Interests and methodology of research

Dr Emilija Nikolić chose the programme History and Тheory of Architecture and Research and Protection of Building Heritage for her studies in architecture. After she participated in archaeological excavations at Viminacium, Dr Nikolić focused on studies of Roman architecture and art and after the foundation of the Viminacium Archaeological Park, she again chose to research the protection and presentation of architectural heritage. Today, Dr Nikolić’s research, after participating on different projects, encompasses historical building materials, with a focus on lime mortar and its use in architectural conservation.

Education

2018 – Doctoral thesis in the Faculty of Architecture, University of Belgrade, PhD: Construction, deconstruction and reconstruction of Viminacium: context and concept

2006 – Dipl. ing. arch. the Faculty of Architecture, University in Belgrade

Employment

2024 – Institute of Archaeology, Senior research associate

2019 – Institute of Archaeology, Research Associate

2011– Institute of Archaeology, Research Assistant

2008 – Centre for New Technology, Viminacium, architect

2006 – Manproject, Belgrade, architect

Languages: English

Scholarships, grants and professional studies

(2024) Awarded by the Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia for the outstanding scientific results in the projects from the social and humanistic sciences

(2021-2022) Online SMACH Know-How Exchange Programme on Sustainable Management of Cultural Heritage in Response to Climate Change (Central European Initiative)

(2020) Cultural Heritage in Transformation (RWTH Aachen University); A course of study offered by RWTHx: an online learning initiative of the RWTH Aachen University, via the online learning platform edX

(2019) Pyramids of Giza: Egyptian Art and Archaeology (Harvard University), an online learning initiative of Harvard University, via edX

(2019) The Art of Structural Engineering: Vaults (Princeton University), an initiative for online education of Princeton University, via edX

(2019) International student workshop (Erasmus+) Heritage Without Frontiers – Restoration and Valorisation Training on Byzantine Archaeological Areas along the Danube River, Politecnico di Milano, Italy – professor

(2018) The Architectural Imagination (Harvard University Graduate School of Design), an online learning initiative of Harvard University, via edX

(2016) Enrico Guidoni international summer student school: City and Territory: Archaeology and Architecture, Castel Madama and Rome, Italy

(2015) Abraham’s House international student workshop – Designing the Temple of Peace; Girne American University, Faculty of Architecture, Design and Fine Arts, Cyprus

(2015) International camp of experimental archaeology, as part of the international project, The Iberian Citadel of Calafell, Spain

(2014) International workshop MARE.14. Materials and Techniques for the Restoration of Monuments. Compatibility, Durability, Sustainability and Economy Issues in Retrofitting Heritage Structures, Archaeological locality of Dion and Aristotle, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, Prof. Dr Ioanna Papayianni, Prof. Dr Maria Stefanidou and Dr Vasiliki Pachtа

(2014) International student workshop Graduation Laboratory (Architecture and Restoration) Reading and Designing the Area of Lambousa – Karavas; Girne American University, Faculty of Architecture, Design and Fine Arts, Cyprus

(2013) International workshop in experimental archaeology, as part of the OpenArch project, Steinzeitpark, Germany

(2013) International workshop Summer University Renovation and Revitalisation, Danube University Krems, Department for Building and Environment, Austria, Prof. Dr Roberto Pirzio-Biroli

(2011, 2012, 2019) Laboratory research of historical mortars in co-operation with the Institute for Testing of Materials (IMS), Belgrade

(2005) International workshop INDESEM 2005 – Architecture as a Political Act, Faculteit Bouwkunde, TU Delft, Netherlands, arch. Malkitt Shoshan

(2003 – 2004) Architectural design, Dekoros, Belgrade

Director of projects

(2024) Spatial arrangement, protection and presentation of the archaeological site Prljuša on Rudnik (second phase), Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia

(2022) Spatial arrangement, protection and presentation of the archaeological site Prljuša on Rudnik (first phase), Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia

(2020-2022) MoDeCo2000 (Mortar Design for Conservation – Danube Roman Frontier 2000 Years After), Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia, PROMIS programme

