Archaeology Spring School in Cortona

Organized by Scuola Normale Superiore, the school is funded by the PNRR through the MERITA, the network for talent project*.
 
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: 12 January 2026
Target audience: PhD students and early-career researchers

The School aims to explore the role of antiquarian and provenance studies as tools for understanding the territory. Despite its significance, this field often remains marginal in university curricula, as it requires advanced cross-disciplinary skills and continuous dialogue among scholars from different backgrounds. 

Three teaching days, including methodological lectures, practical workshops focusing on the case study of Cortona and the heritage of the Accademia Etrusca and the opportunity to present the ongoing research.

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

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 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 

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* MERITA, the network for talent project is the result of 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.
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". (National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), Mission 4 – Education and Research, Component 1, Investment 3.4 "Advanced university teaching and competences" - "Enhancement of the institutions for higher education").