Museo Nazionale Preistorico Etnografico
(
National
Ethnographic Prehistoric Museum )
It
was founded by the palaeo-ethnologist Luigi
Pigorini, his aim was that of illustrating
Italian prehistoric evidence and that of the
present-day peoples in order to compare the
different phases of development of the cultures.
The museum was inaugurated in 1876 in the
building of the Roman College; between 1962
and 1977 it was transferred to its present site in
the EUR area.
The
hew establishment was inaugurated in 1994 the
exhibit is divided into two sections: one dedicated
to Prehistory and Protohistory and the other
to Non-European Indigenous Cultures.
The ethnographic sector, which is situated on
the first floor, is organized according to a
geographic division: African finds illustrate
the essential historical moments in the exploration
of the continent which started between 1434 and
1488, with various artifacts of artistic
handicraft.
From
the Americas one can admire the finds from
the archaeological cultures of Mesoamerica and
western America.
The Oceanic section contains many items, mostly
collected by travelers at the end of the XIX
century, and are organized in such a way as to
illustrate the specific regions.
The palaeo-ethnology section presents different
exhibition areas which aim at illustrating the
different search methods on the prehistorically
sites and the main stages of human evolution.
The
sections are supplied with advanced didactic
supports, plastic models, reconstructions,
graphical devices, which, though they provide
rigorous scientific information, succeed in
intriguing and fascinating visitors.
The evolutionary tour of our species is
completed by a multimedia and digital support that
accompanies visitors along a route of model settings
that faithfully reproduce different excavation
conditions.
As
regards the older phase there are finds from the
settlements of Castel di Guido and Torre
in Pietra (about 300,000 years ago).
The
finds of Saccopastore (about 100,000 years ago) and
of Grotta Guattari al Circeo belong to the era of
the Neanderthal Man.
The
next section regards more recent phases, there is
material from the underwater site "La Marmotta"
located in the lake of Bracciano, as well as
a large panorama of the artefacts from the
Neolithic, Eneolithic, Bronze and Iron
ages, from both Italian and European sites.
Some
of the items featured are of Aegean origin, in
particular Troy II - V century, Minoans (Phaistos,
Haghia Triada) and Mycenian (necropolis
of Rhodes).
Information
and Addresses
Address Piazza Marconi, 14
Visiting Hours Every day from 9.00 am to 1-30 pm
Closed Monday, Dec. 25,Jan.1
Telephone 06
549521
For
Tours information
– private guided tours – special entrances, no waiting in
line - VIP services
www.tourinrome.com
www.vaticanmuseuminformation.com
www.vaticanmuseumticket.com
