Italian Prehistoric Archaeology in the International Context, in Fragmenta 2, 2008, pp. 109-123. (original) (raw)

The author outlines a short history of the interrelationships between Italian and foreign prehistory scholars in the period going from the unification of Italy to 1945. There was a remarkable season of excavations and research during the second half of the nineteenth century that also helped to create a bond between the Italians and the scholars of other European countries. The beginning of the twentieth century was characterized by a progressive isolation of Italians studying their country's prehistory. A new phase begins in 1940 with the excavations of Luigi Bernabò Brea in the Arene Candide cave and joint projects of archaeological research and excavations became a reality starting at the end of the Second World War. t he relationship between nationalism and Italian archaeology has been dealt with at length; 1 what is still missing is a study of the complex inter-relationships between Italian pre-and protohistoric archaeologists and their european colleagues, in the period from the unification of Italy to 1945. 2 the "science of the illiterates" was the famous aphorism of theodor mommsen (although nowhere to be found in his books or articles!) quoted by giovanni Patroni in his preface to La Preistoria (1937) that labelled prehistoric archaeology. It was mommsen himself who wrote in another famous passage in his introduction to his Römische Geschichte (The History of Rome 1854-1855), how it was to be excluded that in Italy "the human race is more ancient than field cultivation and the fusion of metal". 3 In fact, four years before, giuseppe Scarabelli, "the alpha and omega of Italian prehistory" as he was called by gabriel De mortillet, 4 published the first report on palaeolithic tools found in Italy. this publication not only sparked the beginning of a remarkable season of excavations and research, which took place during the second half of the nineteenth century, but also helped to create a bond between the Italians and the scholars of other european countries.