DOYENS OF ARCHAEOLOGY AND POLITICS: SICILY AND SOUTHERN ITALY IN THE 19TH-20TH CENTURY

Our paper focuses on the history of archaeology of Southern Italy and Sicily during the 19th and 20th centuries, by analyzing the paradigmatic figures who left their professional and societal "footprint'. As academic descendants of Paolo Orsi, both Umberto Zanotti-Bianco and Luigi Bernabo Brea influenced society with their political views and struggle to protect the heritage and people of Southern Italy and Sicily. They expanded knowledge about archaeological sites on the margins of research, as was the case with the Aeolian Islands. Our objective is to present these archaeologists in their historical and social contexts, highlighting the advancements they brought through their systematic investigations while also dedicating space to the achievements of Paola Zancani Montuoro.