Personal Statement
Dr. Jo-Hannah Plug is Postdoctoral Research Associate in Bioarchaeology at the University of Liverpool, Department of Archaeology, Classics, and Egyptology. Since 2021 she is part of the ‘What’s in a house? Exploring the kinship structure of the world's first houses’ research project team, led by Dr. Eva Fernandez-Dominguez (Durham University) and Prof. Jessica Pearson (University of Liverpool).
Jo-Hannah’s research focuses on the Neolithic of Southwest Asia. She is particularly interested in transdisciplinary approaches to the past in which evidence of mortuary behaviour and human biographies is used in an integrated manner. Her Doctoral research project at the University of Liverpool (defended in 2021) combined evidence relating to chronology, ritual behaviour, taphonomy, and diet to achieve a better understanding of cultural change, mortuary behaviour, and community structure at the Late Neolithic site of Tell Sabi Abyad, Syria. Previously she obtained her BA and MA in Near Eastern Archaeology at Leiden University and since 2008 she has been involved in archaeological fieldwork at a number of sites in Syria, Jordan, Turkey, Oman, and Egypt.

Research Overview
2021 – Present: Post-Doctoral Research Associate Bioarchaeology for the project “What’s in a House? Exploring the Kinship Structure of the World´s First Houses”. PI: Dr. Eva Fernandez-Dominguez, Durham University; Co-I: Dr. Jessica Pearson, University of Liverpool.

2016 - Present: Guest researcher. Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden University.

2016 - 2021: Doctoral research “Uncovering a Community: Investigating Lifestyles and Death Ways at Neolithic Tell Sabi Abyad, Syria”. Supervisory team: Prof Douglas Baird, Dr Jessica Pearson, and Dr Eleni Asouti. Department of Archaeology, Classics, and Egyptology, University of Liverpool.

2014 - 2016: Research assistant for the research project “Consolidating Empire - Reconstructing Hegemonic Practices of the Middle Assyrian Empire at the Late Bronze Age Fortified Estate of Tell Sabi Abyad, Syria, ca. 1230 – 1180 BC”, jointly responsible for the drafting and publication of the final report on the Late Bronze Age settlement of Tell Sabi Abyad I. PI: Dr Bleda Düring, Leiden University.

2013 - 2014: MA research project “Keepsakes: Burial Goods as the Materialization of Relationships at Late Neolithic Tell Sabi Abyad, Syria”. Supervisor: Dr Olivier Nieuwenhuyse, Leiden University.

2012 - 2013: KNAW (The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences) academy assistant, research project “Neolithic Burials at Tell Sabi Abyad, Syria: 14C Dating, Population Health, and Climate Change”. Supervisory team: Prof Peter Akkermans & Prof Hans van der Plicht. Leiden University.