{{short description|Italian archaeologist and art historian (1937–2020)}} {{Infobox academic | honorific_prefix = | name = Mario Torelli | honorific_suffix = | image = | image_size = | alt = | caption = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | birth_name = <!-- use only if different from full/othernames --> | birth_date = {{birth date|1937|05|12}} | birth_place = Rome, Italy | death_date = {{death date and age|2020|09|15|1937|05|12}} | death_place = Scicli, Italy | death_cause = | citizenship = | other_names = | occupation = Archaeologist and university teacher | period = | known_for = Etruscology; Classical archaeology; Roman archaeology | title = | boards = <!--board or similar positions extraneous to main occupation--> | spouse = | partner = | children = | parents = | relatives = | awards = Balzan Prize (2014) | website = | education = Università di Roma 'La Sapienza' | alma_mater = <!--will often consist of the linked name of the last-attended higher education institution--> | thesis_title = | thesis_url = | thesis_year = | school_tradition = | doctoral_advisor = Ranuccio Bianchi Bandinelli | academic_advisors = | influences = <!--must be referenced from a third-party source--> | era = | discipline = Archaeology | sub_discipline = <!--academic discipline specialist area – e.g. Sub-atomic research, 20th-century Danish specialist, Pauline research, Arcadian and Ugaritic specialist--> | workplaces = University of Perugia | doctoral_students = <!--only those with WP articles--> | notable_students = <!--only those with WP articles--> | main_interests = | notable_works = | notable_ideas = | influenced = <!--must be referenced from a third-party source--> | signature = | signature_alt = | signature_size = | footnotes = }}
'''Mario Torelli''' (May 12, 1937 – September 15, 2020) was an Italian scholar of Italic archaeology and the culture of the Etruscans. He taught at the University of Perugia.
Torelli was born in Rome, Italy. He was trained by the art historian Ranuccio Bianchi Bandinelli as well as by Massimo Pallottino. Torelli completed his laurea degree at the University of Rome "La Sapienza" in November 1960, writing a thesis on the site of Falerii Veteres.
He held many posts during his professional life, beginning as an assistant at the center for ancient art history in Rome (1960–1962), followed by a stint as archaeological inspector of the Villa Giulia Museum in Rome (1964–1969). He was appointed a professor of Greek and Roman art history at the University of Cagliari in 1969, and served in that position until 1973. He was also instrumental in the excavations of the sanctuary at the site of Gravisca.<ref name="Jannot2005">{{cite book|author=Jean-René Jannot|title=Religion in Ancient Etruria|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QAeKPQ8stZIC&pg=PA194|year=2005|publisher=Univ of Wisconsin Press|isbn=978-0-299-20844-8|pages=194–}}</ref> Torelli joined the faculty of the University of Perugia in 1975; he was appointed as full professor (professore ordinario) of Archaeology and the History of Greek and Roman Art on 1 November 1976. His position was supplemented with appointments that included the areas of Magna Graecia (1995-2000) and Etruscan and Italic Archaeology (from 2000).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www-b.unipg.it/~dut/persone/docente.php?doc_id=29 |title=DUT |website=www-b.unipg.it |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060609105108/http://www-b.unipg.it/~dut/persone/docente.php?doc_id=29 |archive-date=9 June 2006 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
During his long archaeological career, Torelli directed and supervised a number of archaeological excavations. These included work on the Etruscan sanctuary of Menerva at Santa Marinella (1964-1966),<ref>M. Torelli. "Terza campagna di scavi a Punta della Vipera (S. Marinella)" ''Studi Etruschi''35 (1967) pp. 331-353.</ref> the Etruscan sanctuary of the Porta Caere at Veii (1966-1969),<ref>M. Torelli, I. Pohl, "Veio. Scoperta di un piccolo santuario etrusco in località Campetti", in ''Notizie degli Scavi'' 1973, pp. 40-258</ref> the Greek mercantile sanctuary of Gravisca (1969-1979),<ref name="Torelli1978">{{cite book|author=Mario Torelli|title=Il santuario greco di Gravisca|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GIPBoAEACAAJ|year=1978|publisher=CNR}}</ref> the extra-urban sanctuary of Aphrodite-Venus at Paestum (1982-1985),<ref>John Griffiths Pedley and Mario Torelli. "Excavations at Paestum 1983." ''American Journal of Archaeology'' [https://www.jstor.org/stable/504558 Vol. 88, No. 3 (Jul., 1984), pp. 367-376]</ref> and excavations at Heraclea that included the sanctuary of Demeter (1985-1986) and the agora (1987-1991).
