Publication of the Neolithic sites of Tell Qarassa North and the Natufian sites of Qarassa 3, Syria
2016 Award

The Neolithic Site of Tell Mureybet
2000 Award (Published in 2008)

Juan José Ibáñez started working in Neolithic archaeology in the Near East as postdoctoral researcher in the Institut de Préhistoire Orientale (CNRS), directed by J. Cauvin, from 1993 to 1995. He later worked on the excavation and as specialist in usewear analysis of stone tools in the Early Neolithic site of Tell Halula, directed by M. Molist, from 1996 to 2002. In 2003 he started his own research projects in the Near East, carrying out the survey of the area at the west of Homs (Syria) in collaboration with Dr M Haïdar-Boustani (University St Joseph of Beirut) and Dr M Maqdissi (DGAM, Damas), between 2004 and 2010. In this area, they directed the excavation of the Early Natufian site of Jeftelik and the Pottery Neolithic site of Tell Marj. In 2009 and 2010 he directed the excavation on the Late Natufian site of Qarassa 3 and the Early Pre Pottery Neolithic B site of Tell Qarassa North (Sweida, S. Syria), in collaboration with Dr F Braemer (CNRS). In 2012, M Haïdar-Boustani and he carried out the excavation of the Late PPNB and Early Pottery Neolithic site of Tell Labwe (N. Bekaa, Lebanon). Finally, since 2014 he has directed the excavation of the Early Neolithic megasite of Kharaysin, in collaboration with J Muñiz (Pontifical Faculty of St Esteban in Salamanca) located in Zarqa (Jordan), with Late PPNA, Early, Middle and Late PPNB occupation levels.