Research output per year
Research output per year
Personal profile
Description of research and teaching
Saana Svärd is a professor of ancient Near Eastern studies who directs Center of Excellence in Ancient Near Eastern Empires (2018-2025, funded by the Academy of Finland) and the project “Embodied Emotions: Ancient Mesopotamia and Today” (2022-2026, funded by SKR).
My dissertation and much of my subsequent research has focused on the Neo-Assyrian Empire (934-612 BCE) and the study of gender in Mesopotamia. On a more general level, I am interested in methodological and theoretical developments in the study of the ancient Near East. In my publications, I have adapted and developed approaches from gender studies, social sciences, digital humanities, language technology, and emotional history to gain new perspectives on cuneiform sources.
Curriculum vitae
For full CV (January 2025) and list of publications in pdf form, see here.
External positions
Docent of Cultural History of the Near East, University of Turku
2016 → …
Fields of Science
- 615 History and Archaeology
- Ancient Near Eastern Studies
- Assyriology
- 6121 Languages
- Ancient Near Eastern Languages
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Neo-Assyrian Imperial Religion Counts: A Quantitative Approach to the Affiliations of Kings and Queens with Their Gods and Goddesses
Gansell, A., Alstola, T., Jauhiainen, H. & Svärd, S., 30 Jan 2025, In: Journal of Ancient Near Eastern Religions. 24, 2, p. 236-274 39 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
Digital Humanities Meet Ancient Languages
Alstola, T. & Svärd, S., Apr 2024, Changes in Sacred Texts and Traditions: Methodological Encounters and Debates. Nissinen, M. & Jokiranta, J. (eds.). Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, p. 193–233 41 p. (Resources for Biblical Study ; no. 106).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › Scientific › peer-review
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Embodied emotions in ancient Neo-Assyrian texts revealed by bodily mapping of emotional semantics
Lahnakoski, J. M., Bennett, E., Nummenmaa, L., Steinert, U., Sams, M. & Svärd, S., 20 Dec 2024, In: iScience. 27, 12, 15 p., 111365.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
Gender and Gender Research in a Research Community: CSTT as a Case Study
Borchardt, F., Svärd, S. & Tervanotko, H., Apr 2024, Changes in Sacred Texts and Traditions: Methodological Encounters and Debates. Nissinen, M. & Jokiranta, J. (eds.). Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, (Resources for Biblical Study ; no. 106).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › Scientific › peer-review
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Manlaharban and Aramaic in the Neo-Assyrian Oracular Queries written by Women
Valk, J. & Svärd, S., 2024, In: Revue d'assyriologie et d'archéologie orientale. 118, p. 135-142 8 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review
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ANEE: Centre of Excellence in Ancient Near Eastern Empires
Svärd, S. (Project manager), Alstola, T. (Participant), Auranne, T. (Participant), Bennett, E. R. (Participant), Hietamäki, T. A. E. (Participant), Jauhiainen, H. (Participant), Jones, C. W. (Participant), Kankkunen, J. A. (Participant), Ketonen, A. K. (Participant), Liikanen, C. S. (Participant), Lund, J. S. A. (Participant), Ong, M. C. (Participant), Pietarinen, S. L. (Participant), Ruotsalainen, A. J. (Participant), Sakko, M. T. (Participant), Spunaugle, A. (Participant), Tambs, L. (Participant) & Valk, J. (Participant)
Suomen Akatemia Projektilaskutus
01/01/2023 → 31/12/2025
Project: Research Council of Finland: Centre of Exellence
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Embodied Emotions: Ancient Mesopotamia and Today
Bennett, E. R. (Participant), Svärd, S. (Principal Investigator), Sams, M. (CoIlaborator), Nummenmaa, L. (CoIlaborator), Steinert, U. (CoIlaborator) & Lahnakoski, J. (Participant)
01/09/2022 → 31/08/2025
Project: Research project
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ANEE: Centre of Excellence in Ancient Near Eastern Empires
Silverman, J. M. (Principal Investigator), Svärd, S. (Project manager), Lahelma, A. (Principal Investigator), Nikki, N. (Participant), Töyräänvuori, J. (Participant), Jokiranta, J. (Participant), Laine, L. (Participant), Kletter, R. (Participant), Bonnie, R. (Participant), Thomas, S. (Participant), Holmqvist-Sipilä, E. (Participant), Kouki, P. (Participant), Wasmuth, M. (Participant), Wallis, C. (Participant), Lorenzon, M. (Participant), Jauhiainen, H. (Participant), Jauhiainen, T. (Participant), Alstola, T. (Participant), Bach, J. (Participant), Fink, S. (Participant), Konstantopoulos, G. (Participant), Zaia, S. (Participant), Sahala, A. (Participant), Miettunen, P. H. (Participant), Avneri Meir, R. (Participant), Aissaoui, A. I. (Participant), Arpe, O. P. (Participant), Luukko, M. I. (Participant), Kovanen, H. (Participant), Linden, K. (Participant), Bennett, E. R. (Participant), Saari, S. (Participant), Vanderstraeten, E. (Participant), Autere, K. (Participant), Debourse, C. H. I. (Participant), Kailamäki, U. (Participant), Kautonen, S. K. (Participant), Spunaugle, A. (Participant), Tambs, L. (Participant), Jones, C. W. (Participant), Wijnsma, U. Z. (Participant), Valk, J. (Participant), Gheorghiade, P. (Participant), Autere, K. (Participant), Uotila, R. (Participant), Reinikainen, S. J. J. (Participant), Cutillas Victoria, B. (Participant), Holappa, M. (Participant), Kletter, R. (Participant), Smith, S. L. (Participant) & Pfoh, E. (Participant)
