Giovanni Jatta

Born in Ruvo di Puglia on October 21, 1767, he was an Italian magistrate and archaeologist. Sources describe him as a jurist based in Naples who developed a lasting interest in classical antiquities, especially the finds coming from the ancient necropolises around his hometown.

Together with his brother Giulio, he built an important collection of artifacts from the Ruvo area, gathering Greek and Italic vases and other archaeological objects during the early nineteenth century. That collection became the foundation of what is now known as the Jatta National Archaeological Museum, often noted for preserving the character of a nineteenth-century private collection.

He died on December 9, 1844. Remembered both for his legal career and for his role in safeguarding the material history of Magna Graecia, he remains closely linked with the cultural heritage of Puglia.