Marta Luciani

Marta Luciani is an Adjunct Professor at the Department of Prehistoric and Historical Archaeology, University of Vienna. Her research focuses on the archaeology of Arabia and the Ancient Near East, with particular emphasis on Bronze and Iron Age societies, funerary practices, and oasis urbanization. She leads the Saudi Arabian-Austrian Archaeological Project at Qurayyah, exploring ancient settlements and material culture in northwest Arabia.

Teaching includes courses like Thesis Seminar and Introduction into the Archaeology of Western Asia. Her work integrates interdisciplinary methods, such as geochemical analysis and hydroarchaeology, to study ancient technologies and environmental adaptation. Key projects include investigations at Qurayyah, Nuzi, Qatna, and Chemchemal, emphasizing Bronze Age transitions and cultural connectivity.

Publications highlight topics like oasis sustainability, palatial architecture, and ritual practices. She participates in international conferences and edited volumes, contributing to discussions on ancient urbanism and material culture. Ongoing research bridges archaeological fieldwork with lab-based analyses to reconstruct past human-environment interactions.