(2020) Project design for protection and presentation of the archaeological site Prljuša on Rudnik, Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia

(2019) Spatial arrangement and presentation of the prehistoric mine shaft in the site Prljuša, Mali Šturac, Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia

Participation in projects

(2022 – 2025) SHELeadersVR – Life and environment of Women Leaders in Western Balkan History in Virtual Reality (Creative Europe)

(2020 – 2022) Тracce di Memoria – TRAME (Erasmus +)

(2019, 2020 – 2021) International Danube Camps (Еrasmus +) coordinator for the Institute of Archaeology

(2019 – 2020, 2020 – 2021) Roman Heritage in the Balkans (Western Balkans Foundation) coordinator for the Institute of Archaeology

(2019) Archaeological Museum in the open, village of Stapari, near Užice

(2019) Reconstruction and revitalisation of the Užički Grad fortress

(2019) Design of the interior of the exhibition of the Belgrade City Museum, The stories of banknotes, hall of the National Bank of Serbia, on Slavija, author of the exhibition Jelena Vasić Derimanović

(2016 – 2020) Archaeological Practices and Knowledge Work in the Digital Environment (COST Action ARKWORК)

(2014) Member of the committee for the process of public insight of the Spacial plan of the special purpose area of the Viminacium archaeological site

(2014) Mammoth Park, Viminacium Archaeological Park

(2013, 2016) Reconstruction of the Roman amphitheatre with towers and ramparts, Viminacium Archaeological Park

(2011 – 2015) OpenArch: Archaeological Open Air-Museums in Europe

(2012 – 2014) Danube Limes Brand: Extension of the Danube Limes – UNESCO World Heritage in the Lower Danube

(2011 – 2019) IRS – Viminacium, Roman city, and military legion camp – research of material culture and non-material of inhabitants by using the modern technologies of remote detection, geophysics, GIS, digitalisation, and 3D visualisation

(2008) Domus Scientiarum Viminacium, Viminacium Archaeological Park

(2003–) Member of engineering and planning teams and professional supervision of architectural projects in Serbia and abroad

Memberships

– Serbian Chamber of Engineers

– ICOMOS

– Serbian Archaeological Society

International conferences

• Building Limes Forum, Conference and Annual Gathering, Lincoln, England (2023)
• RILEM TC 277-LHS WORKSHOP Lime based materials for repairing historic structures, Thessaloniki, Greece (2022)
• 43rd Symposium of Archaeometry, Lisbon, Portugal (2022)
• Florence Heri-Tech: the Future of Heritage Science and Technologies, Florence, Italy (2022)
• 1^st International Conference with Workshop – Science for Conservation of the Danube Limes, Viminacium, Serbia (2022) – Organisational Committee president
• 6th Historic Mortars Conference – HMC 2022, Ljubljana, Slovenia (2022)
• Serbian Ceramic Society Conference – Advanced Ceramics and Application X New Frontiers in Multifunctional Material Science and Processing, Belgrade, Serbia (2022)
• 8BSA – Eight Balkan Symposium in Archaeometry, Belgrade, Serbia (2022)
• XXIV Limes Congress Serbia, Belgrade – Viminacium, Serbia (2018)
• 5th International Academic Conference on Places and Technologies, Belgrade, Serbia  (2018)
• 19^th International Conference and General Assembly of the Experts Fondazione Romualdo Del Bianco® – Life Beyond Tourism®: Heritage for Planet Earth® 2017, Florence, Italy (2017)
• 4th Historic Mortars Conference (HMC 2016), Santorini, Greece (2016)
• XII International Conference of AIPMA: Context and Meaning. Athens, Greece (2013)

National conferences

• Annual meeting of the Serbian Archaeological Society. Prokuplje (2022), Valjevo (2012)
• Annual meeting of the architects’ section of the Society of Conservators of Serbia. Sremska Mitrovica (2016), Vrnjačka Banja (2023)
• Building materials and conservation-restoration procedures – mortars. Nis (2013)

