Publications

The ancient church of San Lorenzo in Varigotti, located on a steep slope in the stunning landscape between Capo Noli and the sea-facing promontory, is one of the most significant religious buildings in the Finale area. Previously excavated in the post-war period by Nino Lamboglia and Bruna Ugo during restoration works following bomb damage from the Second World War, the site has more recently been the subject of extensive archaeological investigations and archaeometric analyses of its masonry structures. This publication was produced in collaboration with the association “Amici di San Lorenzo di Varigotti”, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the most recent restorations (1995–2025).

In 1922, General Enrico Caviglia, hero of the Battle of Vittorio Veneto, undertook a triumphant official journey through Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and Brazil. Travelling aboard the transatlantic liner Conte Rosso, Caviglia was welcomed by huge crowds and the highest political authorities in South America. Mario Berruti’s essay reconstructs this diplomatic mission, which combined patriotic celebrations, analysis of commercial opportunities for the arms industry, and the development of an innovative plan for regulated and protected Italian emigration. Through contemporary accounts and previously unpublished photographs, the book portrays a man capable of strengthening the bond between Italy and its overseas communities during a period of major historical transformation.

This publication completes the series “Guides to the Finale Archaeological Museum”, which explores the different historical periods represented in the museum galleries. The series began in 2004 with a volume dedicated to the Palaeolithic. The chapters of this guide to the Early Modern Period in the Finale area, written by various scholars, trace the historical events and archaeological aspects marking the decline of the Del Carretto marquisate (1535–1602), Spanish rule (1602–1713), the Genoese period (1713–1797), the Napoleonic era (1797–1814), and the Savoy dominion (1815–1860). The final sections examine the development of the territory and social transformations in the Finale area from the late 19th century through the 20th century.

This guide is dedicated to the Early Middle Ages and the Middle Ages in the Finale area, a period marked by distinctive development shaped by the feudal rule of the marquises of Savona, known as the Del Carretto family. The chapters, based on contributions from specialists in various fields (ceramics, glass, metal objects, coins, archaeobotanical data, etc.), offer a historical and archaeological interpretation of the Finale territory during the period between the Lombard conquest of coastal Liguria in 643 and 1535, when Giovanni II Del Carretto died from wounds sustained during the siege of La Goletta near Tunis. This event marked the beginning of the Early Modern period in the Finale area and the decline of the marquisate dynasty.

The Landscape of the Finale Area. In Search of the Identity of a Territory, edited by M. Besio Dominici (2021, 462 pages). The landscape of the Finale area expresses a distinctive uniqueness: the close relationship between a still largely unspoiled natural environment and human presence documented from around 350,000 years ago, with an extraordinary evolutionary sequence involving several human species. However, it is not only the continuity of human occupation that has shaped the landscape, but rather the inseparable relationship between humans and a highly evocative natural environment, formed through slow long-term transformations in geomorphology, climate, and vegetation. The presence of the Finale Stone and the karst phenomena linked to the geological substrate strongly define the identity of this territory. This publication, focused on the complex concept of landscape, brings together contributions from researchers across different disciplines and is accompanied by extensive cartography specifically produced for the volume. The result is a detailed scientific analysis of a geographical area long appreciated for its beauty, but still not fully understood in terms of the natural and human processes that shaped it.

Clarence Bicknell’s Herbarium between the Riviera and the Maritime Alps, edited by D. Arobba, R. Caramiello, D. Gandolfi (2020, 112 pages). The herbarium collected by Clarence Bicknell and preserved in the museum he founded in Bordighera in 1888 is a precious jewel within the remarkable legacy left by this enlightened English scholar. Recent digitisation and enhancement of the Bicknell Herbarium, carried out by the Istituto Internazionale di Studi Liguri, which has inherited his scientific legacy, has been made possible through the Interreg Alcotra “Concert-Eaux” project. This initiative has fostered exchange and development, and has provided an important opportunity to make part of this valuable collection accessible to researchers and enthusiasts. The volume presents Bicknell’s natural history library, his work as a scientist and botanical artist, his relationships with leading Italian and international botanists, as well as the history of the herbarium itself, its current organisation, and the work carried out for its cataloguing, documentation, and enhancement.