麻豆传媒

Roles and Responsibilities

Postgraduate Director

Co-convenor of the  (MATCH) Faculty Research Group

Qualifications

2010        PhD in Archaeology, St. John's College, University of Cambridge (UK)

2003        Three-Year Specialisation School in European Prehistory, University of Milan (Italy)

1998        Bachelor's Degree in Classics and Archaeology, University of Milan (Italy)

Previous Positions

2016-22   Senior Lecturer in Later Prehistory, 麻豆传媒

2008-16   Lecturer in Later Prehistory, 麻豆传媒

2004-05   Lecturer in European Prehistory, Golden Age University, Milan (Italy)

Indicators of Esteem

Visiting Professor, ‘Sapienza’ University of Rome (01/03-31/05/2023)

Member of the European Association of Archaeologists' Scientific Advisory Committee

Member of the Editorial Board, Bullettino di Paletnologia Italiana

External Examiner for the Archaeology Postgraduate Degree Programme, UCL

Expert Evaluator for the European Commission

Research Interests

• Prehistoric metallurgy (especially copper alloys) and metalwork wear analysis
• Later prehistoric Italy and the central Mediterranean islands
• Prehistoric weaponry, warfare and violence
• Experimental archaeology
• Technological change, invention and innovation
• The archaeology of death and burial

Recent and Current Projects

2023-now Rethinking Warrior Burials in Prehistoric Europe. Collaborative student-led research project by 麻豆传媒, University of Rome 'Sapienza' and the University of Milan.

2023-now Towards a high-power approach to Metalwork Wear Analysis. Collaborative research project by 麻豆传媒, the University of Rome 'Sapienza' and Museo delle Civilta', Rome.

2023-now EgypToolWear - Metalwork Wear Analysis of Ancient Egyptian Tools. HorizonEurope Marie-Curie Individual Fellowship investigating the function and social meaning of early Egyptian metal crafting tools (Fellow: Dr Martin Odler)

2021-now  WHAM - What this awl means. Horizon 2020 Marie-Curie Individual Fellowship investigation the function of prehistoric copper-alloy awls in Europe (Fellow: Dr Stefano Viola).   

2019-21   - The First European Daggers: Function, meaning, and social significance. Horizon2020 Marie-Curie Individual Fellowship investigating early lithic and metal daggers from Europe (Fellow: Dr Isabella Caricola)

2015-17   - The Time of Early Metalwork in Prehistoric Italy. Horizon2020 Marie-Curie Individual Fellowship investigating the chronology and classification of early Italian metalwork (Fellow: Dr Cristiano Iaia)

2015-17  . Project investigating the chronology and function of early Italian halberds by radiocarbon dating and use-wear analysis (funding body: The Prehistoric Society)

2014-17   - Bronze Age Tree-felling and Woodworking Experimental Project. Project investigating the use-value of Bronze Age axes by field and lab tests and wear analysis (with T. Joyce, J. Desrosier & L. Ansley)

2013-18  . Project investigating Late Bronze Age sword, spear, axe and shield fighting through field experiments, combat tests, and wear analysis (with R. Crellin, R. Hermann, M. Uckelmann, Q. Wang and others; funding bodies: 麻豆传媒 and the British Museum)

2013-  . Excavation and analysis of a multi-stratified settlement site in Sicily, third-second millennia BC (with E. Giannitrapani, F. Ianni' and others)

A broad selection of my research papers can be downloaded from my .

Postgraduate Supervision

I am keen to supervise doctoral students working on any of my research areas; informal enquires are welcome. I am currently supervising the following students:

