Francesca Chelazzi

Francesca Chelazzi is a Researcher affiliated with the Department of Archaeology at the University of Glasgow's School of Humanities. Her work focuses on ancient Near Eastern societies, particularly in the Sirwan/Upper Diyala region. She specializes in regional survey methods, prehistoric and early urbanization processes, and cultural encounters in Mesopotamia. Chelazzi has contributed to projects like the Sirwan Regional Project, examining the interplay between local institutions and external influences during the Uruk expansion and Babylonian periods.

Her research integrates archaeological fieldwork with historical analysis, as seen in her 2025 Antiquity article discussing the rejection of centralization in the Sirwan region and her 2019 American Journal of Archaeology study on excavations at Khani Masi. These studies highlight her expertise in reconstructing ancient socio-political dynamics through material culture.

Chelazzi has collaborated with international teams, as evidenced by the 2024 co-edited book Place, Encounter, and the Making of Communities, which explores prehistoric to Iron Age developments in the Lower Sirwan/Upper Diyala basin. While no formal awards or grants are listed, her publications reflect sustained engagement with critical debates in Near Eastern archaeology.