Stefania Manfio

maritime archaeology, medieval and post-medieval archaeology, social archaeology, slave trade, labor diaspora, Indian Ocean, digital mapping (GIS), 3D and virtual reality, museums

My research explores how the social, craft and biographical aspects of shipbuilding and the transportation of people can help us better understand the period of slavery and the transition to indenture. Moreover, I am broadly interested in understanding how the ‘vessel’, the ship itself, is a vehicle of culture contact and how the study of the artifacts found in the shipwreck can give us information on life at sea and the relationships on-board. For my Ph.D., I will work on materials from Mauritius, serving as an ideal case for Indian Ocean labor movements.

I completed my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at the University of Ca’ Foscari, Venice. During my training in marine and underwater archaeology, I had the opportunity to participate in numerous underwater excavations, in Veneto, Sicily, Puglia, Calabria, and Croatia. I have also worked with an industry partner allowing me to learn the new 3D visualizations, based on gaming technology, as a tool for the valorization and dissemination of maritime heritage.