by Leila Amindeddoleh, ARCA Alum 2010

The American Institute for Roman Culture held its annual “Unlisted” conference in Rome last weekend.  The two-day event included a full morning and afternoon of paper presentations, a dinner for invited guests, and then a tour of excavation sites near the city.

The paper presentations on Friday focused on enhancing the visibility of archaeological cultural heritage preservation.  The speakers were a diverse group of practitioners, including archaeologists, professors, attorneys, and representatives from the US Embassy in Rome and the Management and Promotion of Cultural Heritage, amongst others.

The conference, hosted by the American Institute for Roman Culture, Direzione Generale per la Valorizzazione del Patrimonio Culturale, U.S. Department of State, and Centro Studi Americani, was streamed live from the library space of the Centro Studi Americani.  Some of the topics covered included the use of marketing and social media to promote tourism of cultural sites, preservation of areas such as Ostia Antica Archaeological Park, restitution of cultural property, and cultural heritage management.  In addition, the Institute plans on releasing an e-publication of the papers presented.

After the conference, invited guests were treated to a lovely dinner at Ristorante Spirito di Vino in Trastevere.  The restaurant and its wine cellar is famous for its historical and archaeological significance, as it was the site of the discovery of multiple significant Roman antiquities; thus it was the perfect location for a group of art professionals. 

On Saturday, conference speakers and attendees were invited to a tour of the excavation site at Villa Quintilli, a Roman villa along the Via Appia Antica.  The villa was built by two Quintilius brothers during the second century, and the home was so beautiful that the Emperor Commodus executed the brothers in 182 in order to seize their home.  The attendees next visited another site along Via Appia Antica, Capo di Bove.  The site was the property owned by Herodes Atticus and his wife.  And finally, to end the busy conference weekend, some of the participants took a short tour of sites along Palatine Hill. 

To learn more, visit the American Institute for Roman Culture and the Unlisted Conference.

Leila Amineddoleh is an Intellectual property attorney and Chair of the Art Law Group at Lombard & Geliebter LLP in New York City.