Bibliography

Monographs

Delić-Nikolić, I., Miličić, Lj., Nikolić, E., 2024. Istorijski malteri. Od karakterizacije do konzervacije / Historical Mortars. From Characterisation to Conservation. Beograd: Arheološki institut, Institut za ispitivanje materijala

Chapters in monographs and edited volumes

• Vučetić, S., Nikolić, E., Jovičić, M., Delić-Nikolić, I., Miličić, Lj., Ranogajec, J., 2022. Hiršenberger, H. Design of Compatible Mortars for a Late Roman Tomb in Serbia, in: Florence Heri-Tech: the Future of Heritage Science and Technologies. Advanced Structured Materials, vol. 179, eds. R. Furferi, R. Giorgi, K. Seymour, A. Pelagotti. Springer, Cham: 262-275.
• Nikolić, E., Tapavički-Ilić, M., Delić-Nikolić, I., 2022. Viminacium: Landscape and Heritage (Trans) formation, in Handbook of Cultural Heritage Analysis, eds. S. D’Amico, V. Venuti. Springer Nature Switzerland AG: 2109-2131.
• Anđelković Grašar, J., Rogić, D., Nikolić, E., 2020. Act Locally, Think Globally: Late Antique Funerary Painting from the Territory of Present-Day Serbia”, in A Globalised Visual Culture?: Towards a Geography of Late Antique Art. eds. F. Guidetti; K. Meinecke. Oxford, UK: Oxbow Books: 63-90.
• Nikolić, E., Rogić, D., Anđelković Grašar, J., 2018. Architectural Space in the Wall Painting of the Roman Tomb in Brestovik. in Vivere Militare est: From Populus to Emperors – Living on the Frontier, vol. II, eds.  M. Korać, S. Golubović, N. Mrđić. Belgrade: Institute of Archaeology: 195-268.
• Nikolić, E., Radivojević, A., Delić-Nikolić, I., Rogić, D., 2016. Roman Mortars from the Amphitheatre of Viminacium“. Proceedings of the 4th Historic Mortars Conference (HMC 2016), Santorini, Greece. eds. I. Papayiani, M. Stefanidou, V. Pachta. Thessaloniki:  Laboratory of Building Materials, Department of Civil Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki: 137-144.

Papers in international scientific journals

• Nikolić, E., Delić-Nikolić, I., Jovičić, M., Miličić, Lj., Mijatović, N., 2023. Recycling and Reuse of Building Materials in a Historical Landscape – Viminacium Natural Brick
  (Serbia). Sustainability 15/3, 2824.
• Unković, N., Nikolić, E., Jovičić, M., Ljaljević Grbić, M., 2023. Preserving the Danube Limes in Serbia: A Review on the Biodeterioration of Trajan’s Bridge. Старинар LXXIII, 143-160.
• Bjelić I. Nikolić E. 2020. From an Element to a Composition: Reconstruction of a Vault of Terracotta Tubes from Timacum Minus, Serbia. Старинар LXX, 173-199.
• Nikolić E. 2019. Creation of the Mammoth Park at Viminacium, Serbia. Geoheritage 11/3, 935-947.
• Nikolić, E. 2018. Evaluation of the Protection and Presentation of Historic Buildings in the Viminacium Archaeological Park in Relation to Their Spatial Context. Spatium 39 , 26-37.
• Nikolić E.  Rogić, D. 2018. Short Observations on the Possible Hydraulicity of Viminacium Lime Mortars Based on the Results of the Laboratory Research. Archaeology and Sciences 14/2017, 39-49.
• Nikolić E. Milovanović B. Raičković Savić A. 2017. Contribution to the Study of Roman Architecture in Viminacium: Research of Thermae Masonry Techniques. Archaeologia Bulgarica XXI, 1, 39-58; I.
• Nikolić E. Rogić D.  Milovanović B. 2015. Role of Brick in Hydraulicity of Viminacium Mortars. Decorative Mortars of Thermae, Archaeology and Sciences 10/2014, 71-92.
• Anđelković J. Nikolić Е.  Rogić D. 2013. Tomb With Cupids From Viminacium: A Contribution to Research of Construction, Iconography and Style. Старинар LXIII, 73-100.