Alessandro VANZETTI
Born in Abano Terme (PD) April 16th 1964; resident in via R. De Nobili 13/A9, 00154, Rome.
STUDIES AND POSITION
- 1991 – Graduation at University of Rome "La Sapienza", MA Classics, Distinction (110 cum laude); tutor: Renato Peroni; co-tutor: Giovanni Leonardi; Thesis title: "Cremation multiple burials in the Protohistory of NE Italy".
- 1997 - PhD at University of Rome "La Sapienza", in Archaeology (Prehistory) (Course 1994-1997, full tuition); tutor: Renato Peroni; Thesis title: "Funerary evidence and social personae in the Bronze and Early Iron Ages of Italy".
- 1999 - Employed by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities, in the National Prehistoric and Ethnographic Museum “L. Pigorini”, in Rome, after ranking first in the national Italian list resulting from the national selection for Prehistorian Archaeologists.
- 2002 - Assistant Professor (Ricercatore Universitario) of Pre- and Protohistory in the University of Rome "La Sapienza", with a permanent position.
- 2012 - Italian habilitation as Associate and Full Professor (2012-2020).
- 2019 - Associate Professor of Pre- and Protohistory in the University of Rome "La Sapienza" (Faculty, permanent position).
- March-August 2020 Visiting Research Scholar at the Cotsen institute of Archaeology (UCLA, USA).
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, SKILLS AND COMPETENCES
My research is centered on social transformations of the European societies, with Italy and the Mediterranean as core interests, coupled with a deep concern in methodology and theoretical foundations of archaeology. My research experience has included the direction of field archaeological and ethnoarchaeological campaigns, mostly in different regions of Italy; furthermore, I took part in excavations in Turkey, in survey in Ethiopia, in ethnoarchaeological research in India and in Heritage management in Libya.
My main field research projects have been the excavation and study of Mediterranean connectivity during the Bronze Age, with a specific focus on the Late Bronze Age. The present Cannatello project is connected with the research activity I conduct in Broglio di Trebisacce (CS), formerly together with late prof. R. Peroni.
Field system studies have been an important research theme since 1990ies, when I was first involved in the study of the Terramare fossil landscapes and when I excavated the Campanian Plain Copper Age-Early Bronze Age field systems.
My activity includes a deep concern on the definition of the profession of the archaeologists, being active in conferences and debates on the subject. I believe that Heritage research and valorisation should be strongly interconnected in order to communicate the past properly.
RESEARCH POLITICS AND AFFILIATIONS
- One of the organizers and speakers of the round table "La laurea non fa l'archeologo" (i.e. "Graduating does not mean archaeologist", Rome, 1993), I took part in several public debates on the discipline and didactics, e.g. as invited speaker at the "Stati Generali dell'Archeologia (Paestum, 2013), promoted by the Direzione Generale per le Antichità (Antiquities Directorate of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities), or in 2017 at CNR, Rome on "I dati archeologici. accessibilità, proprietà, disseminazione" (archaeological data, access, property, dissemination). I co-organized the 1st and 2nd editions of the “Open Day of Archaeology of Rome" (2011 and 2017) and on January 16th, 2020 I organized the "3rd Open Day of Archaeology of Rome", held at University of Rome “La Sapienza”.
- Co-founder and former secretary of the Consulta di Preistoria e Protostoria, the academic association of the discipline (2009-2012).
- Member of the Giunta of the FiLeSUSO faculty of "Sapienza" University from 2011 to 2014.
- Academic Coordinator of Erasmus Mobility for the Department of Ancient World Studies (Scienze dell’Antichità), University of Rome “La Sapienza”, since 2018.
- I am member of the European Association of Archaeologists since 2012; in 2014, at EAA Istanbul Annual Meeting, I was elected as member of the Executive Board (2014-2017); I was re-elected in 2017 for a new 3-year term, at Maastricht Annual Meeting (2017-2020).
- Since December 14th, 2017 I am korrespondierende Mitglieder (Correspondent Member) of the German Archaeological Institute (DAI).
UNIVERSITY COURSES AND THESES
a) at "Sapienza" University of Rome:
Set aside the intense preceding seminar activity, since 2003 I hold courses on European Protohistory and Archaeological Methodology and Theory in the University of Rome "La Sapienza", both at BA and MA level, first at the faculty of Scienze Umanistiche (Humanistic Sciences), now at the faculty of Letters and Philosophy (Lettere e Filosofia). From 2003 to 2005 I held a course of Didactics and Planning of archaeological Museums and Parks; in academic year 2008-2009, I held a course of Museology for the BA degree in Science of Tourism, at the same University.
b) Since 2018-2019 I teach Prehistory and Protohistory at Unitelma Master Course in Classical Archaeology
c) In academic year 2006-2007 I held the course of Pre- and Protohistory at the University of Calabria (Arcavacata di Rende, CS).
