The American Academy in Rome mourns the passing of Lorenzo Quilici, a 1966 Affiliated Scholar and distinguished archaeologist and professor renowned for his scholarship on ancient topography and landscape archaeology. He died on August 13, 2026, at the age of 88.
Quilici was a researcher at the National Research Council (CNR) from 1969 to 1990, first at the Institute for Aegean-Anatolian Studies and later at the Center for the Study of Etruscan-Italic Archaeology. From 1990 to 2010, he taught Topography of Ancient Italy at the University of Bologna, where he served as Director of the Institute of Archaeology and Coordinator of the doctoral program in Ancient Topography.
“Professor Quilici was a familiar and much-valued presence in the Academy’s Library for decades,” said Sebastian Hierl, Drue Heinz Librarian and Head of Collections at the Academy. “His frequent visits reflected a lifelong commitment to scholarship, while the books he and Prof. Stefania Quilici generously donated have enriched our collections and will continue to support the work of our Fellows and library readers for years to come.”
“Professor Quilici is remembered not only for the profound contributions he made to his field, but also for his generosity, collegiality, and enduring connection to the Academy.”
The author of more than 260 scholarly articles and a dozen volumes, Quilici conducted research primarily in central and southern Italy, with additional work in Turkey and Cyprus spanning a period from the Bronze Age to the Renaissance. His research focused particularly on the Via Appia, the suburbs of Rome, and the Roman Campagna, which remain important points of reference for the study and preservation of Italy’s archaeological heritage.
“He left behind a vast body of scholarly work and a research methodology grounded in firsthand knowledge of places, analytical rigor, and a commitment to the preservation of cultural heritage,” the National Directorate-General of Museums said in a statement following his death.
Together with his wife, Professor Stefania Quilici Gigli, he founded two scholarly journals: Atlante Tematico di Topografia Antica, established in 1990, and Orizzonti. Rassegna di Archeologia, established in 2000.
“His studies profoundly transformed the understanding of the ancient landscape, interpreting cities, roads, settlements, and landscapes as parts of a single historical system,” the National Research Council said in a statement.
He is survived by his wife, Professor Stefania Quilici Gigli, his family, and his son Simone Quilici, director of the Archaeological Park of the Colosseum.