CRAST

The Centro Ricerche Archeologiche e Scavi di Torino (CRAST) was founded upon the initiative of Giorgio Gullini in 1963 by the University of Turin, the City of Turin and the Province of Turin, subsequently joined by the Region of Piedmont (until 2014) and the Fondazione CRT. 

The centre has been actively involved in the historical and archaeological sector, enhancing cultural heritage and protecting and restoring cultural assets in several Mediterranean countries. The CRAST promoted and carried out numerous archaelogical expeditions in Iraq at the sites of Seleucia on the Tigris, Choche-Ctesifont, Tell Yekhi, Kifrin (Euphrates), Khirbet Hatara, Hatra, Nimrud and Babilonia. In Jordan CRAST realized excavations and restorations in the sanctuary of Artemide in Gerasa.

For over 50 years, the Centre has thus linked its name and that of Turin to historical and archaeological research, especially in Mediterranean countries, including Italy, and the Near and Middle East. Abroad, on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it performs Italy’s duties stemming from cooperation agreements in cultural projects with several countries. It has worked in Jordan, Lebanon, Tunisia and Italy, and is currently working on research campaigns in Iraq, Iran, Turkmenistan and Pakistan.

For more info visit the official CRAST website here.

Carlo Lippolis is Professor of Archaeology and History of Art of the Ancient Near East at the University of Torino. He is specialized in the study of the spread of the Hellenistic culture in Central Asia and in the civilizations of the ancient Near East. He is director of the scientific journals Mesopotamia e Parthica and the series Monografie di Mesopotamia. Since 2011 he has coordinated the restoration works of the Iraq Museum of Baghdad. He is director of the excavations at Parthian Nisa (Turkmenistan) and Tulul al Baqarat (Iraq).For his field researches, in 2013 he was awarded by the President of Turkmenistan with the International “Magtymguly” Cultural Prize.

Eleonora Quirico is currently Research Fellow at University of Torino and a member of the BANUU coordination team. She holds a BA, a MA and a PhD in Archaeology of the Ancient Near East from University of Torino. She particiapated to multiple archaeological expeditions in Iraq (Tūlūl al-Baqarat) and Turkmenistan (Nisa).

Ester Lopardo is treasurer and Executive Director of Monumenta Orientalia, Rome (co-founder since 2008) / Collaborator of CRAST-Centro Ricerche Archeologiche e Scavi di Torino for Iraq (since 2012), and former CRAST’s Responsible for Rome Representative Office, projects monitoring and administration (1995-2008). Since 2008, she has been developing and managing international archaeological projects in/for Iraq, Jordan, Yemen, Ethiopia.  From 1995 to 2008, she worked at international archaeological projects in Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Egypt, Sudan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan.  Main duties (1995-2018): institutional and international relations, fund raising, management of project logistic and financial aspects, administration.

Chiara Invernizzi is Administrative Secretariat of CRAST-Centro Ricerche Archeologiche e Scavi di Torino (2006-2018). She has been administrating international archaeological projects in/for Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Sudan, Turkmenistan.  Main duties: management of project logistic and financial aspects, administration.