Romolo Loreto

Romolo Loreto is Associate Professor of Archaeology and Art History of the Ancient Near East at the University of Naples 'L'Orientale' since 2019. He directs multiple international archaeological missions including the Italian Archaeological Mission in Saudi Arabia, Italian Restoration Mission in Saudi Arabia, and University of Naples archaeological projects in Oman. His work spans Neolithic to Early Islamic Arabia with a focus on Dumat al-Jandal, al-Jawf, and coastal Oman.

Research Interests: Specializing in Arabian Peninsula archaeology, Loreto investigates settlement dynamics, trade routes, religious architecture, and coastal adaptations. His geoarchaeological work combines satellite imagery with fieldwork to reconstruct paleoenvironments. Key projects include Nabataean studies in Saudi Arabia and Iron Age ichthyophagoi communities in Oman.

Scientific Awards:

• Al-Ansary Prize (2017) - Best non-Saudi archaeologist under 40 in Saudi Arabia
• SIR 2014 grant (€260,000) - Scientific Independence of Young Researchers

Grants & Lectures: Holds multiple annual grants from Italy's Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Arabian Peninsula missions. Delivered over 80 lectures internationally, including at the Biennale Venice (2025) and ICAANE Lyon (2025). Curator of exhibitions like 'Roads of Arabia' (Rome, 2020) and 'The Assyrians at the Shadow of Vesuvius' (Naples, 2019).