Key research themes
1. How have ibis species been historically understood and represented in ancient Egyptian religion and culture, and what ecological and archaeological evidence supports this?
This research theme explores the religious significance, cultic practices, symbolic roles, and historical distribution of various ibis species, particularly the Sacred Ibis and Northern Bald Ibis, in ancient Egypt. It integrates archaeological data on ibis mummification, iconography, ritual usages, and habitats, revealing their importance in theology, ecology, and Egyptian mortuary traditions.
2. What are the dispersal patterns, conservation status, and population dynamics of Glossy Ibis and Northern Bald Ibis populations in the Mediterranean basin and Europe?
This theme addresses the ecological and conservation research on ibis species’ distribution, movement ecology, population trends, and reintroduction efforts. It highlights the mechanisms of dispersal, expansion, and decline as well as the human-mediated conservation programs aiming to restore endangered ibis populations in regions where they have declined or become extinct.
3. How has Ovid’s work, especially the poem 'Ibis', been interpreted regarding its structure, thematic content, and reception in late antiquity and medieval to modern contexts?
This thematic cluster investigates the literary analysis, historical reception, and iconographic interpretations of Ovid’s 'Ibis' and related works. It includes studies on poetic structure, exile themes, intertextual allusions, manuscript illumination, continuity with late antique poetry, and the cultural afterlife of Ovid’s texts in different periods and media.