Editing Raphael (section)

===Antiquity===
In about 1510, Raphael was asked by Bramante to judge contemporary copies of ''[[Laocoön and His Sons]]''.{{sfn|Salmi et al.|1969|p=110}} In 1515, he was given powers as Prefect over all antiquities unearthed within, or a mile outside the city.<ref name=JonesPenny205/> Anyone excavating antiquities was required to inform Raphael within three days, and stonemasons were not allowed to destroy inscriptions without permission.{{sfn|Salmi et al.|1969|p=582}} Raphael wrote a letter to Pope Leo suggesting ways of halting the destruction of ancient monuments, and proposed a visual survey of the city to record all antiquities in an organised fashion. The pope intended to continue to re-use ancient masonry in the building of St Peter's, also wanting to ensure that all ancient inscriptions were recorded, and sculpture preserved, before allowing the stones to be reused.<ref name=JonesPenny205>Jones & Penny:205 The letter may date from 1519, or before his appointment</ref>

According to [[Marino Sanuto the Younger]]'s diary, in 1519 Raphael offered to transport an obelisk from the Mausoleum of August to St. Peter's Square for 90,000 ducats.{{sfn|Salmi et al.|1969|pp=569, 582}} According to [[Marcantonio Michiel]], Raphael's "youthful death saddened men of letters because he was not able to furnish the description and the painting of ancient Rome that he was making, which was very beautiful".{{sfn|Salmi et al.|1969|p=570}} Raphael intended to make an archaeological map of ancient Rome but this was never executed.{{sfn|Salmi et al.|1969|p=574}} Four archaeological drawings by the artist are preserved.{{sfn|Salmi et al.|1969|p=579}}