Roberta Giunta

Roberta Giunta is a Full Professor of Islamic Archaeology and Art History and Islamic Epigraphy at the Department of Asia, Africa and Mediterranean (DAAM) of the University of Naples L'Orientale. She currently serves as Director of DAAM since January 2024, previously held leadership roles including President of the Interdepartmental Archaeology Services Center (2021-2023), and Vice Director of the Annals of the University of Naples L'Orientale since 2017.

Her research expertise spans Islamic archaeology, art history, epigraphy, and numismatics with particular focus on medieval Asian territories. Professor Giunta's work encompasses material culture analysis across diverse Islamic contexts from South Asia to the Middle East, examining architectural remains, artifacts, and written documentation to understand Islamic societies historically.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals consistent focus on Omani archaeological sites at al-Balīd in Dhofar, Islamic inscriptions from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India, and Islamic material culture including ceramics, metalwork, and magic bowls. Her scholarship demonstrates methodological rigor in combining field archaeology with epigraphic analysis across multiple Islamic regions.

Her scientific recognition includes:

• Fellow at Gerda Henkel Stiftung, Dusseldorf (2012-2014)

Professor Giunta has directed significant archaeological missions since 1993 across Pakistan, Egypt, Yemen, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Syria, Iran, Turkey, Iraqi Kurdistan, Oman, and Jordan. She currently serves as Director of the Italian Archaeological Mission at Zafar/al-Balīd in Oman (since 2022) and previously as Deputy Director of the Italian Archaeological Mission in Afghanistan (2004-2022).

She leads the Islamic section of the "Umberto Scerrato" Oriental Museum and contributes to academic leadership as member of the Doctoral College in "Asia Africa and Mediterranean" at DAAM, demonstrating sustained commitment to both research and academic administration in Islamic studies.