Archaeologist, expert on ancient water systems in Arabia, Julien is researcher and project leader at ARCHAÏOS. Since 2019, he is leading the AlUla Cultural Oasis Project (Saudi Arabia), funded and steered by the French Agency for AlUla Development on behalf of the Royal Commission for AlUla. Between 2016 and 2020, he oversaw the the Masafi project (United Arab Emirates), funded by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. His research focuses on ancient water management in Arabia, oasis landscapes, and, overall, the impact of environmental change on cultural developments in drylands. His methodological approach combines survey and excavation of settlement sites, the analysis of aerial/satellite imagery, the mapping of irrigation systems, as well as the ethnoarchaeological study of present-day oasis communities. These research topics have been addressed through several postdoctoral fellowships (in Durham, Berlin and Nice) and several field projects (in Yemen, Oman, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Ethiopia). Julien is also a former CEFREPA doctoral fellow (Sanaa 2006-2009).

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Julien-Charbonnier

https://ç.academia.edu/JulienCharbonnier