Born in Kristiansand, Norway, in 1949, Dr. Øystein Sakala LaBianca has spent over five decades uncovering the long-term processes that shape civilizations. As a National Geographic Explorer, Professor of Anthropology at Andrews University, and Associate Director of the Institute of Archaeology, his work has redefined the study of ancient societies, cultural resilience, and environmental change.
His archaeological journey began in 1971, when as a recent college graduate, he joined the Tall Hisban excavation in Jordan, a moment that set the foundation for his life's work. Assigned to analyze animal bones, he quickly uncovered patterns that revealed deeper stories about ancient diets, economies, and societal shifts.
This passion led him to study at Harvard University’s Department of Anthropology, refine his expertise at the University of Munich, and earn a Ph.D. from Brandeis University, where he pioneered food systems archaeology, a revolutionary approach to studying how civilizations rise and fall based on the way they produce, consume, and sustain their food sources.
Uncovering the Cycles of Civilization – Food Systems and Indigenous Resilience
At Brandeis, LaBianca transformed archaeology’s approach to long-term history. Under the mentorship of Judith Zeitlin and Robert Hunt, he developed a groundbreaking framework that linked archaeological evidence—architecture, pottery, settlement patterns, seeds, and faunal remains—to cycles of intensification and abatement in ancient food systems.
His research revealed that civilizations in Hesban and Central Transjordan didn’t simply collapse; they followed predictable cycles of urbanization and decline, settled agriculture and nomadism, expansion and retreat. These findings, published in his landmark dissertation, shaped the foundation of his lifelong study of cultural resilience.
Building on this work, he identified seven key indigenous survival strategies, known as “hardiness structures," that allowed communities to endure despite external pressures: Local water management, Mixed agro-pastoralism, Fluid homeland territories, Residential flexibility, Hospitality networks, Honor codes, Tribalism and social cohesion
By integrating archaeology with living traditions in the Middle East, he became a pioneer in ethnoarchaeology, showing how ancient survival strategies remain deeply embedded in modern Bedouin culture.
Environmental Archaeology and the Role of Climate in Human History
LaBianca’s next frontier of research tackled a critical question: How does climate shape civilizations?
Early studies of pollen, seeds, and faunal remains initially found no evidence of macroclimatic change influencing Hesban’s long history. However, National Geographic-sponsored research later suggested that shifts in food system intensification and abatement were tied to cycles of environmental degeneration and regeneration.
This work reframed archaeology’s approach to human adaptation, influencing modern discussions on sustainability, climate resilience, and cultural survival. His findings remain at the cutting edge of environmental archaeology, fueling new interdisciplinary studies on the relationship between civilizations and their ecosystems.
Beyond climate, LaBianca turned to the impact of ancient world systems—how global empires, from the Romans to the Ottomans, shaped the economic and political landscapes of the Eastern Mediterranean. His ongoing research maps Hesban’s place in world history, revealing how trade routes, imperial expansions, and technological advances influenced local communities over thousands of years.
With a career spanning five decades, LaBianca’s influence extends far beyond excavation sites. He has been instrumental in three major research projects:
Co-founder of the Madaba Plains Project – A landmark initiative in Middle Eastern archaeology
Director of the Hisban Cultural Heritage Project – Unraveling the deep history of biblical Heshbon
Lead researcher at the Sela Archaeological Project – Mapping the complexities of Transjordan’s ancient landscapes
His research, published in academic journals, books, and National Geographic features, continues to shape the fields of anthropology, archaeology, and global history. As an author, professor, and speaker, LaBianca has inspired scholars, students, and policymakers, helping them understand the lessons of the past to navigate the challenges of the present and future.
Research Interests: Ancient Near East, global history, Jordanian history, archaeology, Indigenous studies, heritage studies, food history, Indigenous knowledge, imperial history, ancient civilizations (archaeology), civilizational collapses as non-linear system avalanche events, local and regional food systems, globalization, and sociology.
Academic & Research Institutions: Andrews University (Professor of Anthropology, Department of Behavioral Sciences; Associate Director, Institute of Archaeology), Brandeis University (Ph.D. in Anthropology & Archaeology, 1987), Harvard University (Special Student in Anthropology & Comparative Anatomy), University of Munich (Research Collaborator on Faunal Analysis), University of Oxford (Visiting Fellow).
Archaeological Projects: Madaba Plains Project (Co-Founder), Hisban Cultural Heritage Project (Director), Sela Archaeological Project (Lead Researcher)
Professional & Research Associations: National Geographic Society (Explorer & Research Grant Recipient), National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) (Research Grant Recipient).