Magda Batiashvili

Wiener Laboratory Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, 2026-2029

Research Topic: Reconstructing Upland Minoan Pastoralism in the Neopalatial Period based on the case study of the Mountainous Site of Lavrakia (Dikte, Crete) through Multiproxy Micromorphological and Geochemical Analysis

Magda is a Malcolm H. Wiener Laboratory Post-Doctoral Research Fellow. Her research focuses on the reconstruction of upland pastoralism and human activity at the Neopalatial site of Lavrakia (Dikte, Crete) during the Late Bronze Age. Combining micromorphology with geochemical and mineralogical analyses, she investigates animal husbandry practices, site organization, and human–animal interactions in mountainous environments. Through an integrated archaeological science approach, her project aims to clarify the role of upland regions within Bronze Age socio-economic networks and to develop methodological frameworks applicable to pastoral landscapes across the Mediterranean.