SIENA, FEBRUARY 1, 2026 — Jacopo Tabolli, 41, has been promoted to Full Professor of Etruscology and Italic Archaeology at the Università per Stranieri di Siena. His appointment recognises a sustained commitment to research, teaching, and public engagement in the archaeology of Etruria and pre-Roman Italy.
Tabolli’s academic work spans field archaeology, material culture studies, funerary and religious practices, and cultural heritage policy. He completed his doctorate in 2012 and has held research and teaching posts internationally, including at Trinity College Dublin and the University of Cyprus, before joining the Università per Stranieri di Siena. Over the years he has published three monographs, edited twelve volumes, and contributed more than 150 articles and book chapters to peer-reviewed journals and edited books. Additionally, he serves as editor of Officina Etruscologia and has developed initiatives on cultural heritage law and the economics of culture.
Jacopo Tabolli introduces the exhibition on San Casciano dei Bagni at the Palazzo del Quirinale, in the presence of the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, and the Minister of Culture.A central aspect of his work has been directing archaeological research at the Etruscan-Roman thermal sanctuary of San Casciano dei Bagni in Tuscany. Since 2022, excavations at the site known as Bagno Grande have unearthed a large deposit of bronze votive offerings and sculptures that span several centuries of ritual activity. These finds have been presented in the travelling exhibition Gli Dei ritornano. I Bronzi di San Casciano (The Gods Return: The Bronzes of San Casciano), which has been shown at major venues including the Palazzo del Quirinale in Rome, the National Archaeological Museums in Naples and Reggio Calabria, and the James-Simon-Galerie in Berlin.
The exhibition has now reached the National Archaeological Museum of Aquileia, where it is on view through 8 March 2026. The presentation includes over 300 bronze artifacts from the excavations carried out by the University for Foreigners of Siena in collaboration with the Italian archaeological authorities and the Municipality of San Casciano dei Bagni.
In Aquileia, the exhibition highlights offerings deposited at the sanctuary over centuries and emphasises the role of sacred thermal waters in ancient ritual practice. It also incorporates recent discoveries from the 2024 excavation campaign, presented in Italy for the first time.
Tabolli’s work on San Casciano has attracted international scholarly interest and has contributed to broader discussions on ritual landscape, artistic production, and cultural exchange in Etruscan and early Roman contexts. Publications associated with this research include the edited volume The Bronzes from San Casciano dei Bagni: A Sensation from the Mud, co-edited with Massimo Osanna and published in conjunction with the Berlin exhibition.
The Exhibition in AquileiaIn addition to his fieldwork and publications, Tabolli has been active in organising international conferences and public programmes connected to the exhibition, engaging both academic and non-academic audiences. Events in Aquileia include guided tours, educational activities, and the presentation of the exhibition catalogue in February 2026.
While Tabolli is relatively young for a full professor in the specialised field of Etruscology, definitive data on comparative age among peers across Italian universities is not centrally published; nonetheless, his career trajectory stands out for its pace and international scope. His promotion illustrates the evolving landscape of classical archaeology in Italy, where field discovery, publication, and museum-based public outreach increasingly intersect. With ongoing projects in Tuscany and collaborations across Europe and the US, his work continues to contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the Etruscan world and its connections throughout the Mediterranean. (@EtruscanTimes)
