On December 13, Elana Steingart successfully defended her doctoral thesis titled "Semiotic Validity in Incomplete Aegean Bronze Age Seal Impressions" at the University of Toronto. Her innovative research designed and demonstrated an experimental model for identifying changing rates of incompleteness in seal impressions across over a millennium of seal use in the Bronze Age Aegean.
The examining committee comprised Professor Diamantis Panagiotopoulos (University of Heidelberg), Professor Giancarla Periti, Professor Bjoern Ewald, Professor Edward Swenson, and her supervisor Professor Carl Knappett.
Elana's work promises to shed new light on the symbolic significance and patterns of use of seals, which were pivotal administrative tools and markers of identity in Aegean societies. Her thesis makes a substantial contribution to the fields of Aegean archaeology, art history, and semiotic analysis.
Congratulations to Elana on this amazing achievement!