Dr. Claudia Zancan, PhD

Language and the Anthropocene Research Group

Main Focus

Claudia Zancan is an archaeologist specialising in the protohistory of the Japanese archipelago. Her area of interest sits at the intersection of the Archaeology of Death, Cognitive Archaeology, and Prehistoric Art Archaeology, with a focus on the decorated tombs of the Late and Final Kofun period (6th–7th centuries CE) on the island of Kyushu. Her research investigates the active role of images within funerary contexts, exploring how iconographic programmes shaped mortuary practices, the perception of burial spaces, and sociocultural dynamics in ancient Japan.

Research Projects

Let's do it ALL: Agriculture, Land and Language in Kofun Japan
The Anthropocene Engine at Sea: Archaeolinguistic Perspectives on the Blue Acceleration
Girl power in Ancient East Asia: language, archaeology and genes

Curriculum Vitae

Claudia Zancan was educated in Japanese language and culture in Italy, earning a BA from Sapienza University of Rome. She went on to specialise in archaeology, obtaining her first MA at Leiden University (The Netherlands), followed by a second MA in Japanese studies and a PhD in Japanese archaeology, both from the Department of Asian and North African Studies at Ca' Foscari University of Venice. Between 2023 and 2024, she conducted archaeological fieldwork in Kyushu, carrying out first-hand investigations inside decorated tombs (sōshoku kofun) in collaboration with local cultural heritage authorities and major Japanese museums. She is the Scientific Director of the IRIAE archaeological project Sōshoku Kofun Tale, officially recognised by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI).