A journey in the Samnium before, during and after the Samnites through Amber, Ceramics, Bronzes, Ivories, Marbles and Funerary contexts. Where the exhibits on display recall the contexts of a thousand-year-old history.
The Sannitico Museum, the oldest museum institution in the Molise region, is currently located in the historic center of Campobasso in the palace that once belonged to the noble Neapolitan family of Mazzarotta.
The materials on display, coming from excavation activities and archaeological research carried out throughout the Molise region, offer a significant overview not only of the Domestic, Religious and Funerary culture of the Samnite communities, but also of the testimonies from the Roman and Medieval eras, such as the very rich Tombs of Bulgarian knights found in the Piana di Bojano.
The oldest exhibits date back to the second millennium BC. These artifacts include Weapons and Jewelry that belonged to the first warriors and their ladies, evidence of warrior societies expert in metalworking
Inside, the collections count both on the original 19th-century provincial collection and on findings made during modern archaeological excavations in the Province of Campobasso. The permanent exhibition is organized according to a chronological and thematic criterion.
On the ground floor, the Bronze Age and the Early Iron Age, with the emergence and consolidation of warrior aristocracies: of particular importance are the weapons from the Final Bronze Age and the Amber jewels from the Iron Age.
On the first floor the Samnites, their Sanctuaries, their Trade, their Tombs: noteworthy is a rich collection of votive statuettes of Hercules, terracotta ornaments from the sanctuaries and some votive treasures.
On the second floor the Romanization of Samnium, with materials also from the Roman city of Sepino: of particular interest are the Marble sculptures and many small objects of daily life, such as keys, elements of women’s toilet and bronze furnishings.
Always on the second floor the early Middle Ages represented by the very rich tombs of Bulgarian knights found in the Piana di Bojano: among these the complete reconstruction of the Tomb of a Warrior and his horse with rich silver trappings
The Mystery of Alchek’s Ring
The Alchek Ring is an archaeological find discovered in 1987 in Campochiaro, in the province of Campobasso, during excavations that brought to light a necropolis dating back to the Lombard era.
This gold ring features a reused Roman gem with annona symbols and, inside, a Lombard coin with the effigy of Romualdo.
It is speculated that it may have belonged to Alchek, leader of a group of Bulgarian warriors who, in the 7th century, settled in Italy under the Lombard kingdom.
But there is a problem. The mounted warrior in whose tomb the ring was found was not older than 25 years of age, according to bone studies conducted by physical anthropologists on his skeleton raising doubts about whether it actually belonged to Alchek and leaving the mystery unsolved.
What was Alchek’s ring doing in the tomb of a young Knight?
Sannitico Museum
Via Anselmo Chiarizia 12
Campobasso
Molise – Italy
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