I obtained my BSc and MSc in Geology from the University of Athens and conducted my PhD in Archaeology at the Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge (awarded January 2020). Having a strong geological background, I am specialised in studying stone tools and artefacts from the perspective of raw material exploitation and procurement. The provenance investigation of such archaeological finds allows us to identify exchange and trade networks and confirm interactions between societies and civilisations of the past.
During my PhD research, I examined Neolithic stone artefacts from several archaeological sites in Malta and found that this community exploited local resources and imported specific rocks (chert) from Sicily (Italy). Currently, I am engaged in two research projects as postdoctoral research focusing on Prehistoric communities in the Balkans. The aim of these projects is to investigate the type and origin of raw materials used for stone tool production. Stone tools are a vital component of the material culture of the Prehistoric communities and useful markers of technological, cultural and social change. Hence studying them is a new potential avenue of research that may be able to address some of the uncertainties surrounding the socio-cultural transformation of the Balkans and beyond.
Since 2015, I am an active member of Magdalene College and part of the graduate community (MCR). I contributed to the community from the post of Admin officer (2017-18), while in 2018 I was elected MCR Treasures and became part of the executive committee (2018-2019).
2015 - 2022: Member of Magdalene College, Cambridge
2021 - 2022: Postdoctoral Research at the Mcburney Laboratory of Geoarchaeology, Dept. of Archaeology, University of Cambridge
2015 - 2020 PhD in Archaeology, Dept. of Archaeology, University of Cambridge
Journal articles (Peer reviewed)
Chatzimpaloglou, P. 2020. A geoarchaeological methodology for sourcing chert artefacts in the Mediterranean region: A case study from Neolithic Skorba on Malta. Geoarchaeology, vol. 35 (6), pp. 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1002/gea.21813
Chatzimpaloglou, P. French, C. Pedley, M. Stoddart, S. 2020. Connecting chert sources of Sicily with Neolithic chert artefacts of Malta. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, vol. 29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2019.102111
Book chapters (Peer reviewed)
Chatzimpaloglou, P. Patrick, J.S. French, C. Ruffell, A. & Stoddart, S. 2020. The geology, soils and present-day environment of Gozo and Malta. ‘in’ Malone et al. (eds) Temple landscapes: Fragility, change and resilience of Holocene environments in the Maltese Islands. McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research. https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.59609
Chatzimpaloglou, P. 2020. Assessing lithic assemblages and sourcing chert artefacts. ‘in’ Malone et al. (eds) Temple places: Excavating cultural sustainability in prehistoric Malta. McDonald Institute Monographs. https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.62630