univer5sity of Hamburg).
  • 2004
    Aleppo Citadel, Adad Tempel, Syria. Excavator. (Free University of Berlin).
  • 2004
    Chagar Bazar, Syria. Excavator. (Univer5sity of Liège).
  • 2003
    Tell Mardikh/Ebla. Excavator and ceramist. (Sapienza University of Rome).

 

ACADEMIC AWARDS AND RESEARCH GRANTS

  • 2025-2027
    Rhein-Main Universities Initiative Funds Research. Project: Christian Landscapes under Early Islamic Rule:
    Continuity and Change in Northern Iraq.
  • 2025-2026
    Grade-Fokus funding program. Goethe University Frankfurt.
  • 2019-2021
    DFG Research Grant – Germany. Project: The Islamic pottery in Duhok province within the Bassetki and Eastern Ḫabur Survey project. University of Tübingen.
  • 2017-2018
    PAUSE Programme Research Grant, a program to welcome scientists in exile for two years. University of Lyon II, Laboratory ISH-CIHAM – France.
  • 2014-2016
    Doctoral Research Fellowship (Aide à la mobilité international), IFPO (Institute français de proche orient) in Erbil-Iraqi Kurdistan for Two years.
  • 2012
    Research Scholarship. IFPO-Damas (Institute Français de Proche Orient) for six months.
  • 2009
    Baden-Württemberg Scholarship for scientific exchange between Damascus and Freiburg University in Germany for one year.
  • 2008
    Master Scholarship to study Islamic pottery at Damascus University funded by the Ministry of High Education - Syria.

Publications

Books

  • Ahmad M. & Alskaf, M. 2016. Tangible Cultural Heritage in Syria 2011-2015. MEDMAK. (in Arabic). [Link]
  • Ahmad. M. 2013. Amphora in the Early Islamic period in the Levant. DGAM, Damascus. (in Arabic).

 

Books (Translation)

  • Claude Rilly et al. 2025. Le Soudan. de la Préhistoire à la conquête de Méhémet Ali. 2021 (Translation from French into Arabic). 612 pages.
  • David, Romain (ed.) 2022. Concise Manual for Ceramic Studies from the Nile Valley to the Middle East. Translated by M. Ahmad (Translated from English to Arabic). 350 pages. [Link]

 

Books (Chapters)

  • Ahmad, M. 2025 “Honeycomb jars of the Early Islamic period from Assur (2023 and 2024)”. In: Assur 2023, Excavations and other research in the New Town. Edited by Karen Radner and Andrea Squitieri, pp. 113-122.
  • Laïla Nehmé, Mustafa Ahmad, Jean Humbert, Emmanuel Laroze, Paul Mabille, et al. 2025. Report on the activities of the Madâ’in Sâlih Archaeological Project at Umm Zarb in 2024. CNRS. https://hal.science/hal-04900322v1 
  • Ahmad, M. 2022. Quantitative Analysis of Pottery with Excel. In: Concise Manual for Ceramic Studies from the Nile Valley to the Middle East. Edited by R. David and translated by M. Ahmad. pp. 82-85.
  • Ahmad, M. 2022. Management of the pottery Documentation through Databases. In: Concise Manual for Ceramic Studies from the Nile Valley to the Middle East. Edited by R. David and translated by M. Ahmad. pp. 86-92.

 

Articles (Selection)

