Dear Mar Shiprim readers,
This month we thank Dr. Sergio Alivernini for taking the time to tell us about the Oriental Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, fresh after this year’s 70th Rencontre in Prague.
Wishing everyone a good start to the academic year,
Pavla Rosenstein
Mar Shiprim Editor
In the spotlight – Sergio Alivernini at the Oriental Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences
Dr. Sergio Alivernini, Head of the Department of the Middle East at the Oriental Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences. Photograph by Pavla Rosenstein.
Can you please tell us a bit about yourself?
I first set out to study ancient civilizations through Egyptology. During my courses, I couldn’t help noticing that much of what we were reading seemed to revolve around the dead — funerary rituals, tombs, afterlife texts. At some point, I started to wonder if I should bring flowers to class. It felt as if my academic life was mostly spent in the company of the deceased, who, to their credit, were at least very quiet study partners.
That’s when I encountered my professor, Franco D’Agostino, who introduced me to Assyriology and, more specifically, to the Ur III period. Instead of pyramids and mummies, I suddenly found myself surrounded by tax accounts, receipts, and administrative tablets. In short, I traded pharaohs for paperwork, and I’ve been happily buried under cuneiform ever since.
My own path wasn’t entirely smooth: after my doctorate in 2010, I spent a few years outside academia before receiving a DAAD fellowship in Heidelberg in 2013, followed by a Gerda Henkel fellowship in Rome in 2015. In 2016, I joined the Oriental Institute (OI) in Prague, where I’ve been ever since. Since 2022, I’ve had the privilege of directing the Middle East Department, a role that involves plenty of modern administrative work which, I must admit, feels oddly familiar thanks to my long experience with ancient administrative texts. Apparently, training in Ur III bureaucracy is excellent preparation for running a department in the 21st century. I also edit Archiv Orientální, the quarterly peer reviewed journal focused on both the past and present societies of Asia and Africa, published by the OI.
Archív Orientální, established in 1929.
What’s the history of the Oriental Institute?
The Oriental Institute was founded in 1922, just a few years after the birth of Czechoslovakia, thanks in large part to the vision of Bedřich Hrozný and other pioneering scholars. It is one of Europe’s oldest institutions dedicated to studying the societies, cultures, and languages of Asia and Africa. The idea was to create an institute that could both advance scholarship and connect the young country with the wider world. In a sense, it was a very forward-looking project: while Czechoslovakia was new on the map, its scholars were already thinking globally.
While the OI has a long history of research and publication, some of our most exciting initiatives are quite recent. We have developed a close collaboration with the Institute of Ancient Near Eastern Studies at Charles University, fostering joint research projects and academic exchange. At the same time, the OI participates in archaeological excavations across the Middle East in collaboration with international teams, bringing new discoveries, and sometimes surprises, to light.
How is the OI structured, and what are some current and upcoming projects?
Today, the Oriental Institute is organized into three departments: Middle East, South Asia, and East Asia. Our Middle East Department studies ancient civilizations, but we also pay attention to the modern Middle East. In other words, we don’t just talk to dead people anymore; we follow the living too, studying social, political, and cultural developments as they unfold.
The library and the exterior of the current home of the OI in Prague. The Institute is set to move to a new location in Central Prague from 2027. Photographs by Pavla Rosenstein.
This diversity shows up in our projects. On the contemporary side, we focus on Islamic intellectual history and Ottoman Studies. On the ancient side, the department leads the Monuments of Mosul in Danger project, the first publicly accessible digital database documenting Mosul’s architectural heritage destroyed by ISIS between 2014 and 2017. Using satellite images, archival resources, and advanced 3D modeling, the platform records over 40 monuments (mosques, churches, shrines, and other historical buildings). It’s a practical tool for Iraqi heritage professionals, policymakers, and international partners and yes, it’s slightly more exciting than scrolling through your email inbox.
