Mara McNiff

Mara McNiff is an art historian and archaeologist specializing in the ancient Mediterranean, with a particular focus on Sicily and the interactions of Greek, Phoenician, and local communities. Her research examines how religious practices developed and changed over time, using archaeological evidence to reconstruct ritual activity, the use of sacred spaces, and the ways communities responded to cultural interaction. She is particularly interested in how changes in religious practice can illuminate broader processes of cultural exchange and transformation.

Her archaeological work in Sicily spans the island's history from the arrival of the first Phoenician settlements through the decline of the Roman Empire. She has participated in excavations and archaeological surveys throughout Sicily, working with a wide range of archaeological materials and evidence for ancient religious practice. She has also participated in archaeological projects elsewhere in Italy, Greece and Malta.