Mari Yamasaki

Education

2021   PhD thesis in Near Eastern Archaeology at Johannes Gutenberg Universität – Mainz, Germany, within the Research Training Group 1876 “Ancient Concepts of Humans and Nature”, under the supervision of Univ. Prof. dr. Alexander Pruß: Bronze Age Seascapes: Concepts of the Sea and Marine Fauna in the Eastern Mediterranean.

2016-2020 PhD studies at Johannes Gutenberg Universität – Mainz, Germany, within the Research Training Group 1876 “Ancient Concepts of Humans and Nature.”

2015 MA in Archaeology and Ancient History at the University of Turin, School of Humanities. Thesis title: Marine resources and interregional contacts in Prehistory: a case study of Cypriot coastal communities.

Career overview

Since 2023 researcher at Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology University of Warsaw
2022 Teaching at the Department of Near Eastern Studies, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. Course title: Introduction to Cypriot Archaeology.
2021-2022 Associated Postdoc at the Research Training Group (RTG) 1876 „Early Concepts of Humans and Nature: Universal, Specific, Interchanged,” Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
2020 Research assistant at the Dept. of Near Eastern Studies, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
2018 Speaker of the PhD Students of the RTG 1876, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
2016-2020 Doctoral researcher at the Research Training Group (RTG) 1876 „Early Concepts of Humans and Nature: Universal, Specific, Interchanged,” Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

since 2023 collaboration with the Austrian-Polish archaeological mission at Erimi Pitharka, Limassol (Cyprus) – co-directed by Prof. Learke Recht and Dr. Katarzyna Zeman-Wiśniewska (senior team member; archaeomalacologist).
2023-2024 Principal Investigator in the project “Underwater Realms. Concepts of underwater spatiality in the ancient Eastern Mediterranean” at the Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology – University of Warsaw. NCN Polonez Bis 1 Grant nr. 2021/43/P/HS3/01355 under the mentorship of Prof. Ewdoksia Papuci-Władyka.
since 2014 collaboration with the Italian archaeological mission at Erimi Laonin tou Porakou, Limassol (Cyprus) – directed by Prof. Luca Bombardieri, University of Siena (role: archaeomalacologist).

2015 Land and underwater survey in the Limassol district (Cyprus) within the Moni-Pyrgos- Monagroulli Survey Project – Prof. O. Menozzi, University of Chieti
2014 Excavation at the medieval chapel of Santo Stefano at Isola del Cantone (Genoa, Italy) – Prof. P. De Vingo, University of Turin
2014 Excavation at the Bronze age settlement of Erimi-Laonin tou Porakou, (Limassol, Cyprus), within the Kouris Valley Project – Prof. L. BombardieriI, University of Turin
2014 Excavation at the Neanderthal site of the Ciota Ciara cave in Borgosesia (Vercelli, Italy) – Prof. M. Arzarello, University of Ferrara
2013 Excavation at the roman villa of Costigliole Saluzzo (Cuneo, Italy) – Prof. D. Elia, University of Turin
2013 Excavation at the medieval castle of Attimis (Udine, Italy) – Dr M. Lavarone, Società Friulana di Archeologia

2021 National Science Centre of Poland Polonez Bis 1 Grant nr. 2021/43/P/HS3/01355
2015 Erasmus+ Traineeship Program at the Cyprus American Research Institute of Nicosia, Cyprus (CAARI).

Monographs

2023 Yamasaki, M., Conceptualizing Bronze Age Seascapes: Concepts of the Sea and Marine Fauna in the Eastern Mediterranean in the Second Millennium BCE, LEMA vol. 2, Turnhout: Brepols Publishers, doi: 10.1484/M.LEMA-EB.5.133914

Chapters in edited volumes

in press ‘Underrepresented riches from the sea’, in L. Rechts and C. Tsouparopoulou (eds.) Human and Aquatic Beings: Interactions in and beyond the Eastern Mediterranean (3rd-1st Millennia BCE). EAA Themes Series. Springer.
in press with C. Sciré Calabrisotto, E. Margaritis, A. Spyrou, L. Bombardieri, “Drifting down the big still river. Erimi Laonin tou Porakou in its Ecological Context During the Middle Bronze Age” in E. Margaritis and P. Gaber Environment, Landscape and Society: Diachronic Perspectives on Settlement Patterns in Cyprus. CAARI Monograph Series 5, ASOR Archaeological Reports.
2022 “From Athirat to Aphrodite” in C. Coppini et al. Broadening Horizons 6. Bridging the Gap. Vol. 3. ArchaeoPress.
2021 “Maritime Identities. The case study of Late Bronze Age Cyprus” in G. Albertazzi, G. Muti and A. Saggio (Eds), Islands in Dialogue. Rome: Edizioni Artemide.
2017 with Reese, David S., „The shells”, in: L. Bombardieri, The excavations at Erimi-Laonin tou Porakou. A Middle Bronze Age Community in Cyprus. Excavations 2008-2014. SIMA 145. Uppsala: Paul Åström Forlag, 321-325.
2017 „Marine resources and interregional trade in Prehistoric Cyprus. Mutually related of independent phenomena?”, in: L. Bombardieri, M. Amadio and F. Dolcetti (Eds), Ancient Cyprus, an Unexpected Journey. Communities in Continuity and Transition. Proceedings of the 15th Annual Meeting of Postgraduate Cypriot Archaeology. Torino, Italy, November 25-27th 2015, Rome: Edizioni Artemide, 47-62.

