Nicola Laneri

Nicola Laneri is Professor of Archaeology and History of Ancient Near Eastern Art at the University of Catania, Director of the University Museum of Archaeology, and of the CAMNES School of Archaeology in Florence. He is considered a leading figure in studies of the archaeology of death and ritual in Mesopotamia and Anatolia.

Throughout his career, he has led major archaeological missions in Turkey (Hirbemerdon Tepe), Azerbaijan (GaRKAP), and Iraq (Baghdad Urban Archaeological Project), contributing to the historical and cultural reconstruction of ancient civilizations. One of his most significant contributions was the identification of the Gate of Hammurabi, an important architectural testimony to the Babylonian period, previously unidentified and rediscovered thanks to his multidisciplinary work combining archaeology, history, and technology.

He is the author of numerous scientific and popular publications, including From Ritual to God in the Ancient Near East (2023) and Archaeology of Death (2011), and is a frequent guest at international universities and academic institutions.