Royal Ontario Museum Establishes Isabel and Gino Vettoretto Curatorship of North American Archaeology

The inaugural position was made possible through a matched gift from
Isabel Alves-Vettoretto and Gino Vettoretto, and the Louise Hawley Stone Charitable Trust

TORONTO, November 17, 2020 – The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) today announced the establishment of the Isabel and Gino Vettoretto Curatorship of North American Archaeology. This curatorship reflects the ROM’s commitment to encouraging greater public engagement with, and appreciation of, North America’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, and broadening the institution’s stewardship and expertise in this area. The new position will be held by Dr. Craig Cipolla, the ROM’s Curator of North American Archaeology and a cross-appointed Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Toronto.

“The ROM has a pivotal role to play in reframing archaeology for the 21^st century,” says Josh Basseches, ROM Director & CEO. “We are grateful to Isabel Alves-Vettoretto and Gino Vettoretto for making this endowed curatorship possible with their generous gift and supporting the ROM’s mission to create and present knowledge in new ways.”

Dr. Cipolla brings two decades of experience in public engagement and community archaeology to this role, including nearly five years at the ROM. His work focuses on collaborative Indigenous archaeology, which includes collaborating on research design, fieldwork, writing, and repatriation efforts. This approach is contributing to deeper relationships between museums and Indigenous peoples in North America. Dr. Cipolla’s research focuses on the last 500 years of Indigenous-colonial history. As part of his mandate, Dr. Cipolla is designing new research on the ROM’s rich collections and enabling other researchers and community members to access the collection, as well as helping to train the next generation of archaeologists.

Dr. Cipolla holds a PhD in Anthropology from the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to joining the ROM in 2016, he held positions at the University of Massachusetts, Lafayette College, and the University of Leicester (UK). He has directed the Mohegan archaeological field school since 2010 in partnership with the Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut (run through the Institute for Field Research) and is currently developing a similar field project here in Ontario.

Dr. Cipolla’s publications include Archaeological Theory in the New Millennium and Foreign Objects, two books that rethink how archaeology works in the contemporary world. He has also published several other influential books, book chapters, and articles, and received major grants from the National Science Foundation (U.S.A.), the European Commission, and the Wenner-Gren Foundation. Set to be published in early 2021, Dr. Cipolla’s newest co-authored book, Archaeological Theory in Dialogue, critically examines different perspectives of archaeology, examining ethical issues and new ways for the discipline to incorporate Indigenous knowledge and expertise.

“We are very proud to support Dr. Craig Cipolla and the ROM’s critical work in collaborative archaeology and repatriation,” says Isabel Alves-Vettoretto, who is also a Director on the ROM Board of Governors. “The Museum has always been an important place of learning for our family, and we see this endowment as a way to ensure this important collection and the research associated with it will reach a wider audience.”

The Vettoretto Family has also generously supported the ROM’s hiring of Sarah Timmins, Repatriation Technician, Archaeology of the Americas, for two years. Together with Dr. Cipolla, she is conducting important research on the ROM’s Ontario archaeological collection to facilitate repatriation.

The Isabel and Gino Vettoretto Curatorship of North American Archaeology is one of 35 curatorships at the ROM and one of five endowed curatorships to receive matching funds by the Louise Hawley Stone Charitable Trust. The ROM and the ROM Governors thank Gary Weddel and Lisa Saunders, Trustees of the Louise Hawley Stone Charitable Trust, for their ongoing support of the Museum. The ROM is also deeply grateful to Isabel Alves-Vettoretto for her leadership on the ROM Board of Governors.

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ABOUT THE ROM
Opened in 1914, the Royal Ontario Museum showcases art, culture and nature from around the world and across the ages. Among the top 10 cultural institutions in North America, Canada’s largest and most comprehensive museum is home to a world-class collection of 13 million art objects and natural history specimens, featured in 40 gallery and exhibition spaces. As the country’s preeminent field research institute and an international leader in new and original findings, the ROM plays a vital role in advancing our understanding of the artistic, cultural and natural world. Combining its original heritage architecture with the contemporary Daniel Libeskind-designed Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, the ROM serves as a national landmark, and a dynamic cultural destination in the heart of Toronto for all to enjoy.

CURATORIAL ENDOWMENTS AT THE ROM
The endowment program at the ROM presents donors with an outstanding opportunity to permanently enable thought-provoking exhibitions, revolutionary research and engaging public programs by supporting the Museum’s curatorial expertise. To learn more about the opportunities and impacts in this program, kindly contact giving@rom.on.ca