  • Ahmad, M. 2025 “Late Sasanian or Early Islamic? Honeycomb Pottery Reconsidered” Proceedings of the 13th International Congress on the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East. Edited by: Edited by Scott D. Haddow, Camilla Mazzucato, Ingolf Thuesen. Vol. 1. Harrassowitz Verlag · Wiesbaden. pp. 455-463.
  • Janke, S., Weigel, F., Ahmad, M., Hausleiter, A. 2025. Piecing together the evidence: architecture, inscriptions, and sherds from an early to middle Islamic funerary context in Qurḥ/al‑Mabiyāt. Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies 54. pp.105–120.
  • MacGinnis J., Ahmad M. et al. 2025. “Excavations in the Darband-i Rania pass, Iraqi Kurdistan: Report on the 2018 and 2021 Seasons”. IRAQ.
  • M. Gussone, M. Müller-Wiener, I. Salman, C. Hof, M. Ahmad, A. Schneider, B. Ullrich, R. Kniess, S. Kniess, J. Dorrestein. 2024. “Al-Hira, Iraq. Field research: Prospections and excavations. Fieldwork in 2021 and 2022”. SUMER.
  • Ahmad M. and Renette S. 2023. “Middle Islamic Rural Occupation at Kani Shaie in Iraqi Kurdistan”. BASOR 389. pp. 35-64. [Link]
  • Salman, I; Ahmad, M. et al. 2023. “al-Hira, Irak. Feldforschungen. Prospektionen und Ausgrabungen. Die Arbeiten im Jahr 2022”. e-Forschungsberichte, 1 (2023). [Link]
  • MacGinnis J., Ahmad M. et al. 2020. “Excavations in the Darband-i Rania pass, Iraqi Kurdistan: Report on the 2016 and 2017 Seasons” IRAQ 82, pp. 139-172. [Link]
  • Ahmad. M. 2019. “About the discovery of the lost city of Alexander the Macedonian in Rania plain” Baban Journal. Vol. 25, pp. 64-66. (in Arabic)
  • Brown M., Miglus P., Rasheed K., and Ahmad, M. 2018. “Portraits of a Parthian king: Rock-reliefs and the mountain fortresses of Rabana-Merquly in Iraqi-Kurdistan.” IRAQ 80, pp. 63-77. [Link]
  • Colonna d’Istria, L., Devillers, A., Shana, F., Gabriel, P., Venier, C., and Ahmad, M. 2018 “Gird-i Qala – Trench B’’ in: Valet, Régis (ed.) 2018. Report on the Fourth season of excavations at Gird-i Qala and Logardan. CNRS – University of Paris 1. [Link]
  • Ahmad, M. 2018. “Yasin Tepe: An archaeological study” Baban Journal. Vol. 24, pp. 58-61. (in Arabic)
  • Colonna d’Istria, L., Devillers, A., Venier, C. and Ahmad, M. 2017. “Gird-i Qala, Stratigraphic Trench B” in: Valet, Régis (ed.) 2017. Report on the third season of excavations at Gird-i Qala and Logardan. CNRS – University of Paris 1.[Link]
  • Ahmad, M. 2017. “The survey project of ancient Qalachwalan city” Baban Journal. Vol 23, pp. 76-78. (in Arabic)
  • Ahmad, M. 2016. “Gird-i Qala, a brief overview of the Late Periods’ Ceramic” in: Valet, Régis (ed.) 2016. Report on the second season of excavations at Gird-i Qala and Logardan. CNRS – University of Paris 1. [Link]
  • Colonna d’Istria, L., Devillers, A. and Ahmad, M. 2016. “Gird-i Qala, Stratigraphical Trench B” in: Valet, Régis (ed.) 2016. Report on the second season of excavations at Gird-i Qala and Logardan. CNRS – University of Paris 1. [Link]
  • Ahmad. M. 2013. "Amphora in Early Islamic Pottery in Northern Syria, A classification Study" Mahd al-Hadarat (Land of Civilizations) vol. 17-18, pp. 41-49. (in Arabic)
  • Ahmad, M. 2013. "Late Roman Amphora 5 Type in Early Islamic Pottery in Southern Syria" AAAS. Vol. 51-52. (in Arabic)
  • Ahmad, M. 2012. "Abbasid Style in Islamic Wall Painting, Descriptive and Artistic Study." Adiyat Halab, vol. 14, Aleppo. (in Arabic)
  • Ahmad, M. 2010. "Byzantine Amphorae in the Early Islamic ceramic repertoire". Adiyat Halab, vol. 13, Aleppo. (in Arabic)

 

Encyclopedia articles

  • Ahmad, M. 2013. "Amphora", Encyclopedia notice in: The Arabic Archaeological Encyclopedia in Syria. Damascus. (in Arabic)
  • Ahmad, M. 2013. "Apse", Encyclopedia notice in: The Arabic Archaeological Encyclopedia in Syria. Damascus. (in Arabic)
  • Ahmad, M. 2013. "Acropolis", Encyclopedia notice in: The Arabic Archaeological Encyclopedia in Syria. Damascus. (in Arabic)
  • Ahmad, M. 2013. "Glaze", Encyclopedia notice in: The Arabic Archaeological Encyclopedia in Syria. Damascus. (in Arabic)

 

See also:

https://uni-frankfurt.academia.edu/MustafaAhmad