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Micaela Sinibaldi

Dr Micaela Sinibaldi

Honorary Research Fellow

School of History, Archaeology and Religion

Overview

I am a Medieval archaeologist educated in Italy and the U.K., specialising in the archaeology of the Islamic  and Crusader periods in the Levant. I am currently an Assistant Professor at the University of Warsaw, Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology, where I conduct research funded by a grant from the National Science Centre in Poland, entitled: Frankish Settlement in the Lordship of Transjordan. Society, Economy and Landscape in the Crusader Period.

I hold a PhD from Cardiff University with a thesis on the archaeology and history of the Crusader period in the Lordship of Transjordan. Following the PhD programme, I have held several post-doctoral fellowships (at Humboldt University, Berlin and Council for British Research in the Levant, Amman and Jerusalem) and positions to develop my research, and I have served as acting Deputy Director at the Kenyon Institute in Jerusalem (Council for British Research in the Levant). With K. Lewis, J. Thompson and B. Major I have co-edited Crusader Landscapes in the Medieval Levant. The Archaeology and History of the Latin East, University of Wales Press (2016) a Festschrift for Prof. Denys Pringle.

Since 2014 I am the director of the Islamic Baydha Project in Petra, Jordan, which is part of my broader research project, the Late Petra Project. As a result of my interest in ceramics, I carry out a study of chronology and characteristics of handmade pottery of the Islamic period in southern Transjordan, with a focus on Petra. After teaching at the University of Warsaw and the University of Shanghai as a Visiting Professor, as well as at American college study abroad and professional formation programmes, I am currently conducting  a programme of training in archaeological fieldwork based in Petra, dedicated to international and Jordanian archaeologists, and I co-supervise PhD projects.

I have conducted fieldwork projects of archaeological excavation, Buildings Archaeology, ceramic studies and mapping of risk assessment in Italy, the Middle East and India. My recent research activity has focused on the Petra region, where I have worked as a team member of several international projects, including the Brown University Petra Archaeological Project. I have assisted UNESCO as a member of the advisory group for the new integrated management plan of Petra World Heritage Site.

My publications currently in progress focus on the subjects of my PhD research and the one of Islamic-period ceramics in Transjordan.

Research

Research interests

  • The archaeology and history of the Crusader period in the Middle East
  • Archaeology of the Islamic period in the Middle East
  • Islamic-period handmade pottery
  • Medieval Mediterranean Archaeology
  • Buildings Archaeology
  • Methodologies of archaeological research
  • Cultural Heritage and engagement of local communities

Selected publications

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.

Refereed journal articles and book sections

  • 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., (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), Beidha, in IHSJ = Islamic Heritage Sites in Jordan, ed. A. Khammash - Th. M. Weber-Karyotakis, Amman: German Jordanian University, 75-76.
  • Sinibaldi, M., (2020) “Islamic Era Ceramics”, in Patricia Bikai, Megan Perry, and Chrysanthos Kanellopoulos, Petra: The North Ridge. Amman, Jordan: American Center of Oriental Research, 319-320.
  • 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, 2007, 70-74.

Fieldwork reports and other articles

  • 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.,  (2020) Islamic Baydha Project, seasons 2018 and 2019. “Archaeology in Jordan, 2” ACOR newsletter, edited by J. Green, B. Porter and C. B. Shelton, 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, 2013, 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, 2009, 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, 2009, Florence.
  • Sinibaldi, M. (2007) “Crusader Archaeology in Southern Jordan”. American Center of Oriental Research Newsletter, n.18, 2006, 4-6.

Fieldwork

The Islamic Baydha Project

The Islamic Baydha Project, affiliated with the Council for British Research in the Levant, was launched in 2014 and is part of the broader Late Petra Project which aims at reconstructing the history of the still largely neglected Islamic period in Petra. Through the detailed study of ceramics from this period, I have challenged the common narrative of Petra being largely abandoned after the Byzantine period with the exception of the Crusader period, and I have demonstrated that there was no significant chronological gap in the occupation of the Petra region. Instead, the region included a high number of sites such as villages, probably mostly based on agriculture, like Baydha. The Islamic village at Baydha consists of the most substantial, accessible evidence of the Islamic period in the Petra region and includes the only two mosques discovered and excavated in the region.

The project takes a holistic approach where the components of research, training and community engagement all work in synergy. Archaeological training is offered to both Jordanian and international archaeologists. As a project that involves the study of the relatively recent past, it has been successful in engaging the local community of Baydha with their own cultural heritage; in addition, since our first season in 2014 the project has actively participated in community engagement by hosting an annual Schools Day, an initiative held in partnership with the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority.

To learn more

Islamic Baydha Project website - https://islamicbaydhaproject.wixsite.com/islamicbaydhaproject

Blog piece for the Council for British Research in the Levant webpage: “The Islamic Baydha Project: archaeology, training and community engagement in the Petra region” (December 2019) - https://cbrl.ac.uk/news/item/name/the-islamic-baydha-project-archaeology-training-and-community-engagement-in-the-petra-region

Blog piece for the British Academy webpage (March 2018): "Did Petra's inhabitants really abandon the city?;" - https://www.britac.ac.uk/blog/did-petras-inhabitants-really-abandon-city?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=civilisations&utm_content=other&utm_term=blog

Media

Press reviews and media coverage

Biography

Education and Qualifications

  • 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

Career Overview

  • National Science Centre, Poland, Opus 22 Grant. Principal Investigator. Three-years fieldwork and research project to research Medieval-period sites in Jordan. Grant value: Euro 362 000. (2022)
  • Politecnico di Milano, Department of Architecture and Urban Studies:  Visiting Researcher Programme (2022). Cultural Heritage, Community Engagement and  Sustainable Tourism at the Islamic Baydha Project, Petra.
  • University of Warsaw, Faculty of Archaeology: Visiting Professor of Archaeology (Academic year 2021/2022).
  • Shanghai International Studies University, Institute for the Global History of Civilizations:  Visiting professor of Archaeology (2020-2021).
  • Islamic Baydha Project (Petra, Jordan): Director (2014-present)
  • 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).
  • Columbia University, New York City, Dept of History, (2006). Visiting Scholar.
  • New York University, City University of New York,  Florence University of the Arts.
  • Lorenzo de’Medici Institute (American exchange programmes), Florence, Italy:  professor of archaeology, art history and Italian language. (2003-2008)
  • Comune di Siena, Italy: instructor of Building Archaeology in professional  course (1999-2001).

Honours and awards

Other 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 TravellingScholarship (2009).
  • Economic History Society: (2009; 2013)
  • Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Italy, Mobility Programme Researcher. (2006).
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Italy, Research Fellow. (1998).

Grants awarded for the Islamic Baydha Project

  • The Barakat Trust: (2014-2020)
  • Palestine Exploration Fund: (2014-2018; 2022)
  • The Altajir Trust: (2019; 2022)

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)

Professional memberships

  • 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

Conferences and events organised

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 held online for the University of Shanghai (June 24-26 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).

Other services to profession

Advisory Board Member, Regional Editor and Contributor: The Levantine Ceramics Project

Additional projects

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.

External profiles