Draft:Maria Nilsson (archaeologist)
Swedish archaeologist and director of the Gebel el-Silsila Project
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Maria Nilsson is a Swedish archaeologist and Associate Professor of Classical Archaeology and Ancient History at Lund University[1]. She is internationally recognised for her work on ancient Egyptian quarry landscapes, iconography, rock art, and non-textual marking systems[2]. Foccused on the ancient quarry site of Gebel el-Silsila, Nilsson is the founder and director of the Gebel el-Silsila Archaeological Project, the only active Swedish-led archaeological mission in Egypt.[3] Her research integrates archaeological fieldwork, epigraphy, social semiotics, and interdisciplinary scientific analysis.
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Maria Nilsson | |
|---|---|
| Occupations | Archaeologist; Associate Professor |
| Employer | Lund University |
| Known for | Gebel el-Silsila Archaeological Project; research on Egyptian quarry landscapes, rock art, and non-textual marking systems |
Early life and education Nilsson was awarded her MA in Ancient History from the University of Gothenburg in 2004, focusing on the development of the cult of Queen Arsinoë II. She completed her PhD at the same institution in 2011. Her dissertation, The Crown of Arsinoë II: The Creation and Development of an Imagery of Authority, examined the political, religious, and iconographic strategies behind Ptolemaic royal representation.[1]
Academic career
After completing her doctorate, Nilsson joined Lund University[4] in 2012 as a postdoctoral researcher funded by the Swedish Research Council. She subsequently held several major research fellowships, including:
- Postdoctoral Researcher, Vetenskapsrådet (2012–2016)
- Marie Skłodowska–Curie Fellow (2016–2020)
- Researcher, Bank of Sweden Tercentenary Foundation (2020–2023)
- Principal Investigator, Swedish Research Council (2024–2027)
She was appointed Associate Professor (Docent) and Senior Lecturer at Lund University in 2023.
Nilsson’s academic work centres on quarry marks, identity signifiers, rock art traditions, and the social semiotics of ancient Egyptian material culture. She has developed innovative interdisciplinary approaches combining archaeology, epigraphy, geology, digital documentation, and cultural heritage studies.
[5] Gebel el-Silsila Archaeological Project Nilsson is best known for founding and directing the Gebel el-Silsila Archaeological Project, an internationally recognised archaeological mission in Upper Egypt. Established in 2012, the project investigates more than 30 km² of quarry landscapes, temples, shrines, habitation areas, and rock art spanning 10,000 years of human activity.
Her responsibilities include:
- Excavation strategy and field documentation
- Epigraphic recording of inscriptions, dipinti, and quarry marks
- GIS integration and spatial analysis
- Conservation and site management
- Coordination with the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities, UNESCO, embassies, and multiple universities
- Working with local stakeholders to preserve their heritage for the future
The project has produced major discoveries relating to New Kingdom quarrying, Roman imperial extraction, religious practices, and the crocodile cult associated with the Temple of Sobek.
Research funding
Nilsson has secured substantial competitive funding as Principal Investigator, including:
- Swedish Research Council (2012, 2015, 2024)
- Bank of Sweden Tercentenary Foundation (2019)
- Gerda Henkel Stiftung (2015, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2024)
- National Geographic Society (2015, 2017)
- Crafoord Foundation (multiple awards, 2014–2024)
- Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (2012)
- Friends Of Silsila charitable donations
She has also received grants from Vitterhetsakademin, Magn. Bergvalls Stiftelse, Längmanska, Mehen Society, and TVAES.
Research contributions
Nilsson’s research spans several major themes:
- Quarry marks and non-textual communication – exploring how workers used symbols, codes, and pseudo-script to express identity, organisation, and ritual meaning.
- Rock art and iconography – documenting stylistic variability from the Epipalaeolithic to the Roman period.
- Quarrying and extraction – analysing the logistics, labour organisation, and imperial resource exploitation at Gebel el-Silsila.
- Graffiti and informal writing – studying game boards, dipinti, and everyday inscriptions.
- Social semiotics – applying theoretical frameworks to understand how ancient communities used signs and symbols.
Her work has contributed significantly to the understanding of Egyptian quarrying practices, religious symbolism, and the relationship between writing, identity, and landscape.
Publications
Nilsson has authored three monographs and more than 35 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters.
