Skip to main content

Web Content Display Web Content Display

Zakład Archeologii Nowego Świata

Web Content Display Web Content Display

Dr Michał Wasilewski

Dr Michał Wasilewski

| e-mail: michal.wasilewski@uj.edu.pl
| e-mail: mikewas.pl@gmail.com

mobile: +48 12 663 15 95

ORCID 0000-0001-8173-2403

address:
Institute of Archaeology JU
Chair of New World Archaeology
Gołębia 11 str.
31-007 Kraków

Basic information

Geoarchaeologist, assistant professor at the Chair of Archeology of the New World.

Graduate of the Faculty of Geology, Geophysics and Environmental Protection of the AGH University of Science and Technology (MA thesis on Mineralogical Studies of the Interactions of Selected Minerals with Organic Compounds) and the Faculty of History of the Jagiellonian University (MA thesis titled Obsidians in the Volcano Valley (southern Peru) - geoarchaeological analysis). In 2007, he defended his doctoral dissertation entitled The use of minerals in medicine and cosmetology in antiquity (up to the 5th century AD), obtaining a PhD in Earth Sciences. This work was published in 2009 as a book entitled A mineral as a medicine - between ancient and modern times.

Thanks to his double education, he specializes in geoarcheology. He participated in research internships and trainings, incl. in Gliwice Absolute Dating Methods Center (GADAM), at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany), at Universitatea Babeş-Bolyai (Cluj-Napoca, Romania), Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities SCA (Cairo, Egypt), Instituto Colombiano de Antropologia e Historia (Bogota, Colombia).

He is also involved in activities popularizing science (lectures in schools, open academies, NGO projects; the Wise Books initiative; radio broadcasts; scientific consultant of the Stone into Disease exhibition - an exhibition of minerals and ancient authors' opinions on their healing properties at the Museum of Pharmacy of the Jagiellonian University in Krakow 2007-2009).

Co-editor of the journal Contributions in New World Archeology
Editor-in-chief of the Corpus Antiquitatum Americanensium series published by the PAU - Polish Academy of Art and Sciences

Main research interests:

  • application of natural sciences methods in archaeological research
  • South American archeology, with particular emphasis on the Paleoindian and Archaic periods
  • settlement of the New World
  • ethnomedicine, in particular the medicinal uses of minerals and rocks
  • mythologies of the peoples of South America
  • human activities in mountain areas

The most important sholarships, excavations and grants

  • UNESCO Global Geoparks: Colca y Volcanes de Andagua (Peru) - Polish Scientific Expedition Peru, project honored in 2020 with the unveiling of a commemorative plaque at the Avenue of Explorers, Explorers and Conquerors Explorers Club, at Stanisław Lem str. in Krakow
  • NCN SONATA BIS 6, UMO 2016/22 / E / HS3 / 00141, Panel: HS3 (head P. Kołodziejczyk, IAUJ); duration April 11, 2017 - April 11, 2021; The Contractor; grant topic: Early Bronze Age in southern Jordan in the context of research in the At-Tafila microregion
  • NCN OPUS 12, UMO 2016/23 / B / HS3 / 01886, Panel: HS3 (head K.M. Ciałowicz, IAUJ); duration: July 13, 2017 - July 13, 2020; The Contractor; subject of the grant: Socio-political development of the North Negev in the Early Bronze period on the example of Tel Erani position - continuation of research
  • NCN OPUS 10, Panel: HS3 (head J.K. Kozłowski, PAU); duration period 02/06/2016 - 01/06/2019; The Contractor; topic of the grant: Western Balkans - an alternative way of neolithization in Europe
  • MNiSW 0037 / NPRH3 / HM / 82/2014 / UJ (head S. Moździoch); duration 2014-2018; The Contractor; subject of the grant: Atlas of early medieval strongholds from Poland
  • National Science Foundation Award 1045607 (head Robert D. Drennan, University of Pittsburgh), 2012, researcher, grant topic: Geophysical research in San Agustin Archaeological Park (Colombia)
  • Tell el-Farkha Polish Archaeological Expedition to the Eastern Nile Delta
  • Polish-Egyptian Archaeological and Preservation Mission Deir el-Bahari
  • archaeological excavations and geological expeditions: Poland, Slovakia, Greece, Egypt, the Caucasus, Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan, Peru, Colombia, Jordan

Membership in scientific societies

  • Polish Gemmological Society (since 1998) (1999-2004 member of the Central Court of Peers; 2004-2009 vice-chairman of the Chief Audit Committee)
  • Society for American Archeology (since 2004)
  • Society for Archaeological Sciences (since 2010)

Lectures and courses

He conducts classes in the field of geoarchaeology, archeology of South America, archaeological source studies, seminars, and consults and reviews student journals.

