Grazia has recently obtained her PhD in African Studies (Archaeology and Prehistory of Africa) at the University of Naples "L'Orientale" in Italy (2011), with a research project focused on the Predynastic site of Naqada and based on archaeological materials retrieved there by an Italian Expedition during the '70-'80s. Her doctorate came after a period of study in Classical Humanities and Archaeology and a thesis on the development and character of early settlement and 'urbanism' in Egypt, with which she graduated at the aforementioned university in 2005.
Her first visit to the site of Hierakonpolis dates back to 2007. Since then, she took part to the 2009 and 2011 fieldwork seasons at the elite cemetery in HK6. In 2012 she has been privileged to re-examine the ceramic assemblage from the investigations that Michael A. Hoffman carried out at Nekhen 10N5W in 1969 and 1984 (history of exploration), as well as ceramics from other settlement localities of Hierakonpolis.
Her main research interests pertain to Predynastic settlement archaeology and ceramics, as a basis for exploring broader issues in the organization, interaction and dynamics of change of the Egyptian society during the Predynastic.
Selected articles
Di Pietro, G.A., 2012. Nekhen 10N5W Revisited: Charting Ceramic Changes. Nekhen News 24: 13-14.
Di Pietro, G.A., 2011. Miscellaneous artefacts from Zawaydah (Petrie's South Town ) [in:] Friedman, R.F. & Fiske, P.N. (eds.), Egypt at its Origins 3. Proceedings of the Third International Conference 'Origin of the State. Predynastic and Early Dynastic Egypt ' London, 27th July -1st August 2008. Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta 205. Peeters: Leuven: 59-79.
Di Pietro, G.A., 2011. Models from Predynastic daily life. A view from Naqada [in:] M. Horn et al. (eds.), Current Research in Egyptology 2010. Proceedings of the eleventh annual symposium which took place at Leiden University , The Netherlands , 5-8 January 2010. Oxbow: Oxford: 42-52.
Di Pietro, G.A., 2010. Documentazione e studio dei materiali dalle indagini archeologiche della Missione I.U.O. (1977-1986) a Zawaydah (Naqada, Alto Egitto). Seconda e terza stagione [in:] R. Pirelli (ed.), Ricerche Italiane e Scavi in Egitto. Vol. IV. Centro Archeologico Italiano, Cairo: 111-120.
Di Pietro, G.A., 2009. Documentazione e studio dei materiali dalle indagini archeologiche della Missione IUO (1977-1986) a Zawaydah (Naqada, Alto Egitto) [in:] R. Pirelli (ed.), Ricerche Italiane e Scavi in Egitto. Vol. III. Centro Archeologico Italiano, Cairo: 63-72.