Academic

Josef Mario Briffa SJ

Pontifical Biblical Institute, Rome and Jerusalem
Director PBI in Jerusalem
Head of Academic Programmes in Jerusalem
Curator of the Museum of the PBI Jerusalem
Lecturer, Biblical Faculty

Curriculum vitae

Courses (2022-2023)

  • Archeologia e geografia in Terra Santa
  • The Southern Levant, 13th to 5th century BC
  • The First Century Context of the New Testament

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Research Projects

Excavations

  • [2013-present] The Lautenschläger Expedition to Azekah. I have dug with the team since 2013, and have been part of the staff since 2014: as Assistant Area Supervisor (2014-2015), then as Supervisor in Area N (2016-).
  • [2022-present] Excavations at Deir Tantur (Tel Aviv University and Notre Dame University). Co-director of excavations.

Other research projects

  • [2012-present] The Figurines of the Southern Levant in the Late Iron Age. My PhD research (2012-2017) focused on the interpretation of figurines of the late Iron Age in Israel, the Palestinian Territories and Jordan. A monograph, based on my PhD work, and including a complete catalogue of Kenyon’s figurines from Jerusalem is currently in preparation.
  • [2019-present] The Legacy of the Teleilat Ghassul. Curation of the collection and archive of the Pontifical Biblical Institute excavations (1929-1938, 1959-1960).
  • [2007-present] Fr Emmanuel Magri SJ (1851-1907). Ongoing research on the life and work of Fr Emmanuel Magri SJ, with a particular focus on his pioneering work in the field of Maltese archaeology. My research has so far been presented in some lectures, papers and book sections on Magri’s work. I have also curated  an exhibition for Magri’s centenary in 2007, organised by Heritage Malta and the Maltese Jesuit Province.

Completed projects

  • Catalogue of Artefacts from Malta at the British Museum. Collaborative project with Dr Claudia Sagona (University of Melbourne) on the material from Malta in the collection of the British Museum. The project has been completed with the publication of a catalogue of the material, including their history in the collection.

Updated: 12.12.2022