The objective of the Istituto Italiano di Antropologia (ISItA) is to promote an interdisciplinary approach to anthropology which encompasses a synthesis of the biological, social and cultural aspects of the human evolution.

 

The activities of the ISItA include the:

   · active promotion of research in the field of Evolutionary Anthropology, with a particular attention to interdisciplinary approaches;

   · organisation of scientific meetings, courses and seminars regarding matters of anthropological interest;

   · publication of the Journal of Anthropological Sciences (JASs), JASs Supplements and ISItA Monographs;

   · JASs forum, an online discussion of interdisciplinary matters and contemporary issues;

   · development of Anthro-DigiIt, an online digital archive for Anthropology.

 
ISItA is a member of
 
 

 

The history of Istituto Italiano di Antropologia is linked to Giuseppe Sergi (picture on the right), the founder of the Roman school of Anthropology. He was involved in the early stages of development of the discipline in Italy. In 1884, Giuseppe Sergi, called to teach Anthropology in the Science Faculty of the University of Rome, was assigned some temporary premises in the School of Application for Engineers in S. Pietro in Vincoli.

 

 

  
 

 

From 1887 "The Institute lived its first years in the old building..." of the Roman college (picture on the left), where, as a cultural corollary, Giuseppe Sergi dedicated part of the Institute to the creation of an Anthropological museum. In the Roman college during the meeting of 4 June 1893 the promoting committee for the setting up of a scientific society (a "powerful and valid complement of the Universitary Institute of Anthropology") approved the statute of the Societa' Romana di Antropologia. The first and most enthusiastic supporter of this cultural operation was Giuseppe Sergi, elected President of the Society during the same meeting.

  
 

 

The "Atti della Societa' Romana di Antropologia", the official organ of the above-mentioned Society, immediately reflected in the first volume the spirit in which the society had been created i.e. diffuse the "culture of Man in its broadest sense", calling the "cultured Men of Italy and also foreigners" to participate in the writing of articles. In 1911 the Journal changed name to "Rivista di Antropologia". In 1937, the Societa' Romana di Antropologia also changed its title to "Istituto Italiano di Antropologia".

 

 

 

 

 

 
 


When the premises of the Istituto Italiano di Antropologia were transferred from the Roman College to the University of Rome "La Sapienza", at the end of 1938, the cultural activities were increased under the direction of Sergio Sergi, who had taken over from his father as Director of the Institute from 1916. Both the Societa' Romana di Antropologia and the Istituto Italiano di Antropologia have been leaded by important researchers coming from different anthropological fields, including, among the others, the malariologist Angelo Celli (1899 - 1900; up, left), the orientalist Giuseppe Tucci (1937-1940; up, right), the founder of genetics in Italy Giuseppe Montalenti (1981-1987, down, left), and the Nobel prize and pharmacologist Daniel Bovet (from 1978 to 1980 and 1988 to 1990; down, right).

 

 

 

Istituto Italiano di Antropologia (ISItA)
c/o Dipartimento di Biologia Animale e dell'Uomo
Universita' di Roma "La Sapienza"
P. le A.Moro 5 - 00185 Roma, Italy
 
tel. 0039 06 49912273
fax. 0039 06 49912771
 
e-mail: isita@isita-org.com
web site: http://www.isita-org.com

 

ISItA is supported by
Ministero per i Beni Ministero dell' Universita'
e le Attivita' Culturali e della Ricerca