Major publications:

Books:

  • 2018 Little things in history - history in little things. Phaleristic memorabilia of mountain rescue in Poland, Central Mountain Tourism Center PTTK - Mountain Voluntary Search and Rescue Team GOPR, Kraków, 1-396
  • 2011 Obsidians in the Valley of the Volcanoes, Peru. A geoarchaeological analysis, BAR International Series 2223, Archaeopress, Oxford, 1-84
  • 2009 Mineral as a medicine - between antiquity and modernity, Of. Ed. RYTM, Warsaw, 1-272

Book chapters:

  • 2020 „In Search of the Oldest Ceramics and Architecture: Pre-Mamom Phase at Nakum, Petén, Guatemala, and its Surroundings”, in: D.S. Walker (ed.), in press, with J. Źrałka, W. Koszkul, B. Hermes, J. L. Velásquez, R. Bishop
  • 2019 “Nature, science and tourism. Polish research on the natural environment of southern Jordan and the tourist potential of the region – outline and perspectives” in: P. Kołodziejczyk (ed.) Discovering Edom. Polish archaeological activity in southern Jordan, Kraków, 121-141, DOI: 10.33547/DiscEdom2019.07
  • 2015 “Chiped, ground and polished stone industries at the Early Neolithic settlement of Moravany”, in: J.K. Kozłowski, M. Nowak, M. Vizdal (eds) Early farmers of the Eastern Slovak Lowland: the settlement of the Eastern Linear Pottery culture at Moravany, Polish Academy of Art and Sciences, Kraków, 163-196, with J.K. Kozłowski, M. Kaczanowska
  • 2012 “Prehistory of Rapa Nui (Easter Island): a General Outline”, in: Z.J. Ryn (ed.), Easter Island (Rapa Nui) Polish Speleological Exploration, Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences, Kraków, 13-60
  • 2012 “Geology, sedimentology and mineralogy”, in: M. Chłodnicki, Ciałowicz, K.M. & Mączyńska, A. (eds), Tell el-Farkha I. Excavations 1998-2011, Poznań Archaeological Museum-Institute of Archaeology Jagiellonian University, Poznań-Kraków, 375-382 (co-author)
  • 2011 “Lithic implements from Maroslele-Pana”, in: Paluch T. (ed.) Paroslele-Pana. Egy Középsö neoliticus lelöhely a kultúrák határvidékén, Móra Ferenc Múzeum, Szeged, 275-302 (co-author)

Articles:

  • 2020 „Siliceous rocks from the southern part of the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland (Southern Poland) as potential raw materials in the manufacture of stone tools – A characterization and possibilities of identification” Journal of Archaeological Science Reports 30, 1-13, with J. Matyszkiewicz, A. Kochman
  • 2019 “HLC Project 2018: Jagiellonian University excavations in southern Jordan”, Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean 28/2, 269-310, with P. Kołodziejczyk, M. Nowak, B. Witkowska, J. Karmowski, M. Czarnowicz, J. Zakrzeńska, A. Brzeska-Zastawna
  • 2016 „Linear Band Pottery culture (LBK) lithic industry from Apc” Archaeologiai Értesítő 141, 29-54, with M. Kaczanowska, J.K. Kozłowski
  • 2016 “Excavation along the easternmost frontier of the LBK in NE-Hungary at Apc-Berekalja I (2008–2009)” Archaeologiai Értesítő 141, 1-27, z László Domboróczki, Anna Budek, László Daróczi-Szabó, Małgorzata Kaczanowska, Tomasz Kalicki, Edyta Kłusakiewicz, Janusz K. Kozłowski, Angela Kreuz, Péter Pomázi, Zsuzsanna K. Zoffmann
  • 2014 „The growing wave: Polish contributions in the New World archaeology”  Contributions in New World Archaeology 6, 167-198
  • 2010 “Algunos medicamentos minerales tradicionales del sur del Perú – su composición y eficacia” Estudios Latinoamericanos 30, 67-92
  • 2010 “Nuevos yacimientos de obsidiana en el Sur de Perú (Valle de los Volcanes – Pampa Jararanca) desde une perspectiva arqueológica” Polish Contributions in New World Archaeology 2, 73-97
  • >>> Academia.edu
  • >>> ResearchGate

Web Content Display Web Content Display