01Islamic Archaeology
After completing my PhD in Oriental Studies at Ca' Foscari University of Venice, I held research positions at the Université libre de Bruxelles, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, and the Institut Français du Proche-Orient (Ifpo) in Beirut, where I developed research on the archaeology of the Islamic world across the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East.
My archaeological work focuses on settlement archaeology, landscape archaeology, and material culture, with particular attention to ceramic studies as a tool for reconstructing economic, social, and cultural dynamics. I have collaborated with numerous international archaeological missions in Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, including projects at Apamea, Shayzar, Baalbek, Byblos, Tyre, Ej-Jaouzé, Ziyaret Tepe, Karkemish, Tell Zeyd, the Land of Nineveh Archaeological Project and the Northern Lebanon Archaeological Project.
Since 2023, I have directed the Bazhera Archaeological Project (Kurdistan Region of Iraq), funded by the Barakat Trust, the Gerda Henkel Stiftung, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the University of Udine. The project investigates the settlement history and material culture of Bazhera, with particular emphasis on the remains of a Late Islamic caravanserai and its role within regional communication and trade networks.
02Islamic Heritage in Italy
A further strand of my research explores the presence, circulation, and reception of Islamic material culture in Italy. Through the study of archaeological finds, museum collections, and historical archives, I investigate the role of Islamic artefacts in shaping cultural exchanges across the Mediterranean, with particular attention to Venice and north-eastern Italy.
My research has examined the medieval connections between Venice and the Mamluk Sultanate through the analysis of imported ceramics from the Venetian Lagoon, while more recent work has expanded to the documentation, interpretation, and digital mapping of Islamic heritage preserved in Italy.
Since 2025, I have directed ISLAMit, a research project dedicated to documenting, studying, and promoting Islamic cultural heritage in north-eastern Italy. Combining archaeological research, museum studies, and digital humanities, the project aims to map collections and objects, investigate their historical contexts, and make this shared heritage more accessible through digital tools, public engagement, and interdisciplinary collaboration. ISLAMit seeks to highlight the long-standing connections between Italy and the Islamic world and to promote a broader understanding of their shared Mediterranean history.
03Museums, Collections and Cultural Heritage
Alongside field archaeology, I have developed extensive experience in the study and interpretation of Islamic museum collections. My research has focused particularly on ceramics from Fustat (Old Cairo) preserved in major European museums, combining archaeological analysis with collection-based research.
I have collaborated with the Musées Royaux d'Art et d'Histoire in Brussels and the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon on the study, cataloguing, and publication of their Fustat collections. These projects have resulted in scholarly publications and international conferences dedicated to the circulation, production, and consumption of Islamic ceramics.
My museum activities have also included participation in exhibition and publication projects such as En Harmonie. Art du Monde Islamique (2015), Les Arts de l'Islam au Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon (2023), and Siria, Splendore e Dramma (2014), as well as collaboration with the National Museum of Damascus for museum renovation and heritage enhancement initiatives (2008).