Looking ahead, in 2024 we launched two excavation projects in collaboration with Melania Zingarello (CNRS, UMR 7264, CEPAM, Nice) and J.S. Baldi (CNRS, UMR 5133, Archéorient, Lyon): the DrEEMM Project (Ahmad Awa, Sulaymaniyah) and the EURUK Project (Rejibah, Dhi Qar). In short, whether we are digging through ancient ruins or analyzing contemporary society, the OI strives to connect past and present, keeping research lively.
The OI recently co-hosted the annual Rencontre with Charles University – what was that experience like, and what were some highlights?
Hosting the Rencontre in Prague was exhilarating and slightly terrifying. It felt like inviting several hundred houseguests from all over the world and hoping the plumbing wouldn’t break. The start was particularly eventful: the metro caught fire, the air conditioning collapsed, and even the internet decided to take a break for a few hours.
The final session at this year’s Rencontre in Prague (RAI 70). Photograph by Matěj Hruška.
Fortunately, everything went smoothly in the end, thanks not only to the cooperation of Jana Mynářová, Ludovica Bertolini, and František Válek, but also to the incredible support of our students, whose energy and adaptability kept everything on track. Highlights included the enthusiastic participation of younger scholars, who brought fresh perspectives and energy, and the chance to showcase Prague’s cultural and academic life. I was particularly happy to show our international colleagues the work we are doing to develop Ancient Near Eastern studies here in Prague, from research projects to fieldwork and publications, and to highlight the vibrant academic community we are building.
We also organized a practical session for researchers interested in applying for European Research Council (ERC) grants. The session offered guidance on proposal development, structuring large-scale projects, and navigating the application process. We hoped it would be particularly useful for early-career scholars, who are building their academic careers in an increasingly competitive environment. Judging from the lively discussions, the session struck a chord and perhaps even planted the seed for future ERC success stories.
How would you say Assyriology and related fields are perceived in the Czech Republic? Are there any existing or upcoming interdisciplinary or international projects?
Assyriology in the Czech Republic is a small but lively field. While we don’t yet have people stopping us on the street to ask about Sumerian, there is genuine public interest, especially through exhibitions, public talks, and outreach activities.
International projects are essential. For example, in addition to the two excavation projects mentioned above, I am collaborating on the archaeological mission at Girsu, led by Dr. Sebastien Rey (British Museum). Alongside Massimo Maiocchi (Ca’ Foscari University of Venice), Ahmed Ali Jawad (State Board of Antiquities and Heritage), and Krisztián Simkó (British Museum), my role focuses on publishing newly excavated cuneiform tablets. This collaboration combines archaeological fieldwork with philological expertise, showing how international and cross-disciplinary approaches can bring ancient societies vividly — and sometimes surprisingly — to life.
What are your aspirations for the field more broadly – is there anything you’d like to see in terms of research, pedagogy, or infrastructure in the future?
One of my main aspirations is to further strengthen the community of scholars working on the Ancient Near East, particularly here at the Oriental Institute. At present, I am the only permanent member of the department dedicated to this field — which has its perks (I always win the department debates!) — but it also shows how valuable it would be to have another colleague in Ancient Near Eastern studies. Whether an archaeologist, an epigraphist, or another specialist, having such expertise permanently embedded in the Institute would not only enrich our research, but also make the daily life of the department a bit less like a one-person show.
At the same time, we are actively investing in the next generations of scholars. We have established a program that partially funds PhD candidates in the Czech Republic, and twice a year we open two-year postdoctoral positions, available both to Czech researchers and to colleagues from abroad. These initiatives are designed to broaden the field, attract fresh talent, and make Prague an active hub for Ancient Near Eastern studies.
Ultimately, my goal is to make the field not only sustainable but truly expansive — a space where collaboration and new ideas can flourish, where young scholars see real opportunities to grow, and where even a 4,000-year-old complaint about taxes reminds us that some aspects of human life never really change.
For more information about the Oriental Institute, please visit: https://orient.cas.cz/en
Interview by Pavla Rosenstein.