Twenty seasons of excavations at Jericho:
Across the history of one of the oldest capitals in the Levant
Lorenzo Nigro (University of Rome La Sapienza)
Over twenty excavation seasons (2009–2024) at Tell es-Sultan, ancient Jericho, the joint Italian- Palestinian Expedition by the University of Rome La Sapienza and the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, led by Lorenzo Nigro, has significantly reshaped our understanding of the site. By revisiting and aligning the stratigraphy from earlier German and British missions, the team has developed a unified archaeological periodization of Tell es-Sultan. Their work has primarily focused on reconstructing the Bronze and Iron Age cities, with a particular emphasis on the fortification systems and the central area known as “Spring Hill.”
The exploration of various city quarters and three superimposed palaces revealed the city’s ancient name, and confirmed the international connections previously proposed by J.B. Hennessy. Beneath these layers, the extraordinary Neolithic towns continue to reveal numerous facets of one of the most innovative and resilient human communities in the ancient Near East.
The Italian-Palestinian expedition has also been committed to the restoration and presentation of the site to foreign visitors and the local public, ultimately achieving the inclusion of Tell es-Sultan in the UNESCO World Heritage List (2023).
Lorenzo Nigro is a Full Professor of Archeology & Art History of the Ancient Near East at University of Rome La Sapienza. With thirty years of field experience in Western Asia and the Mediterranean, he directs several archaeological expeditions, including those at Tell es-Sultan/ancient Jericho (1997–), and Bethlehem (2015–21) in Palestine, Khirbet al-Batrawy in Jordan (2005–) and at Motya in Sicily (2002–2023). He also co-directs the joint Institut National du Patrimoine/University of Rome Sapienza Expedition to Carthage in Tunisia. He has authored over 20 monographs and 300 scholarly articles, focusing on pre-Classical cultures with an interdisciplinary approach.
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