Research interests

Dr. Melis Uzdurum (PhD in Archaeology, Istanbul University) is a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Helsinki and an assistant professor in the Archaeology Department at Ondokuz Mayıs University, Turkey. Her study integrates archaeological sciences with social theory, combining geoarchaeology, building archaeology, and microarchaeology to study ancient construction materials. She primarily examines Epipalaeolithic and Neolithic communities in Anatolia and Southwest Asia, focusing on complex societies, the techno-environmental dynamics of earthen construction materials—particularly mudbricks—and the relationship between material culture and the environment. Since 2005, she has participated in excavation projects centered on earthen architecture, using field archaeology, geoarchaeology, and micromorphology to identify micro-indicators of building biographies and expand knowledge on cultural identities and norms.

As part of Center of Excellence, Ancient Near Eastern Empires (ANEE), Dr. Uzdurum researches mudbrick architecture and plaster in Near Eastern settlements during the first millennium BCE. Her micromorphological and geochemical analyses focus on complex societies, mudbrick technology, and labor organization, shedding light on identity, power dynamics, and ancient architectural frameworks.