Fixed-term researcher (art. 24 c.3-b L. 240/10; SSD L-OR/05) at the Department of the Italian Institute of Oriental Studies (01/08/2022-31/07/2025), authorized to associated professor (10/11/2020-10/11/2031), coordinator of the B.2-Innovative metallurgy research line of the PRIN 207 project Prot. 2017EYZ727 “Peoples of the Middle Sea. Innovation and Integration in Ancient Mediterranean ( 1600-500 BC)”.
Since 2021 I have been the scientific director of the joint Italian-Palestinian mission in Bethlehem (sites.google.com/uniroma1.it/sapienzatobethlehem), with the local Department of Antiquites and Cultural Heritage – Ministry of Tourism and Antiquites of Palestine , for the emergency excavation of the necropolises of Khalet al-Jam'a and Jebel Dhaher, following the graphic and photographic documentation, the 3D scanning with an infrared camera, as well as the study and the publication of the finds from the necropolis of Bardhaa and the Tomb of el-Atan ( Bethlehem), years 2016-2017, the excavation and publication of the large underground system (Tomb A7), years 2018-2019. During 2016, 2022 and 2023 I conducted a surveys of the territory of the municipality of Bethlehem and in the areas to the east, up to Wadi Nar, and to the south, in the village of Beth Sahur, and to the south of this, up to the border with Hebron , cataloging and mapping sites of archaeological, historical and cultural interest, the results of which are published in the open access GIS at the link:
https://pf87.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=60b0495a716d400e97198e11070f8e2e.
Since March 2015 I have been the curator of the Museum of the Near East, Egypt and the Mediterranean - Sapienza, after having contributed to the creation of the new exhibition, the organization of the exhibition path, organizing the events, seminars and dissemination activities (conferences, educational workshops, internships, ministerial internships for the School of Specialization in Archaeological Heritage, School-Work Alternation, Museum Night, Museum May), as well as recent exhibitions and publications (https:// web.uniroma1.it/mvoem).
Previous assignments
2020-2022 Fixed-term researcher (art. 24 c.3-a L. 240/10; SSD L-OR/05) at the Department of the Italian Institute of Oriental Studies;
2018-2020 Research grant category B Type II entitled "Scientific Curator of the Museum of the Near East, Egypt and the Mediterranean", at the Department of the Italian Institute of Oriental Studies - Sapienza University of Rome;
2017 individual assignment of coordinated and continuous collaboration for "Coordination of the filing activities, 3D optical scanning and museum display of the archaeological finds discovered in Mozia by the Missione della Sapienza in the excavations of Tophet (1964-1973), of the Necropolis (2011)", at the Department Italian Institute of Oriental Studies - Sapienza University of Rome;
2015-2016 Category B Type II research grant entitled “The birth and peculiarities of the city in the southern Levant and the Mediterranean”, at the Department of Science of Antiquities - Sapienza University of Rome;
2014-2015 continuous coordinated collaboration assignment for "Classification and referencing of images of the excavations in Motya in the four-year period 2008 - 2011", at the Department of Science of Antiquities - Sapienza University of Rome.
Editorial Experience
Since 2011 I have coordinated the editorial staff of the class A journal Vicino Oriente (ISSN 0393-0300; 2724-587X; eISSN 2532-5159), vols. XV-XXVII, and the related series Quaderni di Vicino Oriente (ISSN 11276037; eISSN 25325175), vols. VI-XVII. I coordinated the volumes: “Landing on Motya. The earliest Phoenician settlement of the 8th century BC and the creation of a West Phoenician cultural identity in the excavations of Sapienza University of Rome – 2012-2016” (Quaderni di Archeologia fenicio-punica/Colour Monograph 04), Rome 2017; “Compendium of the Museum of the Near East, Egypt and the Mediterranean”, Rome 2016; “The so-called “Kothon” at Motya. The sacred pool of Baal 'Addir/Poseidon in the light of recent archaeological investigations by Rome «La Sapienza» University - 2005-2013. Stratigraphy, architecture, and finds” (Quaderni di Archeologia Phoenicio-Punica/Colour Monograph 03), Rome 2014; “A Pioneer of Arabia. Studies in the Archeology and Epigraphy of the Levant and the Arabian Peninsula in Honor of MOAWIYAH IBRAHIM” Edited by Zeidan Kafafi & Mohammed Maraqten (Rome «La Sapienza» Studies on the Archeology of Palestine & Transjordan, 10), Rome 2014.
Excavation Experience
Since 2005 I have been a member of the archaeological mission in Palestine and Jordan (ROSEPAJ) directed by Prof. Lorenzo Nigro, in the sites of Tell es-Sultan/Gerich (https://sites.google.com/uniroma1.it/sapienzatojericho/home-page ), in Palestine, and Khirbet al-Batrawy (https://sites.google.com/uniroma1.it/sapienzatojordan/home-page), in Jordan, as responsible for the cataloging and photography of non-ceramic finds. From 2009 to 2014 I was responsible for the excavation of Area A at the Tell es-Sultan site, the circuit of fortifications of the Middle Bronze Age city.
From 2004 until 2014 I participated in the archaeological mission in Mozia (www.lasapienzamozia.it) directed by Prof. Lorenzo Nigro, where between 2005 and 2014 I was responsible for the excavation of the construction site of Zone C North, for the documentation of the architecture and found materials, and, between 2012 and 2014, head of the non-ceramic finds laboratory.