Micaela Sinibaldi

Education

2014 – Cardiff University: PhD “Settlement in Crusader Transjordan, (1100-1189): a Historical and Archaeological Study”.

2002 – University of Florence, Italy: Laurea Degree: “Characteristics and Forms of Settlement in the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem: The Contribution of Archaeology”.

1999 – University of Siena, Italy, Department of Archaeology, Professional Diploma in Buildings Archaeology.

1995–1996 – Royal Holloway University of London: Erasmus Exchange Student, Department of History.

Career overview

• Politecnico di Milano (University of Milan, Italy), Department of Architecture and Urban Studies: Visiting Researcher Programme (2022). Cultural heritage, Community Engagement and Sustainable Tourism at the Islamic Baydha Project in Petra.
• University of Warsaw, Faculty of Archaeology. Visiting Professor (2021-2022)
• Shanghai International Studies University, Institute for the Global History of Civilizations: Visiting Professor of Archaeology (2020-2021).
• Council for British Research in the Levant: Consultant (2019); Acting Deputy Director, the  Kenyon Institute, Jerusalem (2016; 2017-2018); Post-doctoral Fellow (2016-2017). Doctoral Fellow (2009; 2011).
• W.F. Albright Institute of Archaeological Research in Jerusalem: Research Fellow (2018-2019).
• German Protestant Institute of Archaeology, Amman: Research Fellow (2015).
• Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany, TOPOI excellence cluster: Post-Doctoral Senior  Fellow (2014-2015).
• American Center of Oriental Research, Amman, Jordan. Bikai Fellow (2013-2014; 2009-2010; 2007-2008; 2006-2007); De Vries Fellow, (2007-2008).
• Exhibition Curator, artifacts from Jordan. Exhibition From Petra to Shawbak, Archaeology of a Frontier (Florence, Italy); University of Florence and Department of Antiquities of Jordan (2009)
• Columbia University, New York City, Dept of History, (2006) Visiting Scholar.
• New York University, Florence University of the Arts, Lorenzo de’ Medici Institute (American exchange programmes), Florence, Italy:  professor of archaeology and art history (2003-2008).
• Comune di Siena, Italy: instructor in archaeological analysis of walls and plasters in professional course (1999-2001).

Students formal research supervision

Co-supervision:

• PhD thesis on the subject of Crusader-period fortifications at the Doctoral School of History of the Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Hungary (since 2021)
• BA Thesis on Medieval ceramics from Petra. University of Florence, Dept. of History (2008).

PhD thesis external assessment:

• thesis on Medieval ceramics from Jordan. University of Aarhus, Department of Archaeology (2018).

Other services to profession

• Reviewer: for journals and monographs, in the field of archaeology of the Medieval Levant
• Advisory Board Member, Regional Editor and Contributor: The Levantine Ceramics Project.
• Specialist Assessor for projects of Cultural Heritage.

• Frankish Settlement in the Lordship of Transjordan. Society, Economy and Landscape in the Crusader period. Funded by the National Science Centre of Poland, Opus 22 Grant: Principal Investigator. Amount awarded: PLN 1,660,186 (2022-2025)
• Islamic Baydha Project (Petra, Jordan): Director (2014-present)
• The Late Petra Project

Other archaeological experience

Experience in archaeological excavations, Building Archaeology, ceramology and damage assessment of cultural heritage for 25 different projects in the Middle East, Italy and India.

• Director and executive producer of a video documentary on the Islamic Baydha Project—selected for participation in the Rovereto International Film Festival, October 2021; the Agon Festival in Athens, Greece, May 2022; The Agrigento Film Festival, July 2022, Ficab Film Festiva, Irun, Basque Countries, November 2022.

Grants awarded for PhD and MA research projects

• Art and Humanities Research Council: (2008-2014)
• Economic History Society: (2009; 2013)
• Medieval Settlement Research Group: (2012)
• Palestine Exploration Fund: (2012)
• Medieval Pottery Research Group: (2010)
• Cardiff University: Ursula Henriques Prize and Charles Coles Travelling Scholarship: (2009).
• Economic History Society: (2009; 2013)
• Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Italy, Mobility Programme Researcher: (2006)
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Italy, Research Fellowship: (1998).

Grants awarded for the Islamic Baydha Project

• Palestine Exploration Fund: Research Grant to support The Islamic Baydha Project (2022)
• The Barakat Trust: (2014-2020)
• Palestine Exploration Fund: (2014-2018)
• The Altajir Trust: (2019)

Publication grants awarded for Crusader Landscapes in the Medieval Levant. The Archaeology and History of the Latin East, co-edited volume with  K. Lewis, J. Thompson and B. Major (2014-2015).

• Institute of Historical Research, University of London
• Barakat Trust
• Robert Kiln Trust
• Seven Pillars of Wisdom Trust
• Council for British Research in the Levant

Other grants

• Society for Medieval Archaeology: Research Grant for the study of Crusader-period settlement patters in the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem (2021)

Edited volumes

 Sinibaldi, M., K. Lewis, B. Major and J. Thompson (eds.) (2016), Crusader Landscapes in the Medieval Levant. The Archaeology and History of the Latin East. University of Wales Press.

