Rodolfo Lanciani. Studi in area tiburtina. Preesistenze, trasformazioni, contesti territoriali

This paper analyzes Rodolfo Lanciani's studies of the Tiburtine area, particularly on several highly stratified sites along the Empiglione valley, which have a notable connection to the landscape. The study itineraries are retraced through a critical reading of the documentation produced by the archaeologist-topographer during his field visits (now preserved at the Vatican Apostolic Library and the Institute of Archaeology and History of Art in Rome), subsequently compared with published sources. A particular attention to territorial contexts emerges, with specific references to orography and the process of structural transformation. The graphic notes of the archaeological finds at various scales, with added annotations, corrections, and references to other documentation, have provided insight into the methodology of analysis and interpretation, which demonstrates a focus on authentic documentation of the find, which tends to abandon hypothetical formal reconstruction in favor of a new type of graphic representation, the "truthful" one. Finally, from the detailed analysis of this documentation and the precise findings, it was possible to identify a plan for a topographical study of the Empolitana Valley, the basis for an archaeological map of the area. Furthermore, the comparison with the current size of the study area, together with other data derived from specific studies, contributes significantly to understanding the transformation of the landscape.