Monographs
Selected peer-reviewed works
- Bro-Jørgensen, J., Ikram, S., Spedding, J., Thomas, C., Snape, S., Nilsson, M. and Lazagabaster, I., ‘Applying habitat suitability modelling to establish the species identity of ambiguous animal depictions in archaeology: new insights into the wild bovids of ancient Egypt’, Journal of Archaeological Science 179 (2025), 106239.[7]
- Nilsson, M. and Faraman, A., ‘Rock Inscriptions above the Speos at Gebel el-Silsila’, Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, 2025, 1-12[8]
- Nilsson, M. and Ward, J., ‘Stylistic diversity and spatial distribution: Recent Rock Art documentation in Gebel el-Silsila – Shatt el-Rigal’, in F. Förster, M. C. Gatto, P. Medici, P. L. Polkowski and G. Sperveslage (eds.), Current Research in the Rock Art of the Eastern Sahara. In Memory of Dirk Huyge (1957–2018). Proceedings of a Session of the 20th International Rock Art Congress IFRAO 2018 in Valcamonica, Italy (Internet-Beiträge zur Ägyptologie und Sudanarchäologie 27), London 2025, 191-218.[9]
- Nilsson, M., Golverdingen, J. and Ward, J., ‘18th Dynasty dipinti from Gebel el-Silsila (East Bank)’, Journal of Ancient Egyptian Architecture 5, 2021, 7-57.[10]
- Nilsson, M., Ward, J., & Almásy-Martin, A., “Quarrying for Augustus: Gebel el-Silsila as a Source for Early Roman Monuments at Dendera”, Journal of Ancient Egyptian Interconnections 23, 2019, 1-77.[11]
- Nilsson, M., ‘Quarry Marks in Gebel el Silsila – signifiers of men and gods alike?, in B.J.J. Haring, K.V.J. van der Moezel & D.M. Soliman (eds), Decoding Signs of Identity. Egyptian Workmen’s Marks in Archaeological, Historical, Comparative and Theoretical Perspective, Leiden 2018, 113-136.[12]
- Nilsson, M., ‘From Epipalaeolithic petroglyphs to Roman graffiti: Stylistic variability of anthropomorphs at Gebel el Silsila (Upper Egypt)’, in Huyge, D. & Van Noten, F. (Guest Eds.), What Ever Happened to the People? Humans and Anthropomorphs in the Rock Art of Northern Africa" (Brussels, 17-19 September 2015), 2018, 445-460.[13]
- Nilsson, M., ‘Non-textual marking systems at Gebel el Silsila: From Dynastic signifiers of identity to symbols of adoration’, in: Non-Textual Marking Systems in Ancient Egypt (and Elsewhere) (Lingua Aegyptia Studia Monographica 16), ed. by J. Budka, F. Kammerzell, and S. Rzepka, Hamburg 2015, 81-105.[14]
Teaching and supervision
At Lund University, Nilsson teaches:
- Archaeological Theory and Material Culture
- Field Archaeology (Theory & Practice)
- Text and Materiality
- Core undergraduate courses in archaeology and ancient history
She supervises doctoral students in archaeology, Egyptology, and ecological sciences at Lund University, Durham University, Liverpool University, Assuit University, and South Valley University.
She has also directed international archaeological field schools in Egypt (2015–2017) and training programmes for Ministry of Antiquities inspectors.
International experience
Nilsson has conducted continuous fieldwork in Egypt since 2005. She served as a guest researcher at the University of Minnesota (2016–2017) and collaborates extensively with Egyptian institutions and authorities.
Honours and fellowships
- National Geographic Explorer (since 2015)
- Explorers Club Fellow (since 2018)
- Marie Skłodowska–Curie Fellow (2016–2020)
- Doctoral Fellowship, Kungl. och Hvitfeldtska Stiftelsen (2005–2011)
Scientific service and memberships
Nilsson is President of the Chesterfield Egyptological Society and a member of:
- American Research Center in Egypt
- International Association of Egyptologists
- International Society for Mark Studies
- Svenska Arkeologsamfundet
Invited lectures and conference papers
Nilsson has delivered more than 50 invited lectures and keynote presentations at major international conferences, including:
- European Conference of Egyptologists (2025)
- International Congress of Egyptologists (2015, 2023)
- American Research Center in Egypt (2016, 2017)
- Society for American Archaeology (2016)
- IFAO International Conferences (2019)
- UNESCO Conference, Nubian Museum (2014)
- Swedish Embassy, Cairo (2015, 2019)
- Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, Leiden (2017)
Media and public outreach
Nilsson frequently appears in international media as an expert on ancient Egyptian archaeology. She has contributed to documentaries and broadcasts for National Geographic, the Science Channel, Channel 5 (UK), SVT, and other outlets. She is active in public science communication, museum collaborations, and cultural heritage outreach, and has authored more than 50 popular science articles.
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