Our Faculty

headshot of Lubna Omar

Lubna Omar

Instructor; Associate Director/CMENAS

Anthropology; Center for Middle East and North Africa Studies

Background

Lubna Omar is a zooarchaeologist whose research examines human-animal relationships, ancient foodways, and the development of early economies in the archaeology of the Middle East (Southwest Asia). She has conducted extensive archaeological fieldwork across Syria, Iraq, Turkey, Jordan, and Japan. 

Her primary expertise centers on Northern Mesopotamia, where she utilizes faunal analysis spanning from the prehistoric to medieval periods to reconstruct the socio-economic dynamics of ancient urban centers. As an educator, she teaches a diverse portfolio of courses ranging from advanced laboratory methods in zooarchaeology to contemporary global issues in cultural heritage, conflict, and preservation.

Education

  • PhD in Zooarchaeology, Kyoto University
  • MA in Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University 
  • BA in Near Eastern Archaeology, Damascus University 

Research Interests

  • Zooarchaeology
  • Cultural Heritage

Teaching Interests

  • ANTH 373/480Z/583C: Zooarchaeology/Methods in Zooarchaeology 
  • ANTH 280: Cooking up the Past 
  • ANTH 374: Archaeology of the Middle East 
  • ANTH 382C: Cultural Heritage in Crisis