Eleonora CUSSINI

1986: Laurea degree in Oriental Languages and Literatures, Università Ca' Foscari di Venezia. Fulbright Grantee from 1986 to 1993, attended the Ph.D. program at The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA, and earned her Ph.D in 1993. Research Assistant at The Johns Hopkins University, 1986-1995, participated to a research on Palmyrene lexicography, directed by Delbert R. Hillers (The Johns Hopkins University) in the framework of the Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon Project, codirected by Delbert R. Hillers. In 1993 received the Endowment for Biblical Research Grant of the American Schools for Oriental Research, and conducted research on cuneiform clay tablets with Aramaic epigraphs from Neirab (Syria) at the École Biblique. Mesopotamian Fellow of the American Schools for Oriental Research (1993-94), conducted research at the Arkeoloji Müzeleri in Istanbul, on Aramaic epigraphs on cuneiform clay tablets from the Murashu archive (Nippur). In 1993, thanks to a grant of the Istituto Universitario Orientale, Naples, studied the portion of the Neirab archive at the Aleppo Museum. Postdoctoral Fellow at The Johns Hopkins University, in 1994 and 1996, conducted research on Palmyrene epigraphy. Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Padua, from 1995 to 1997. In 1998 conducted research on Palmyrene epigraphy in United States museums, thanks to a CNR Grant, Short Term Mobility. Adjunct Professor at the University of Padua, 1998-99.

From 1999 to present is Adjunct Professor of Semitic Philology at the Università Ca' Foscari di Venezia. In 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023 and 2024, offered courses in Aramaic and Palmyrene at the University of Warsaw, Faculty of History, Institute of Archaeology in the framework of the Erasmus+ Staff Mobility for Teaching project. In 2023 (October-November) was awarded a Ca' Foscari Overseas Mobility grant to Japan, at Ryukoku University, Kyōto.

Her research interests focus on Palmyrene epigraphy and Social History of Palmyra; the Aramaic legal tradition and Aramaic legal language between 5th century BCE and 3rd century CE; Aramaic palaeography; Jewish identity; History and Memory. 

Partecipation to recent congresses:

• 11-12 October 2021 Aarhus University, International Workshop, Exchange and Reuse: Economy and Circularity at Roman Palmyra, paper presented: "Circular Economy at Palmyra in the Light of Sale and Reuse of Funerary Portraits".
• 8-9 July 2021 Leeds International Medieval Congress, session 2103. Changing Winds and Great Storms: the Dynamics of Speech Communities and Forms of their Linguistic Self-Expression in the Eastern Mediterranean, paper presented: "Writing Conventions and Epigraphic Findings from two Syrian Synagogues: Rediscussing the Evidence from Dura Europos and Apamea".
• 30.11-1.12.2019 Nonantola (Mo), Fondazione Villa Emma. Ragazzi ebrei salvati, Convegno internazionale Libri in fuga. Leggere e studiare mentre in mondo brucia. Italia, Europa (1938-1945), paper presented: "Leggere e studiare l'Ebraico a Villa Emma". 
• 25-27 June 2019 Markowa - Rzeszow (Poland), International Conference How to Speak about the Righteous? paper presented: "The Nonantola Community and Two Righteous Among the Nations". 
• 24.5.2018 Bonn, XIX International Congress of Classical Archaeology, Archaeology and Economy in the Ancient World, paper presented: "Serial Production or Individual Orders? Palmyrene Inscriptions on Sculptures from the 1st to the 3rd century AD".
• 30.11-1.12.2017 Nonantola (Modena), Fondazione Villa Emma. Ragazzi ebrei salvati, Workshop Presenze ebraiche in Emilia-Romagna, paper presented: “I libri ebraici nel percorso espositivo del futuro museo Davanti a Villa Emma".
• 5-6 October 2017 Berlin, Zentrum fur Historische Forschung Berlin der Polnischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, International Workshop, paper presented: “A Place for the Story of the Young Refugees of Villa Emma. Towards the creation of a Museum in Nonantola, Italy”.
• 21-22.9.2017 Copenhagen, The Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters, International Congress Revisiting the Religious Life of Palmyra, paper presented: "Images of Individual Devotion in Palmyrene Sources". 
• 3.10.2016, Aarhus University (Denmark) International Workshop, Representations of Women and Children in Roman Period Palmyra: Family Structures in Palmyra, The Palmyra Portrait Project, paper presented: “Daughters and Wives. Defining Women in Palmyrene Inscriptions”. 
• 23.5.2016 New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, International Congress Palmyra: Mirage in the Desert, paper presented: "Out of a Palmyrene Family: Notes on the Metropolitan Museum of Art Palmyrene Collection".
• 21-22 April 2016 Warsaw, University of Warsaw, International Congress Life in Palmyra. Life for Palmyra. Conference in Memory of Khaled al-As‘ad (1934-2015), paper presented: “Palmyrene Cursive and Everyday Writing at Palmyra”.
• 26-27 January 2015 Copenhagen, The Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters, International Congress The World of Palmyra, The Palmyra Portrait Project, paper presented: "Identity and Mobility of Palmyrene Jews".