World Literary Awards

← Back to Home

Peter Kolosimo

ピーター・コロシモ

Peter Kolosimo

Aliases: Pier Domenico Colosimo
Pen Names: Peter Kolosimo（Used as a pseudonym for publishing）

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1922-12-15 （Modena, Italy）
Died
1984-03-23 （Milan, Italy） age 61
Nationality
Italian
Languages
Italian
Residence History
Modena → Milan

Career

Occupations
Writer, Journalist
Active Years
1950-1984
Affiliations
Italian Association for Prehistoric Studies (ASP)

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Il pianeta sconosciuto

1957 Popular science / Pseudoarchaeology

An early work presenting hypotheses about unknown planets and ancient civilizations for a general audience.

ancient civilizationscosmic originspopular hypotheses
Translations
  • Translated into multiple languages

Timeless Earth

1964 Pseudoarchaeology / Popular science

Discusses timeless aspects of Earth's history and ancient mysteries, often challenging conventional theories.

concepts of timeancient mysteriescritique of academia
Translations
  • Translated into English and many other languages

Not of This World

1968 Pseudoarchaeology / Ancient astronauts

Argues for connections between ancient civilizations and extraterrestrials; one of Kolosimo's notable works, often criticized by academics.

ancient astronautsinterpretation of evidencepopularization
Translations
  • Available in English and other translations

Spaceships in Prehistory

1972 Pseudoarchaeology / Ancient astronauts

A popular book arguing the possibility of spaceships in prehistory; widely translated and read abroad.

spaceshipsprehistorypseudo-scientific hypotheses
Translations
  • Translated into many languages

Odissea stellare

1974 Science fiction / Popular science

A work combining essays on stars and space with elements of fiction.

spaceimaginationcultural critique
Translations
  • Has translations

The Mysteries of the Universe

1982 Popular science (co-authored)

Co-authored with his wife Caterina; a compendium dealing with the universe and unexplained phenomena.

mysteries of the universeco-authorship
Translations
  • Has translations

Bibliography

  • Il pianeta sconosciuto (1957)
  • Terra senza tempo (1964) — Timeless Earth
  • Non è terrestre (1968) — Not of This World
  • Astronavi sulla preistoria (1972) — Spaceships in Prehistory
  • Odissea stellare (1974)
  • I misteri dell'universo (1982, with Caterina Kolosimo)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Popularizing and expository tone with provocative narrationA style that simplifies and challenges academic discourse
Recurring Motifs
contact between ancients and the cosmosunexplained technologies and artifactsdefiant stance toward academia

Legacy

Peter Kolosimo popularized pseudoarchaeology and ancient astronaut theories, becoming a widely read and controversial figure in Italy and abroad. While criticized by scholars, his imaginative popular style left a lasting cultural impact.

Academic Societies

  • Italian Association for Prehistoric Studies (ASP)

In Popular Culture

  • Influenced the spread of pseudoarchaeology and UFO discourse in Italian popular culture.

Quotes

  • Imagination is a social weapon.
    Source: Review in Pagine 70

Trivia

  • His works were reportedly translated and published in around 60 countries.
  • Edited several magazines in the 1970s–1980s (e.g., Pi Kappa).
  • Later works were co-authored with his wife Caterina; they had a daughter, Alessandra (born 1970).