Scientific articles

2024 Yamasaki, M., Rodriguez-Alvarez, E. Freediving in antiquity. Some notes on the interdisciplinary workshop ‘The Ocean Below’ held at the University of Warsaw on December 7th 2023. Shima 18(1). DOI: 10.21463/shima.214

2024 Yamasaki, M., „Bronze Age Stone Anchors as Material Metaphors: Applying Conceptual Blending Theory to Investigate Their Symbolic Value”. J Archaeol Method Theory. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10816-024-09642-z

2015 with O. Menozzi, S. Caggiano, V. Carniel, G. Di Camillo, “Underwater survey at Agios Georgios” in O. Menozzi, MPM Project 2015 Preliminary Report. Chieti: University of Chieti, 31-42.

Review articles

2023 Yamasaki, M., Sarah A. Rich & Peter B. Campbell (Eds.), „Contemporary Philosophy for Maritime Archaeology: Flat Ontologies, Oceanic Thought, and the Anthropocene” (2022). Shima, 17(2), 277–283. DOI: 10.21463/shima.201

Participation

2024 ‘Under the sea. Underwater spaces between experience and imagination.’ Guest lecture at the Jagiellonian University, Kraków (Poland).
2023 lecture “Like fish in the water. Fish representations as means to understand spatial concepts” at the 13th International Congress on the Archaeology of the Ancient Near East (ICAANE). University of Copenhagen and online.
2022 Presentation of paper at 19th Annual Meeting of Postgraduate Cypriote Archaeology, Graz (Austria). Paper title: This hope we have as an anchor of the soul.
2022 Guest Lecture at the Research Training Group “Frühe Konzepte von Mensch und Natur: Universalität, Spezifität, Tradierung,” Mainz (Germany). Paper title: Underwater Realms.
2022 Lecture at the Interdisciplinary Conference Cycle “Frühe Konzepte von Mensch und Natur: Universalität, Spezifität, Tradierung,” Mainz (Germany). Paper title: Sacred Waters. The supernatural conceptualization of the sea in the Eastern Mediterranean Bronze Age.
2021 Presentation of paper at 18th Annual Meeting of Postgraduate Cypriote Archaeology, Basel (Switzerland). Paper title: In the middle of the sea: mainlanders’ view on the insularity of Cyprus.
2021 Presentation of paper at the EAA 2021 Meeting, Kiel (Germany). Paper title: Underrepresented riches from the sea.
2019 Presentation of paper at the international conference “Broadening Horizons 6. Bridging the Gap” Berlin (Germany). Paper title: From Athirat to Posidaeia. Sea goddesses as a paradigm for cultural hybridization.
2018 Presentation of paper at “Islands in Dialogue. International Postgraduate Conference in the Prehistory and Protohistory of Mediterranean Islands,” Turin (Italy). Paper title: Concepts of insularity and maritime identities.
2017 Presentation of paper at the Honor Frost Foundation conference “Under the Mediterranean,” Nicosia (Cyprus). Paper title: Cognitive Coastscapes in the archaeological context.
2017 Presentation of paper at the 19th Fish Remains Working Group, Alghero and Stintino (Italy). Paper title: Fishing and connectivity in the Eastern Mediterranean Bronze Age.
2017 Presentation of paper with S. Speck and K. Zartner at the SIAA conference in Mainz (Germany). Paper title: Kulturgüterschutz im Archäologen-Alltag. Im Spannungsfeld zwischen Dokumentation, Erhaltung und Zerstörung.
2017 Presentation of paper at CAARI workshop “Environment, landscape and society: diachronic perspectives on settlement patterns in Cyprus.” Nicosia (Cyprus). Paper title: Drifting down the big still river. Erimi Laonin tou Porakou in Its Ecological Context During the Middle Bronze Age (with C. Sciré-Calabrisotto, L. Bombardieri, E. Margaritis).
2015 Presentation of paper at the 5th Annual Meeting of Postgraduate Cypriote Archaeology, Turin (Italy). Paper title: Marine resources and interregional trade in prehistoric Cyprus: mutually related or independent phenomena?

Organization

2023 Workshop ‘The Ocean Below: Human Experiences and Material Culture of Freediving across Time and Space,’ co-organized with Dr Emilio Rodríguez-Álvarez (UVigo) within the framework of the PCMA Seminar Series (LINK).
2022 “Limiting spaces: the attribution of spatial meaning through the creation of boundaries” Session 126 at the EAA 2022 Meeting, Budapest (Hungary).
2017 International Workshop “Resurrecting the Ancient Mind. Cognitive Science in Archaeology and Philology” and organiser of the panel “Cognitive Approaches to Natural Phenomena and Landscape” Mainz (Germany).

2016-2019 Blog posts on the RTG 1876 outreach page: LINK
2017 Social Media manager of the RTG 1876, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

Academia: https://uw.academia.edu/MariYamasaki
Researchgate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mari-Yamasaki
Underwater realms