Khirbat Iskandar Expedition
James A. Sauer Fellowship
University of Rome, Sapienza
Archaeology of the Ancient Near East
Carolina Cioffi has always had a deep interest in the history of the ancient Near East and its territories, especially the Levant. During her three-year BA degree course in cultural heritage at the University of Milan “Statale,” from which she graduated in 2022, she devoted time to the analysis of the phenomenon of the “Amazons” of the 5th century BCE, focusing on the regions of Scythia and Sarmatia. She is currently enrolled in a master of arts in archeology program, specializing in the ancient Near East at the Sapienza University of Rome. In 2023, she had the opportunity to participate in the Archaeological Expedition to Khirbat Iskandar, directed by Dr. Suzanne Richard, Dr. Jesse Long, and Dr. Marta D’Andrea, during which a survey on the wadi terrace and trimming on the southwestern edge of Khirbat Iskandar was conducted. Subsequently, in September 2023, she took part in the Lebanese-Italian Archaeological Project in the Tyre region of Lebanon. The focus of her MA thesis is the Early Bronze Age pottery from Khirbat Iskandar. This pottery, silent witness to the past, is essential for understanding fundamental aspects of humanity, such as urban resilience and sociological aspects of ancient communities.