MOUTAFI, Ioanna

Ioanna Moutafi is an active bioarchaeologist who specializes in Aegean Prehistory, and especially funerary archaeology and the social dimensions of prehistoric mortuary practices. Born in Greece, Ioanna completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Athens (B.A. in History and Archaeology, 2001) and subsequently moved to the U.K. in order to undertake the M.Sc. in Human Osteology and Funerary Archaeology at the University of Sheffield (2002). On completing her post-graduate degree, she returned to Greece and worked for several years in both rescue and systematic excavations, which offered her the opportunity to study and excavate human remains from a variety of sites and time periods. During this period, she began to specialize in the analysis of prehistoric skeletal assemblages with a focus on the reconstruction of funerary treatment and its social dimensions, and eventually returned to the University of Sheffield to pursue this subject at a doctoral level. She completed her Ph.D. (2015) on prestigious scholarships (J. Lawrence Angel Fellowship in Human Skeletal Studies; Ione Mylonas Shear Advanced Fellowship, ASCSA; Greek Archaeological Committee UK Scholarships). Her thesis "Towards a social bioarchaeology of the Mycenaean period: A multi-disciplinary analysis of funerary remains from the Late Helladic chamber tomb cemetery of Voudeni, Achaea, Greece" is the first so far large-scale bioarchaeological research on the social dimensions of Mycenaean mortuary practices. Her scientific approach employs an innovative multi-disciplinary methodology that brings together archaeological theory and current advances of biological anthropology, forensics, taphonomic studies, and archaeothanatology. Ioanna Moutafi is actively involved in extensive fieldwork and laboratory research as the leading bioarchaeologist in several archaeological projects around Greece (including collaborations with many foreign archaeological schools: ASCSA, BSA, EFA, IIHSA, DIA; foreign and Greek institutions: U. of Cambridge, U. of Groningen, Aix-Marseilles Université, U. of Copenhagen, U. of Athens, U. of Ioannina; Greek Ephorates/Ministry of Culture; the Athens Archaeological Society). She is also a Fellow of the Organising Committee of the Aegeus Society for Aegean Prehistory. Ioanna has frequently presented her diverse work in international conferences and invited lectures, while her publications include individual chapters in books, conference proceedings, joint and individual articles, and the forthcoming monograph of her doctoral thesis. Her teaching experience includes seminars, workshops, lectures, and personal guidance/training on bioarchaeological study for numerous post-graduate students of the American School at Athens and the University of Athens. In various excavation projects, student teams have also been trained and supervised by her in the recovery of human remains.