d) I gave lessons in University masters, in Italy (Rome, Viterbo) and to PhD students (Rome); I am now (2019-2021) member of the teaching staff of the International Master “Architecture Landscape Archaeology”, University of Rome “La Sapienza”.
e) I have been co-tutor and first tutor of More than 65 BA or MA graduation theses, as well as of the Postgraduate School (Scuola di Specializzazione) in Archaeology at Matera; presently, I am main tutor of an yearly average of 2-3 BA/MA theses in European Protohistory; I have been co-tutor of an MA thesis at the University of Basel (CH) and one at the University of St.Andrews (UK).
f) I taught lessons at International Erasmus Intensive Program Seminars and at the Universities of Groningen and Amsterdam (NL), as Erasmus exchange professor.
g) I have been co‐tutor of PhD candidates and presently am the main tutor of 1 PhD candidate in the University of Rome "La Sapienza”.
h) I have been final referee for Italian PhD theses (Padova), as well as member of Italian (Lecce) and International (Groningen, NL, Leuven, BE) PhD final panels.
i) I have been inviting partner of 2 Visiting Professors (prof. Richard Lesure, 2018; prof. Inés Domingo Sanz, 2019) at the University of Rome, “La Sapienza”.
EXCAVATIONS AND RESEARCH
I took part in several excavations and ethnoarchaeological studies in Italy and abroad, with varying levels of responsibility.
- Since 1990 (- study ongoing), I have been in charge (formerly together with late R.Peroni) of the scientific Direction of the survey of the Sybaris plain, and of the excavations at Broglio di Trebisacce, Acri and Saracena in Northern Calabria, province of Cosenza (1990-ongoing).
Furthermore, I directed or co-directed the excavations:
- of the sites in the Bonorva Commune (province of Sassari, Sardinia; 2004-2009), on behalf of the Comune di Bonorva (SS), and in agreement with the local Superintendency of SS and NU; the project included also the survey in the Tenuta Mariani (Bonorva, SS);
- of the site of Cannatello near Agrigento, Sicily (field direction 1997-98); scientific direction in the present project (2016-ongoing), together with Sara T. Levi (Univ. of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Hunter College NY, USA) and Domenica Gullì (Superintedency BBCCAA of Agrigento).
- In 2012-2014 I directed together with M. Ruggeri (Sopr. BB.AA. d. Abruzzo) the survey, remote sensing and register of the monuments of the site of Curino (Alfedena, AQ), on behalf of the local Commune;
- Since 2013 (-ongoing) I direct together with B. Bruno, F. Gonzato, G. De Zuccato (Ministry Office for Cultural Heritage, Verona – Soprintendenza ABAP) and P. Basso, F. Saggioro (Univ. of Verona) the survey of the Ga.Ve Project. on the protohistoric sites of the Commune of Gazzo Veronese (VR).
- I directed the field activities in the excavations at Milazzo (ME), S.Angelo Muxaro (AG), and Gricignano di Aversa (CE);
- I have had operational and scientific responsibilities in the Italo-English AMPBV survey project (Verona-Rovigo Provinces, Northern Italy).
I am member:
- of the scientific Committee of the Capo Mannu Project (OR), in cooperation with the Superintendency of CA and OR, and of the Universities of Cagliari, Cambridge and York. and
- of the scientific Committee of the project “From the Ligurian Sea to the Swabian Alb: Early Iron Age urbanization processes in Piedmont and Lombardy and its transalpine impact”, extending over the Alps, from Lombardy to Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria, in cooperation with the Superintendency ABAP for the Provinces of CO, LC, MB, PV, SO, VA (dott. B. Grassi) and with C. Metzner-Nebelsick (Univ. Ludwig Maximilian, München), L. Nebelsick (Univ. of Warszawa) e I. Balzer (Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Rome).
I am in charge of a number of Research Agreements with Research bodies, such as INGV (National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology) and Cultural Heritage Offices (Soprintendenza in Verona, Milan, Rome, Agrigento), aimed at the completion of significant studies.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUMS AND PARKS
I have been and am involved in Heritage conservation and communication projects, both in Italy and in Northern Africa, as principal scholar or as a member of the research team.
- In charge of the scientific project of the archaeological park at the site of Broglio di Trebisacce (CS), with a first step in 2001, completed in 2015, funded by Arcus spa; a further completion phase is planned in 2020-2022 (funded by Calabria Region).
- In charge (together with R. Peroni) of the scientific project of the pre- and protohistoric exhibition of the Civic Museum "dei Brettii e degli Enotri", Cosenza, opened in 2009 and, together with M. Pacciarelli (Univ. Federico II, NA), of the scientific project of the protohistoric Section of the National Museum in Reggio Calabria, opened in 2016.
- Restoration and Conservation Director for the Messak Project (Libya), in 2010-2011, particularly for the rock art site of Wadi Mathendush.