01/01/2018 → 31/12/2025
Project: Research project
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ANEE: ANEE Team 1: Digital Humanities Approaches
Svärd, S. (Principal Investigator), Linden, K. (Participant), Bach, J. (Participant), Jauhiainen, T. (Participant), Jauhiainen, H. (Participant), Sahala, A. (Participant), Konstantopoulos, G. (Participant), Fink, S. (Participant), Zaia, S. (Participant), Luukko, M. I. (Participant), Bennett, E. R. (Participant), Alstola, T. (Participant), Vanderstraeten, E. (Participant), Autere, K. (Participant), Giessler, J. (Participant), Debourse, C. H. I. (Participant), Tambs, L. (Participant), Valk, J. (Participant), Uotila, R. (Participant) & Jones, C. W. (Participant)
01/01/2018 → 31/12/2025
Project: Research project
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Deep Learning and Semantic domains in Akkadian texts
Svärd, S. (Project manager) & Sahala, A. (Participant)
01/01/2017 → 31/12/2020
Project: University of Helsinki Three-Year Research Project
Datasets
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Fear in Akkadian Texts
Svärd, S. (Creator), Alstola, T. (Creator), Jauhiainen, H. (Creator), Sahala, A. (Creator) & Linden, K. (Creator), Zenodo, 2020
Dataset
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Aššur and His Friends: A Statistical Analysis of Neo-Assyrian Texts
Alstola, T. (Creator), Zaia, S. (Creator), Sahala, A. (Creator), Jauhiainen, H. (Creator), Svärd, S. (Creator) & Linden, K. (Creator), Zenodo, 2019
Dataset
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ANEE lexical portal of Akkadian: fastText
Jauhiainen, H. (Creator), Sahala, A. (Creator), Alstola, T. (Creator), Hardwick, S. (Creator), Jauhiainen, T. (Creator), Linden, K. (Creator) & Svärd, S. (Creator), Helsingin yliopisto, 2021
http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:lb-2021060103
Dataset
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ANEE lexical portal of Akkadian: PMI
Sahala, A. (Creator), Jauhiainen, H. (Creator), Alstola, T. (Creator), Hardwick, S. (Creator), Jauhiainen, T. (Creator), Linden, K. (Creator) & Svärd, S. (Creator), Helsingin yliopisto, 2021
http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:lb-2021060101
Dataset
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ANEE Lexical Portal - the Dataset
Jauhiainen, H. (Creator), Sahala, A. (Creator), Alstola, T. (Creator), Svärd, S. (Creator) & Linden, K. (Creator), Zenodo, 30 Mar 2021
Dataset
Prizes
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Honorary mention to the book ”Muinaisen Lähi-idän imperiumit” (eds. Saana Svärd & Joanna Töyräänvuori)
Svärd, S. (Recipient) & Töyräänvuori, J. (Recipient), 2 Feb 2023
Prize: Prizes and awards
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Activities
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WritHist Workshop Oslo
Svärd, S. (Speaker: Presenter)
24 Oct 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Organisation and participation in conferences, workshops, courses, seminars
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69th Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale
Svärd, S. (Speaker: Presenter)
10 Jul 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Organisation and participation in conferences, workshops, courses, seminars
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Session “Helsinki research from ‘State Archives of Assyria’ to ‘Ancient Near Eastern Empires’” in RAI 69
Svärd, S. (Chair of organizing committee)
10 Jul 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Organisation and participation in conferences, workshops, courses, seminars
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ANEE Annual Meeting 2024
Alstola, T. (Speaker: Presenter), Jauhiainen, H. (Speaker: Presenter), Svärd, S. (Speaker: Presenter) & Gansell, A. (Speaker: Presenter)
20 Aug 2024 → 23 Aug 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Organisation and participation in conferences, workshops, courses, seminars
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69th Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale
Svärd, S. (Poster Presentation), Alstola, T. (Poster Presentation), Sahala, A. (Poster Presentation) & Valk, J. (Poster Presentation)
8 Jul 2024 → 12 Jul 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Organisation and participation in conferences, workshops, courses, seminars
File
Press/Media
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Interview for the podcast Thin Edge of the Wedge
15/08/2023
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media
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Pyhä vesi - muinaisissa mytologioissa vesi oli olemassa jo ennen luomista
06/01/2023
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media
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Ninive -- alaston Ištar-jumalatar, Joona ja valaskala
02/01/2023
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media
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10 faktaa maailman vanhimmista valtakunnista
15/12/2022
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media
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Sivistyksen kehdosta imperiumien varjoon: Muinaisen Lähi-idän tutkimus Suomessa
07/04/2022
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Press / Media