The exhibition “Etruscan Spina at Villa Giulia: A Grand Port in the Mediterranean” (National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia, Rome) marks the conclusion of the centenary celebrations for the discovery of Spina, the most significant Etruscan city on the Adriatic, unearthed near Comacchio (Emilia Romagna) in 1922.
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Once regarded as little more than a legend, Spina revealed its greatness through the reclamation efforts in the Trebba Valley and the excavations in Valle Pega. Over four thousand mostly intact burials and one of the world’s most significant collections of Attic ceramics emerged.
The centennial celebrations spanned the Delta Antico Museum in Comacchio and the National Archaeological Museum of Ferrara, culminating at the National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia. The exhibition showcases over 700 works, engaging in a dialogue with objects from permanent collections and museum deposits.
Displayed works include the fragment of a volute tripod from the Acropolis of Athens and the monumental crater from tomb 579 in Valle Trebba. These artifacts, along with the contemporary Pyrgi Altar Relief, reveal significant aspects of the Seven Against Thebes myth.
The Centenary project, initiated by the Ministry of Culture, involves national and international institutions such as the Regional Directorate of Museums in Emilia Romagna and the Superintendence of Archaeology, Fine Arts, and Landscape.
The exhibition not only celebrates Spina’s past but contributes to the understanding of pre-Roman Mediterranean archaeology and history. Its impact will endure through the website www.spinacento.it, the custodian of its legacy.