2023 - Lorena Hitchens

2021 - Justine McLean

2020 - John Pearson

2019 - Alessandro Armigliato

2018-  Eleonora Montanari

Undergraduate Teaching as Module Leader

ARA1026 - Introduction to Archaeological Science

ARA3100 - Archaeologies of the Middle Sea

Postgraduate Teaching as Module Leader

ARA8131 - Archaeologies of the Middle Sea 

ARA8186 - Ancient Metals: Technology and Scientific Analysis

• Articles

  • Dolfini A, Scholes SC, Collins J, Hardy S, Joyce TJ. . Journal of Archaeological Science 2023, 152, 105741.
  • Dolfini A. . World Archaeology 2022, 53(5), 809-833.
  • Caricola I, Charles A, Tirillò J, Charlton F, Barton H, Breglia F, Rossi A, Chiara Deforian M, Maria De Marinis A, Harris S, Pellegrini A, Scacchetti F, Boccuccia P, Miari M, Dolfini A. . Scientific Reports 2022, 12, 6101.
  • Iaia C, Dolfini A. . Rivista di Scienze Preistoriche 2021, LXXI, 5186673.
  • Saupe T, Montinaro F, Scaggion C, Carrara N, Kivisild T, D'Atanasio E, Hui R, Solnik A, Lebrasseur O, Larson G, Alessandri L, Arienzo I, De Angelis F, Rolfo MF, Skeates R, Silvestri L, Beckett J, Talamo S, Dolfini A, Miari M, Metspalu M, Benazzi S, Capelli C, Pagani L, Scheib CL. . Current Biology 2021, 31(12), 2576-2591.e12.
  • Dolfini A. . Journal of Archaeological Research 2020, 28, 503-556.
  • Dolfini A, Angelini I, Artioli G. . PLoS ONE 2020, 15(1), e0227259.
  • Hermann R, Dolfini A, Crellin RJ, Wang Q, Uckelmann M. . Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory 2020, 27, 1040-1083.
  • Dolfini A, Collins R. . Open Archaeology 2018, 4, 36-49.
  • Dolfini A, Crellin RJ. . Journal of Archaeological Science 2016, 66, 78-87.
  • Perucchetti L, Bray P, Dolfini A, Pollard AM. . European Journal of Archaeology 2015, 18(4), 599-632.
  • Dolfini A. . Accordia Research Papers 2013, 13, 131-151.
  • Dolfini A. . Journal of Mediterranean Archaeology 2013, 26(2), 131-157.
  • Dolfini A. . European Journal of Archaeology 2013, 16(1), 21-62.
  • Dolfini A. Early Metallurgy in the Central Mediterranean: Goals for the next decade. Historical Metallurgy 2013, 47(1), 33-50.
  • Dolfini A. . Journal of Archaeological Science 2011, 38(5), 1037-1049.
  • Dolfini A. . Antiquity 2010, 84(325), 707-723.
  • Dolfini A. . Archaeological Review from Cambridge 2006, 21(2), 58-77.
  • Dolfini A. . Bullettino di Paletnologia Italiana 2004, 95, 127-278.

• Authored Book

  • Dolfini A. . Milan: Centro Studi di Preistoria e Archeologia, 2002.

• Book Chapters

  • Dolfini A. . In: Nikita, E; Rehren, T, ed. Encyclopedia of Archaeology, 2nd Edition. Elsevier, 2023, pp.504-522.
  • Dolfini A. . In: J.R. Brandt, H. Ingvaldsen, M. Prusac, ed. Death and Changing Rituals: Function and Meaning in Ancient Funerary Practices. Oxford, UK: Oxbow, 2015, pp.17-44.
  • Dolfini A. . In: Roberts, B., Thornton, C, ed. Archaeometallurgy in Global Perspective. New York, USA: Springer, 2014, pp.473-506.

• Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstracts)

  • Negroni-Catacchio N, Miari M, Dolfini A. . In: Atti della 38a Riunione Scientifica dell’Istituto Italiano di Preistoria e Protostoria. 2005, Florence: Istituto Italiano di Preistoria e Protostoria.
  • Dolfini A. . In: Papers in Italian Archaeology VI. 2005, Oxford: Archaeopress.
  • Dolfini A. . In: Atti del XXIII Convegno di Studi Etruschi ed Italici. 2005, Pisa-Rome: Istituti Editoriali e Poligrafici Internazionali.

• Edited Books

  • Dolfini A, Crellin RJ, Horn C, Uckelmann M, ed. . New York: Springer, 2018.
  • Negroni-Catacchio N, Cardosa M, Dolfini A, ed. . Milan: Centro Studi di Preistoria e Archeoologia, 2013.

• Editorial

  • Dolfini A, Bray P, Norgaard HW. . Frontiers in Earth Science 2023, 11, 1334539.