Roberto Arciero is a Research Affiliate at the Faculty of Archaeology, specializing in the archaeology of West and Central Asia, with additional research interests in Contemporary Archaeology.

More information about Roberto Arciero

Office days

Available on appointment

Research

Roberto Arciero is a Research Affiliate at Leiden University, Department of World Archaeology. At Leiden University, he is conducting research on the island of Lampedusa (Italy) within the framework of the RESPIRE Project (funded by the National Geographic Society). His contemporary archaeological research explores modern macroplastic debris on three case-study beaches on the island of Lampedusa.

Applying archaeological methodologies, Roberto examines macroplastic assemblages to reconstruct their origin, distribution, and broader socio-cultural and environmental implications for the island. Likewise, given Lampedusa’s position at the center of Mediterranean migration routes, a key aspect of the project is the study of plastic materials associated with migrant crossings. The aim is to identify which plastic objects are associated by migrants, exploring their functional and symbolic significance. Furthermore, through semi-structured interviews with people with migrants background who arrived in Lampedusa, the project seeks to document the personal histories attached to these objects, offering insights into their materiality, use, and emotional significance. By integrating archaeological and ethnographic approaches, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of the interplay between the island's material culture, human mobility, and environmental impact in both migration and non-migration contexts

In parallel with the Lampedusa project, he is currently investigating the ancient hydrological and agricultural system of the Paskurt Valley in southern Uzbekistan as part of the Franco-Uzbek Archaeological Mission in Protohistoric Bactria, conducted at MOM-Archéorient, CNRS (UMR 5133), Lyon.

For his doctoral research at Leiden University, Roberto investigated human-water dynamics and agricultural practices of the Oxus Civilization (Bactria-Margiana Archaeological Complex) between the 3rd and 2nd millennium BCE, focusing on the Murghab region in southern Turkmenistan. This area, a key center of early urban development in Central Asia, has been largely overlooked by Western scholars. His research examined the role of irrigation and agricultural systems in the emergence of proto-state society, addressing questions of water management, and impact on settlement dynamics. Through the Murghab Water Project (MWP), Roberto applied a multidisciplinary approach, using remote sensing, traditional surveys, and geoarchaeological methods. Additionally, carbon isotope analysis of botanical remains, in collaboration with the Max Planck Institute in Jena, provided insights into past agricultural strategies.

His Ph.D. research was funded by the National Geographic Society/Early Career Grant, the Elise Mathilde Fund/LUF Grant, and the Asian Modernities and Tradition Grant (Leiden University).

Teaching activities

Roberto Arciero worked as a Teaching Assistant between 2017 and 2021 for several BA1 courses at the Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden University. Specifically - along with teachers - Roberto taught,  coordinated, and designed campus-based and online tutorials. Moreover, along with Dr. Victor Klinkenberg Roberto taught the course “Designing Archaeological Research” for BA3. In 2021, Roberto obtained the University Teaching Qualification (Basis Kwalificatie Onderwijs, BKO).

Curriculum vitae

Roberto Arciero is a Research Affiliate at Leiden University and a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Maison de l’Orient et de la Méditerranée – Archéorient Laboratory, CNRS (UMR 5133) in Lyon.

He earned a BA in Ancient History from Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna (Italy), where he also completed a two-year Master’s degree in Archaeology cum laude, specializing in Near Eastern Archaeology. In 2024, he successfully defended his PhD at the Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden University, focusing on water and agricultural management, settlement systems, and social transformations of the Oxus Civilization in Central Asia. He currently serves as Field Director of the TAP-Togolok Archaeological Project in Turkmenistan.

Since 2007, Roberto has participated in numerous archaeological field surveys and excavations across Italy, Greece, Central Asia (Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan), the Arabian Peninsula (Oman), and East Africa (Eritrea). Additionally, he worked for three years as a contract archaeologist in Italy.

Roberto Arciero is a National Geographic Explorer.

Publications