He was a visiting professor at a number of institutions, including; University of Colorado at Boulder (1974); University of Michigan at Ann Arbor (1978); University of California, Irvine (1979); École Normale Supérieure de Rue d’Ulm in Paris (1984); Université de Paris I – Sorbonne (1985); Collège de France (1986); University of Alberta, Canada (1986); Nellie Wallace lecturer at Oxford (1988), and University of Bristol (1993). In the fall semester of 1982 Torelli was a member of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey,<ref>[https://www.ias.edu/scholars/mario-torelli Mario Torelli, Member Historical Studies 9/1982–12/1982 Fall]</ref> and was a Getty Scholar at the Getty Center for the History of Art and the Humanities in Los Angeles in 1990–1991.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.getty.edu/research/scholars/index.html|title=Scholars & Projects (Getty Research Institute)|website=www.getty.edu|accessdate=Sep 16, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt4h4nf0td/entire_text/|title = Getty Research Institute, Scholars Program images and recordings}}</ref> In 1992 he delivered the [https://exhibitions.kelsey.lsa.umich.edu/fwk/jerome.html Thomas Spencer Jerome] lecture at the University of Michigan with the topic "Roman Historical Reliefs: The Structure and Shaping of Ancient Attitudes", which resulted in the publication of a typological study of Roman historical relief sculpture.<ref name="Torelli1992">{{cite book|author=Mario Torelli|title=Typology & Structure of Roman Historical Reliefs|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4012VYCWYqwC|year=1992|publisher=University of Michigan Press|isbn=0-472-08171-3}}</ref>
He was a member of the Deutsches Archaeologisches Institut, and a member of the Istituto Nazionale di Studi Etruschi in Florence. In 2013 Torelli received an honorary doctoral degree ''honoris causa'' from the Universidad de Jaén.<ref>https://www.ideal.es/jaen/jaen/muere-arqueologo-mario-20200915184342-nt.html José M. Liébana. "Muere el arqueólogo Mario Torelli, doctor honoris causa por la Universidad de Jaén" ''Ideal.es'' 15 September 2020</ref> On September 8, 2014, Torelli was awarded the Balzan Prize for Classical archaeology.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.balzan.org/it/premio-balzan/premiazione|title=Premio Balzan: Premiazione}}</ref> Giorgio Napolitano, then president of the Republic of Italy, presented Torelli with the award in Rome on November 20, 2014.<ref>{{cite AV media| url-status = live| archive-url = https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/pXVlJ94s-tA| archive-date = 2021-12-11| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXVlJ94s-tA| title = Premio Balzan 2014 al Prof. Mario Torelli (Italia), per l'archelogia classica | website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The citation praises the "innovative character" of Torelli's work and his deep commitment to archaeology. Torelli died in Donnalucata di Scicli (Ragusa), Sicily.
==Selected works== * ''[http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/245850444 Elogia tarquiniensia]'' (Florence, 1975)<ref>Review: Principes of Tarquinia Reviewed Work: Elogia Tarquiniensia (Studi e Materiali di Etruscologia e Antichità Italiche XV) by Mario Torelli Review by: T. J. Cornell [https://www.jstor.org/stable/299634 ''The Journal of Roman Studies'' Vol. 68 (1978), pp. 167-173]</ref> * (with Martha Welborn Baldwin) ''[http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/607725062 Latin Inscriptions in the Kelsey Museum: The Dennison Collection]'' (Kelsey Museum Studies; 4) (Ann Arbor, 1979) * ''[http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/715499536 Necropoli dell'Italia antica]'' (Milan, 1982) * ''[http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/470958350 Typology & structure of Roman historical reliefs]'' (Ann Arbor, 1982) * ''[http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/252067598 Storia degli etruschi]'' (Rome-Bari, 1981) * ''[http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/758199083 Lavinio e Roma : riti iniziatici e matrimonio tra archeologia e storia]'' (Rome, 1984) * ''[http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/802692666 La società etrusca : l'età arcaica, l'età classica]'' (Rome, 1987) * (with Pierre Gros) ''[http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/635724690 Storia dell'urbanistica : il mondo romano]'' (Rome-Bari, 1988); 2nd edition 2009. * ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20080226231000/http://www.edipuglia.it/volume.php?id=4 La daunia nell'età della romanizzazione]'', [http://www.edipuglia.it Edipuglia] (1990) * "PRAEDIA CLARISSIMORUM ETRURIAE." ''Archeologia Classica'' ([https://www.jstor.org/stable/44368027 Vol. 43, TOMO PRIMO: MISCELLANEA ETRUSCA