Khaled Abu Jayyab

Khaled Abu Jayyab is a scholar whose multi-institutional and interdisciplinary work bridges archaeology, anthropology, and material culture studies, with a notable emphasis on societal dynamics and ancient economies in Mesopotamia and the Caucasus with a strong emphasis on the Late Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age periods.

His research spans archaeological theory, landscape archaeology, pottery analysis, prehistoric and Mesopotamian archaeology, demonstrated through active involvement in sites such as Nineveh, Tepe Gawra, Hamoukar, Tell ‘Arna, and Gadachrili Gora.

Khaled earned his PhD (2011–2019) in Near Eastern Archaeology from the University of Toronto. His doctoral dissertation, titled “Nomads in Late Chalcolithic Northern Mesopotamia: Mobility and Social Change in the 5th and 4th Millennium BC,” highlights his deep interest in mobility, social transformations, and the Chalcolithic period.

Since 2019, he has been a sessional lecturer at the University of Toronto and has also coordinated field training for students, notably at the Gadachrili Gora field school in Georgia (2017–2024), where he trained students in survey methods, artifact recording, and ceramic analysis.

Recently Khaled has been directing two major projects in Northern Iraq the Paths to Urban Growth in the Nineveh Plain (PUG project), and the East Nineveh project. Khaled Abu Jayyab’s work within Nineveh and PUG focus on blending rigorous archaeological methodology—ranging from geospatial analysis to systematic artifacts sampling—with thoughtful heritage stewardship and community integration. He has shaped both academic understanding of early urban transitions in northern Iraq and progressive models for site preservation that engage local residents ethically and inclusively.

In his role as research associate at the Department of Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations, Khaled aims to foster collaboration in Nineveh and PUG through inviting scholars and students to partake in research initiatives.