Journal articles, book sections and monographs

Sinibaldi, M., and Vieweger, D,. “The Ceramics from excavations at Ba’ja I, Petra region” (in progress)

Bikai, P. M., Kanellopoulos, C.,  Saunders, S., Costello, J., Shoman, Bowsher, J and Sinibaldi, M., “Beidha Documentation Project” (in progress)

Sinibaldi, M., Settlement in Crusader Transjordan (1100-1189): a Historical and Archaeological Study, monograph, Oxford, Archaeopress (contracted, in progress)

Sinibaldi, M., (2022). “The Crusader Lordship of Transjordan (1100–1189): Settlement Forms, Dynamics and Significance”. Levant 54.1, 124-154. (Open Access, published on 1 April 2022). https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00758914.2022.2033016

Sinibaldi, M., (2022), The Crusader period, in Pottery of Jordan Manual. Eds. Jehad Haron and Douglas R. Clark, The American Center of Research, Alexandria and Amman, 108-111.

Sinibaldi, M.,  (2020), Beidha, in IHSJ = Islamic Heritage Sites in Jordan, ed. A. Khammash – Th. M. Weber-Karyotakis: Amman, German Jordanian University.

Sinibaldi, M.,  (2020) “Islamic Era Ceramics”, in P. Bikai, M. Perry, and C. Kanellopoulos, Petra: The North Ridge. Amman: American Center of Oriental Research.

Sinibaldi, M.,  (2019) “Karak Castle in the Lordship of Transjordan: Observations on the Chronology of the Crusader-period Fortress”, in P. Edbury, D. Pringle and B. Major,“Bridge of Civilisations.” The Near East and Europe c.1100-1300, Oxford, Archaeopress, 97-114.

Knodell, A.R., S.E. Alcock, C. Cloke, T. Erickson-Gini, C. Feldman, G. Rollefson, M. Sinibaldi, C. Tuttle, T.M. Urban, C. Vella.  (2017). “The Petra Area and Wadi Silaysil Survey: Regional Survey with the Brown University Petra Archaeological Project” (American Journal of Archaeology, 121.4, Oct. 2017).

Sinibaldi, M., (2016), “Settlement in the Petra Region During the Crusader Period: a Summary of the Historical and Archaeological Evidence”, in M. Sinibaldi, K. Lewis, J. Thompson and B. Major (eds.), Crusader Landscapes in the Medieval Levant. The Archaeology and History of the Latin East, Cardiff, University of Wales Press, 81-102.

Sinibaldi, M., (2016), “The ceramics from the later phases of occupation at the monastic site of Jabal Harun”, in Z. Fiema, J. Frosen and M. Holappa, Petra, the Mountain of Aaron. Vol. II., Societas Scientiarium Fennica, 202-211.

Sinibaldi, M. (2013), “The pottery from the 11th-20th centuries from the FJHP survey. Ceramics, Settlement and Pilgrimage at Jabal Harun during the Late Islamic periods”, in P. Kouki and M. Lavento, Petra, the Mountain of Aaron. Vol. III. The Archaeological Survey, Societas Scientiarium Fennica, 168-192.

Sinibaldi, M. (2007) “The artefacts of area 6000 C”. First Results. In Vannini et al., Archeologia dell’ insediamento Crociato in Transgiordania. Il progetto Shawbak, Archeologia Medievale 33, 70-74.

Fieldwork reports and other contributions

Sinibaldi, M., (2022) Islamic Baydha Project, seasons 2020 and 2021. “Archaeology in Jordan, 3” ACOR newsletter, edited by P. P. Creasman, J. D. M. Green, and C. B. Shelton, 83-85.

Sinibaldi, M., (2021), The Late Petra Project: an archaeological study of settlement in post-urban Petra. Le Carnets de l’Ifpo. La recherche en train de se faire à l’Institut français du Proche-Orient (online from June 28th, 2021). Link to the online article: https://ifpo.hypotheses.org/11183

Sinibaldi, M.,  (2020), Islamic Baydha Project, seasons 2018 and 2019. “Archaeology in Jordan,” ACOR newsletter, edited by J. Green, B. Porter and C. B. Shelton, pp. 95-97

Sinibaldi, M.,  (2019) “The Islamic Baydha Project, Baydha (Petra Region), season 2018”, Palestine Exploration Quarterly, 151:3-4, 252-255.

Sinibaldi, M.,  (2018), Islamic Baydha Project, seasons 2016 and 2017. “Archaeology in Jordan,” ACOR newsletter, edited by J. Green, B. Porter and C. B. Shelton, pp. 74-75.

Sinibaldi, M. (2016), The Islamic Baydha Project, seasons 2014 and 2015, in G. Corbett et al., “Archaeology in Jordan, 2014 and 2015 seasons”, American Journal of Archaeology, 120.4, 660.

Sinibaldi, M. (2015), “Islamic Bayda Project, Bayda (Petra Region), season 2014”. Palestine Exploration Quarterly, 147.2, 160-167.

Sinibaldi, M., (2013), “The Ceramic Assemblage from the Later phases at Tomb 303. Settlement in Wadi Ath-Thugrah in the Islamic Period,” Annual of the Department of Antiquities of Jordan 57, 167-178.

