Carlo Fea (2 February 1753 - 18 March 1836) was an Italian archaeologist.

Born at Pigna in Piedmont, Fea studied law in Rome. He received the degree of doctor of laws from the university of La Sapienza, but archaeology gradually absorbed his attention, and with the view of obtaining better opportunities for his researches in 1798 he took orders. For political reasons he was obliged to take refuge in Florence; on his return in 1799 he was imprisoned by the Neapolitans, at that time in occupation of Rome, as a Jacobin, but shortly afterwards liberated and appointed Commissario delle Antichit and librarian to Prince Chigi.

Fea helped frame legislation to control the trade in, and excavation of, the antiquities of Rome, and undertook archaeological work on the Pantheon and the Forum there.

Fea died at Rome in 1836.

Fea revised, with notes, an Italian translation of J. J. Winckelmann's Geschichte der Kunst, and also added notes to some of G. L. Bianconi's works. Among his original writings the principal are: Miscellanea filologica, crilica, e antiquaria; and Descrilione di Roma.

Reference

• Riley, R.T., 2000, The Pope's Archaeologist: The Life and Times of Carlo Fea, Quasar. ISBN 8871401778

This article incorporates text from the public domain 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica.