Program Overview

Introduction to the Archaeology Spring School

The Archaeology Spring School is organized by the Scuola Normale Superiore and funded by the PNRR through the MERITA, the network for talent project. The school aims to explore the role of antiquarian and provenance studies as tools for understanding the territory.

Program Details

• Date: 4 - 6 May 2026
• Location: Scuola Normale Superiore, Palazzone di Cortona (AR)
• Total hours: 20
• Max participants: 7
• Language: English and Italian
• Application deadline: 26 January 2026
• Target audience: PhD students and early-career researchers

Program Structure

The school consists of three teaching days, including:

• Methodological lectures
• Practical workshops focusing on the case study of Cortona and the heritage of the Accademia Etrusca
• Opportunity to present ongoing research

Application Requirements

Applicants must submit an application using the form no later than January 12, 2026, and attach a 300-words abstract on one of the main themes of the school and a short biographical note outlining the research interest.

Program Schedule

• The first day is made up of 5 hours of lectures (starting around 2 pm)
• The following two days are made up of 7 and 8 hours of lectures respectively (from 9 am to 18.30 pm, with a lunch break of about 1 hour and a half)

Participation and Fees

• Participation in the School does not entail enrollment fees
• Admission to the School includes participation in the lectures, accommodation in a shared double room in the Palazzone in Cortona, lunch and dinner on the days when the School takes place

Keynote Speakers

• Gianfranco Adornato | Scuola Normale Superiore
• Marco Albertario | Accademia Tadini, Lovere
• Sergio Angori | Museo dell'Accademia Etrusca e della Città di Cortona
• Stefano Bruni | Università degli studi di Ferrara
• Paolo Bruschetti | Museo dell'Accademia Etrusca e della Città di Cortona
• Maurizio Forte | Duke University
• Helena Fracchia | University of Alberta
• Daniela Gallo | Université de Lorraine- CRULH, Nancy
• Bruno Gialluca | Archivista del Comune di Cortona
• Paolo Giulierini | Museo dell'Accademia Etrusca e della Città di Cortona
• Giulio Paolucci | Museo dell'Accademia Etrusca e della Città di Cortona
• Phoebe Segal | Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
• Marcello Verga | Università degli studi di Firenze

MERITA Project

The MERITA project is funded within the Piano Nazionale di Ripresa e Resilienza (PNRR), Missione 4 – Istruzione e Ricerca, Componente 1, Investimento 3.4 "Didattica e competenze universitarie avanzate" - "Rafforzamento delle Scuole universitarie superiori". The project is a collaboration between five Italian academic institutions: the Scuola Normale Superiore, the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, the Collegio Superiore dell'Università di Bologna, the Scuola Galileiana di Studi Superiori dell'Università di Padova, and the Scuola Superiore di Studi Avanzati della Sapienza Università di Roma.