Alberta Arena

Dr. Alberta Arena is a Research Fellow at the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAI), Department of Prehistory & West Asian/Northeast African Archaeology, specializing in Bronze Age archaeology focusing on Italy and the Balkans. Her research emphasizes ceramic production, regional networks, and material culture studies. She holds a PhD (2014–2018) from Sapienza University of Rome and Freie Universität Berlin, with a cotutelle thesis on trans-Adriatic interactions. Previous positions include a Visiting Fellowship at Durham University (2018) and a Gerda Henkel Stiftung-funded postdoc at Università del Salento (2022).

• Education:
• Bachelor (Classical Archaeology) and Master (Prehistory and Protohistory) at Sapienza University, Rome (2006–2013)
• PhD (Cotutelle) on trans-Adriatic interactions during the Bronze Age (2014–2018)

Her research interests include Bronze Age networks, funerary archaeology, and typological/chronological analysis. Current projects explore copper supply networks between Italy/Balkans and speleological investigations in Croatia’s Lika Region. She leads the Research Group 'Urnfield Culture Networks' at ÖAI.

• Awards:
• Gerda Henkel Stiftung Post-Doc Scholarship (2022)

Collaborations include the 'In-Pot' project on Bronze Age Apulia and interdisciplinary cave site analysis in Croatia. Her work bridges archaeometry, typology, and socio-economic network studies.