Sinibaldi, M., (2013),” Settlement of Crusader Transjordan: an Archaeological Survey”. Palestine Exploration Quarterly, 161.

Sinibaldi, M., (2013), “Archaeology and History of Crusader-period Settlements: 12th century sites in Transjordan.” Bulletin of the Council for British Research in the Levant, 62-65.

Sinibaldi, M., (2013), “The Medieval Ceramic Assemblage from Khirbet an-Nawafla: the Franks and their Pottery in 12th century Petra,” The Medieval Pottery Research Group Newsletter, 2.

Sinibaldi, M. and C. A. Tuttle (2011), “Brown University Petra Archaeological Project: 2010 Excavations at Islamic Bayda”, Annual of the Department of Antiquities of Jordan 55, 2011.

Sinibaldi, M. (2010), ‘Villages of Crusader Transjordan: a survey of archaeological sources’, Bulletin of the Council for British Research in the Levant, 60-63.

Sinibaldi, M. (2009), ‘The Franks in Southern Transjordan and the contribution of Ceramic Studies. A Preliminary Report on the Pottery Assemblages of Bayda and Wadi Farasa’, Annual of the Department of Antiquities of Jordan 53, 449-464.

Sinibaldi, M. (2009), Twelve entries for artifacts descriptions (Medieval pottery from Shawbak castle and ceramics of the Crusader period from Petra), in Catalogue of the Exhibition From Petra to Shawbak, Archaeology of a Frontier, edited by G. Vannini and M. Nucciotti, Florence.

Sinibaldi, M. (2007), “Crusader Archaeology in Southern Jordan”. American Center of Oriental Research Newsletter, n.18, 2006, 4-6.

Participation

Total of 46 talks (18 at international conferences, 28 as invited talks) and one poster presentation)

Organization

• Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Sustainability: Archaeology and the Challenge of Our Common Future. International Conference on Archaeology and Sustainable Tourism organised for the Politecnico di Milano (December 2022).
• The Levantine Ceramics Project: wares from Jordan (July 2022, co-organised).
•  The history and archaeology of the Islamic and Crusader periods: some reflections on methods and methodologies of research. Organisation of a three-days international workshop for the University of Shanghai (June 2021)
• Crusader Landscapes in the Medieval Levant: organization and presentation of a series of book launches in London (British Academy), Cardiff (Cardiff University), Jerusalem (Kenyon Institute) and Amman (Jordan Museum). (September 2016/April 2017).
• City and Hinterland in Medieval and Ottoman Palestine. The History and Archaeology of Landscape. Two-day workshop on the archaeology of landscape organized in Jerusalem for the Council for British Research in the Levant (May 2016).
• The History and Material Culture of Ottoman Palestine, seminar on the History, Archaeology and Architecture of Palestine in the Ottoman period organized in Jerusalem for the Council for British Research in the Levant. (February 2013).

• Council for British Research in the Levant
• Palestine Exploration Fund
• Society for the Study of the Crusades and the Latin East
• European Association of Archaeologists
• The Society of Medieval Archaeology
• American Schools of Oriental Research

• Historical Consultant for archaeological documentaries on Jordan and Petra
• Designed and led specialised archaeological tours and events for general public and archaeological trips for scholars in the Middle East
• Designed and managed projects of Public Archaeology for public institutions and private companies in Italy
• Designed a programme of community engagement for local communities of the Petra region, in the framework of the Islamic Baydha Projec

Press reviews and media coverage:

1) Kingdom’s Medieval History shows adaptation, continuity, scholar says. Article on The Jordan Times by Saeb Rawashdeh, February 2016.

2) Archaeologists discuss overlooked treasures at Amman conference. Article on The Jordan Times by Saeb Rawashdeh, June 2016.

3) Foreign Archaeologists Tour Crusader-era castles in Jordan, to reflect on link between art, archaeology. Article on The Jordan Times by Saeb Rawashdeh, November 2016.

4) Old-fashioned views affect study of Frankish presence in Petra–Italian scholar. Article on The Jordan Times by Saeb Rawashdeh, April 2017.

5) Archaeological project explores Beidha during the Islamic era. Article on The Jordan Times by Saeb Rawashdeh, December, 2017.

6) Detailed history of Karak castle discoverable by analyzing architecture—archaeologist. The Jordan Times by Saeb Rawashdeh, December, 2018.

7) Petra region still holds completely untapped potential—archaeologist. The Jordan Times by Saeb Rawashdeh, April 2019.

8) Letter from Jordan: Beyond Petra, by Sarah Toth Stub  Archaeology Magazine (Archaeological Institute of America), November-December 2019 (on the results of the Late Petra Project and the Islamic Baydha Project)

9) Webinar held on Late Petra Project The Jordan Times by Saeb Rawashdeh, March 2021.

10) Workshop explores archaeology of Islamic, Crusader periods The Jordan Times by Saeb Rawashdeh, July 2021.

11) Roundtable takes on social responsibility of archaeologists, restoration The Jordan Times by Saeb Rawashdeh, December 2022.