Federica Spagnoli

Federica Spagnoli is an Associate Professor of Phoenician and Punic Archaeology at the Department of the Italian Institute of Oriental Studies (ISO), Faculty of Letters, Sapienza University of Rome. She teaches courses including "Archeologia fenicio-punica e del Mediterraneo," "The Phoenicians in Central Mediterranean," and "Pre-Classical Levant and Mediterranean." Her office is located in Building CU003, second floor, room 107 at Piazza Aldo Moro 5, Rome.

Dr. Spagnoli obtained her PhD in Near Eastern Archaeology in 2008 under the supervision of Professors P. Matthiae and L. Nigro. She has been a member of the Rome "La Sapienza" Expedition to Motya since 2002, serving as supervisor of the ceramic Laboratory. Currently, she holds the position of RTDB in Phoenician and Punic Archaeology (L-OR/06).

Her research focuses on Phoenician-Punic archaeology with particular emphasis on Mediterranean cultural interactions, religious practices, and material culture. Key areas of investigation include:

• Phoenician colonization in the central Mediterranean (Sicily, Sardinia, Malta, North Africa)
• Phoenician religious practices, particularly worship of Astarte
• Phoenician-Punic pottery technology and typology
• Mediterranean cultural interactions between Phoenicians and indigenous populations
• Sacred landscapes and coastal sanctuaries in the Mediterranean
• Environmental archaeology and human-environment interactions at Phoenician sites

Dr. Spagnoli's recent scholarly output demonstrates a strong interdisciplinary approach, combining traditional archaeological methods with advanced scientific techniques. Her work increasingly incorporates archaeometric analyses, 3D documentation, and environmental studies to deepen understanding of Phoenician material culture, religious practices, and human-environment interactions. Key research sites include Motya in Sicily and Ras il-Wardija in Gozo, Malta, where she leads the Sapienza Archaeological Expedition.

Her scholarly contributions span ceramic studies, religious archaeology, landscape studies, and archaeometry, reflecting the multifaceted nature of Phoenician-Punic studies in the contemporary academic landscape.

Dr. Spagnoli actively supervises student theses and leads archaeological fieldwork, including the Sapienza Archaeological Expedition at Gozo - Ras il-Wardija Project. She also coordinates laboratory work, including ceramic analysis and digital documentation of archaeological finds.

Her research team includes specialists in archaeobotany, archaeometry, digital documentation, and religious studies, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of contemporary Mediterranean archaeology.