IT22 The National Archeological Museum

The National Archeological Museum of Reggio Calabria is a museum in Reggio Calabria (southern Italy). From an archaeological point of view, it is one of the most important in Italy, as it houses one of the most valuable collections of archaeological finds from Magna Graecia. Magna Grecia was the name given by the Romans to the coastal areas of Southern Italy. There have been numerous archaeological excavations throughout the Calabrian territory. The most famous finds are the famous bronzes of Riace, which came out of the sea in August 1972. After about two thousand five hundred years, the two magnificent bronze warriors, representing two men, take us back to the evolution of Greek art up to the 6th century BC. There also are several objects from the prehistoric and protohistoric periods which preceded it and the ancient Roman and Byzantine eras which followed. 

The students followed a guided tour of the museum and discovered the life of the Italian during Antiquity. They discovered archaeological remains of necropolises from the most famous Calabria cities of antiquity: Crotone, Locri,Krimisa, Cirò Marina… Then, they found ancient elements: ceramics, metal, statues, jewelry, coins, medals, bronze mirrors, musical instrument... The most notable of its collections include: the Head of a Philosopher from Porticello (a rare example of Greek portraiture), the marble Reggio Kouros (a recent acquisition by the museum), a marble head of Apollo, from Cirò, the group of the Dioscuri falling from their horse in the battle of Sagra, from Locri Epizefiri. They also learned some stories from mythology, such as the myth of Persephone.

The pupils were able to become aware of their common heritage. Despite the language barrier, the common cultural heritage remains the most important.