Enrico Felici is an Associate Professor of Ancient Topography at the University of Catania, Department of Humanities, where he has been a faculty member since 2005. He teaches courses such as Topography and Technical Analysis of Ancient Monuments, Survey and Technical Analysis of Ancient Monuments, and Topography of the Ancient Territory: Emerged, Coastal, and Underwater, within the Degree Courses in Cultural Heritage and Archaeology. He is a leading figure in underwater and coastal archaeology, with extensive research on ancient ports, maritime engineering, and coastal installations. University: University of Catania School: Department of Humanities Department: Department of Humanities Academic Rank: Associate Professor Email: efelici@unict.it, enrico.felici1@tin.it, enricofelici@pec.it Felici holds a Laurea in Classical Letters from Sapienza University of Rome, with a thesis on the survey and technical analysis of ancient monuments, specifically the Neronian port of ancient Antium. His academic journey reflects a deep commitment to the study of ancient coastal landscapes and maritime infrastructure. His research interests lie at the intersection of archaeology, engineering, and topography, focusing on ancient harbor construction (especially using opus caementicium), coastal stone quarries, tuna fisheries, purple-dye production, maritime transport of stone, and the interpretation of ancient iconography related to maritime structures. He has pioneered methodological approaches in underwater archaeology and has contributed to the ethical and professional standards of the discipline. His recent publications reveal a sustained scholarly output in top-tier journals, with a thematic evolution from harbor engineering and construction techniques to broader questions of coastal topography, semantics in archaeology, and the cultural significance of maritime infrastructure. His work consistently integrates textual, archaeological, and iconographic evidence to reconstruct ancient maritime landscapes. Enrico Felici is actively engaged in the academic community, serving on doctoral committees at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice and the University of Catania, and on the scientific boards of prestigious journals such as L’archeologo subacqueo and Cronache di archeologia . He has authored four influential monographs and over 140 publications. Felici has supervised and mentored numerous students and researchers, and has led significant research projects, including the use of drone-based aerial photogrammetry for coastal surveying. He has also contributed to public outreach through interviews, documentaries, and academic conferences. He is a co-founder of the Italian Association of Underwater Archaeologists (A.I.A.Sub.) and has played a key role in establishing academic programs in underwater archaeology in Italy. His work on the revision of ancient maritime texts and the debunking of long-standing misconceptions (such as the double-hull obelisk ships) underscores his impact on the field.
