September mornings #2 – The new Archaeological Museum of Egnazia (Southern Italy).

September is ending, it is time to meditate on last summer souvenirs. It is time to forget holidays and get moving. Still… There is a memory I am not able to say goodbye to this year: it is the visit to the National Archaeological Museum of Egnazia "Giuseppe Andreassi" that opened again after renovation works on 25^th July.

Egnazia… For those who studied the cultural heritage in the region, it is very well known, almost an obsession, a positive one bringing to devote attachment. Those who like me have worked on it, for a project in which to put all one’s passion, or for a thesis in which…Maybe a little less passion but still, so much work, cannot come back to Egnazia without a feeling of nostalgia, and the personal impression of the condition of the Museum and the Park will be not that objective.

For those instead who do not know Egnazia, it is worth saying that this Archaeological Park cannot be defined with a simple historical definition like: “Prehistoric Site” “Messapic Site” “Roman Site” “Medieval Site". All the history of the town is in fact displayed in the excavated part, like a small tessera of a much larger mosaic all to be discovered. Imagine how much can be stored in the annexed Museum! In the new set-up all these materials – pardon me the word- are organized in temporal sequence, in cabinets full of objects that all the world would like to have and accompanied by descriptive panels really well done and of impact.

There is the content, there is the container, the context is enchanting (welcome also to the tourists coming by chance because attracted by the wonderful sea!). Still…There something missing! Ok, to call “something” every kind of indication of the itinerary, guidebook, computer supported information, non-booked tourist guide, English, audioguide, archaeometric data (yes! Why not after years of work on the exposed objects?), but also bookshop and café it may seem not enough, but as I told you, this cannot be an objective review and, above all, I am sure it is only matter of time!

So, you are all invited to visit the Park and the Museum at the price of… 3€! (Please, please! Increase the ticket price!)

To learn more:

* http://www.egnaziaonline.it/index_file/Page413.htm

To learn more “archaeometrically speaking”:

*LC Giannossa, S Loperfido, M Caggese, GE De Benedetto, R Laviano, L Sabbatini, A Mangone, A systematic characterization of fibulae from Italy: from chemical composition to microstructure and corrosion processes, New Journal of Chemistry, 37, 2013, 1238-1251.

* A Mangone, MC Caggiani, LC Giannossa, G Eramo, V Redavid, R Laviano, Diversified production of red figured pottery in Apulia (Southern Italy) in the late period, Journal of Cultural Heritage, 14, 1, 2013, 82-88.

* MC Caggiani, M Ciminale, D Gallo, M Noviello, F Salvemini, On line non destructive archaeology; the archaeological park of Egnazia (Southern Italy) study case, Journal of Archaeological Science 39, 1, 2012, 67-75.

* A Mangone, LC Giannossa,  G Eramo,  R Laviano, CS Fioriello, V Redavid and A Traini,  Technological features of ‘gnathia’ pottery, X-Ray Spectrometry 38, 2009, 386–393.

* A Mangone, LC Giannossa, R Laviano, CS Fioriello, A Traini, Investigations by various analytical techniques to the correct classification of archaeological finds and delineation of technological features Late Roman lamps from Egnatia: From imports to local production, Microchemical Journal, 91, 2009, 214–221.

* A Traini, LC Giannossa, P Ubbrìaco, A Mangone, MD De Filippis and R Laviano, The reason of the collapse of an ancient kiln in Egnazia from mineralogical and thermal analysis of ceramic finds, Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, 92, 1, 2008, 337–344.