MEETINGS: PARTICIPATION AND ORGANIZATION
I took part in several national and international meetings, as speaker and/or discussant, among which I quote:
- the 11th Colloquium of the XIII International Congress of Pre- and Protohistory (UISPP, Forlì 1996);
- the Annual Meetings of the European Association of Archaeologists held in 2012 (Helsinki, 18th), 2014 (Istanbul, 20th), 2015 (Glasgow, 21st), 2016 (Vilnius, 23rd), 2017 (Maastricht, 24th), 2018 (Barcelona, 25th), 2019 (Bern, 26th);
- the congresses held in Lido di Camaiore about Pottery Terminology (1998) and the Italian Recent Bronze Age (2000);
- the meetings “Regional Pathways to Complexity” (Groningen, NL, 2000), "EMPORIA - 10th International Aegean Conference" (Atene, H, 2004), "HESPEROS - 16th International Aegean Conference" (Ioannina, H, 2016 ) and "Der Griff nach den Sternen" (Halle, D, 2005), "Crossing the Alps - Early Urbanism between Northern Italy and Central Europe" (Milano, I, 2019);
- the Riunioni Scientifiche (Scientific Meetings) of the Istituto Italiano di Preistoria e Protostoria (Pre- and Protohistory Italian Association) held in 1987 (Ferrara), 2000 (Lipari), 2002 (Scalea), 2005 (Roma), 2006 (S.Cipirello, PA), 2009 (Cagliari), 2011 (Rome), 2013 (Padova), 2015 (Roma), 2017 (Milano), 2018 (Genova);
- the congresses "Sepolti tra i vivi" (Buried among the Living) and "Reasons for Change" (Roma, 2006) and “Prima delle Colonie” (Before colonies - Matera, 2007), “La crisi del XII secolo a.C. nella Pianura Padana centro-orientale” (The crisis of the XII cent. b.C. in the Central-Eastern Po Plain - Padova, 2008).
- various editions of the Annual "Convegno di Studi sulla Magna Grecia" (Magna Grecia Conferences), generally held in Taranto.
I have been member of the Scientific Committee of the XXXVII Riunione Scientifica of the Istituto Italiano di Preistoria e Protostoria, focusing on Calabria (2002) and session organizer at the 6th Conference of Italian Archaeology (Groningen, NL, 2003). I have been a member of the Scientific Committee of the Meeting "Facies e culture nell’età del Bronzo italiana?" (Rome, Academia Belgica, 2015), of the 2016 (Vilnius), 2017 (Maastricht) and 2019 (Bern) Annual Meetings of the European Association of Archaeologists; and of the Colloque "Armes et Guerriers" (Paris, F, 2019).
I organized the International Conferences "The Death Toll" (Rome, 8.5.2009) “Whither colonization?” (Rome, 25.6.2012), “Non solo sole/Not just the Sun” (Trebisacce, CS, 15.12.2012), and the national conference “Il discontinuo fluire della Storia” (with A. Di Renzoni and M. Gori, Roma, 2.3.2015); furthemore the sessions "Cropland shaping: the spread, function and social implications of field systems across Europe during pre- and protohistory" (Glasgow, EAA Annual Meeting, 2015) and "Communication uneven: acceptance and resistance to foreign influences in the connected ancient Mediterranean" (Barcelona, EAA Annual Meeting, 2018).
I co-organized, together with Christopher Prescott (Norwegian Academy in Rome) and Carsten Paludan-Müller (NIKU, Oslo), the International Workshop “Archaeological heritage, a tool of conflict and victim of war. Past lessons and future strategies”, Rome May 3rd-4th, 2018.
PROJECT REVIEWS
I have been blind reviewer of projects for Italian and International institutions and Academies.
EDITORIAL ACTIVITY
I am associate editor of the Journal "Origini" (University of Rome “La Sapienza”); I am in the Scientific Board of the e-Journal Be-Ja.
I have been peer reviewer of Italian and International Journals, with and without impact Factor.
I have directed the sub-series “Prima di Sibari” ("Before Sybaris", together with R. Peroni), section of the series "Grandi contesti e problemi della protostoria italiana" (Great contexts and problems of the Italian protohistory), published in Firenze. Two volumes of the sub-series have been published.
PUBLICATIONS
Besides the volume "La necropoli del bronzo finale di Pianello di Genga" (2010) on the Final Bronze Age cemetery of Pianello, published together with R. Peroni and V. Bianco Peroni, I edited together with Renato Peroni the volume “Broglio 1990-1994” (1998), on the excavations in the site of Broglio near Trebisacce (CS) and edited together with M. Cerzoso the Catalogue of the Exhibition of the Museum of Cosenza "Museo dei Brettii e degli Enotri. Catalogo dell’esposizione" (2014).
I have been author or co-author of ca. 160 scientific papers on Italian and European Pre- and Protohistory.