E ITALICA IN ONORE DI MASSIMO PALLOTTINO]) (1991) pp. 459–474. * ''[http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/977607158 Atlante dei siti archeologici della Toscana]'' (Rome, 1992) * ''[http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/468340991 Etruria]'' (Guide archeologiche Laterza, 3) (Rome-Bari, 1993) * ''[http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/951202725 Studies in the Romanization of Italy]'' (Edmonton, 1995) * ''[http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/757312631 Il rango, il rito e l'immagine : alle origini della rappresentazione storica romana]'' (Milan, 1997) * ''[http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/716029663 Tota Italia : essays in the cultural formation of Roman Italy]'' (Oxford, 1999) * (with Francesca Boitani) "Un nuovo santuario dell'Emporion di Gravisca." '[https://www.persee.fr/doc/efr_0223-5099_1999_act_251_1_5391 ''Actes de la rencontre scientifique en hommage à Georges Vallet organisée par le Centre Jean-Bérard, l'École française de Rome, l'Istituto universitario orientale et l'Università degli studi di Napoli "Federico II" (Rome-Naples, 15-18 novembre 1995)'' ''Publications de l'École Française de Rome'' 251 (1999) pp. 93-102] * ''[http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/45494812 The Etruscans]'' (Milan, 2001)] * ''[http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/181091411 Le strategie di Kleitias. Composizione e programma figurativo del vaso François]'' (Milan, 2007) * (with Anna Maria Sgubini Moretti) ''[http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/932577095 Etruschi : le antiche metropoli del Lazio]'' (Milan, 2008) * (with Elisa Marroni) ''CASTRUM INUI. Il santuario di Inuus alla foce del Fosso dell’Incastro'' (Monumenti Antichi, 76 – serie misc. 21). (G. Bretschneider, 2018).{{ISBN|978-88-7689-302-5}}; ISSN:0391-8084 * Collected papers: ''[http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1145267860 Opuscola etrusca 2010-2018]'' (Edizioni ETS, 2019); ''[http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1134650372 Opuscola romana 2010-2018]'' (Edizioni ETS, 2019); ''[http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1134674445 Opuscola Graeca 2010-2018]'' (Edizioni ETS, 2019) * [Festschriften] Angiolillo, Simonetta and Marco Giuman, Marco. ''Il vasaio e le sue storie : giornata di studi sulla ceramica attica in onore di Mario Torelli per i suoi settanta anni, [Cagliari, Cittadella dei Musei, aula verde, 20 giugno 2007]'' (Cagliari : Edizioni AV, 2007); Elisa Marroni; Concetta Masseria; Mario Torelli. ''[http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1045936209 Dialogando : studi in onore di Mario Torelli]'' (Pisa : ETS, 2017) [http://catdir.loc.gov/catdir/toc/casalini16/4149645.pdf Table of contents].
==References== {{reflist}}
==Further Information== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20060609105108/http://www-b.unipg.it/~dut/persone/docente.php?doc_id=29 ''Curriculum vitae''] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20110722063703/http://www-b.unipg.it/~dut/pubblicazioni/pubblicazioni_doc.php?doc_id=29 Recent works] *[http://www.balzan.org/en/prizewinners/mario-torelli Mario Torelli] International Balzan Prize Foundation
==Necrology== * "Addio a Mario Torelli, grande archeologo amico di Pompei" ''La Repubblica'' [https://napoli.repubblica.it/cronaca/2020/09/15/news/addio_a_mario_torelli_grande_archeologo_amico_di_pompei-267398615/?ref=twhl×tamp=1600188743000 15 September 2020] * [http://www.rainews.it/dl/rainews/articoli/torelli-archeologia-etruschi-0797e399-50ee-4d8c-b797-58463e56d458.html "Archeologia: addio a Mario Torelli, uno dei più grandi studiosi degli Etruschi Era socio dell'Accademia dei Lincei, aveva vinto il Premio Balzan nel 2014."] ''RaiNews'' 15 September 2020
==Other projects== * [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page Wikimedia Commons] contains images or other files about [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Mario_Torelli?uselang=en Mario Torelli] * [https://it.wikiquote.org/wiki/Pagina_principale Wikiquote] contains citation by or about [https://it.wikiquote.org/wiki/Mario_Torelli Mario Torelli]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Torelli, Mario}} Category:1937 births Category:2020 deaths Category:Italian classical scholars Category:Italian archaeologists Category:Academic staff of the University of Perugia Category:Academic staff of the University of Cagliari Category:University of Michigan faculty Category:University of Colorado Boulder faculty Category:Academic staff of the University of Paris Category:Classical scholars of the University of California, Irvine Category:Linguists of Etruscan Category:20th-century Italian archaeologists Category:21st-century archaeologists