Archaeological Museum of Bologna

Museo Civico Archeologico
Via dell'Archiginnasio 2 - 40124 Bologna
Tel. 051.27.57.211

Direzione e Uffici
Via de' Musei 8 – 40124 Bologna
Tel. 051.27.57.211 - Fax 051.26.65.16
mca@comune.bologna.it

MAP

  • banner sezioni

Collections / Ricerca / Gallic Bologna

Funerary equipment of a warrior chief

The tomb, characterized by the large size of the trench, stands out because of its rich funerary equipment, deposited with one of the most notable members of the Bolognese community’s warrior aristocracy.
The ideology of the symposium, games and the palaestra is paralleled by the use and style of the weapons, in this case destroyed intentionally when they were placed in the tomb and represented by the findings of a extraordinary bronze helmet and an iron javelin.

More info

The set of banquet vessels is also quite rich and many of them are made of metal, such as the holmos, used to hold wine, the kyathoi, or dippers, and the oinochoe with a trilobate lip to pour it.


The deposition of a gold crown, found on the head of the deceased, is especially significant; it is composed of a tall rectangular band with gold elements in the shape of olive and laurel leaves. The bronze strigil, a spoon with a long curved blade used by athletes to remove oil and sweat, alludes to athletic ideals. The “trademark” of the workshop that produced these objects, located in Palestrina, is visible on the handle.

Provenance: Bologna, Benacci necropolis, tomb 953
Datation: Early 3rd century BC

Go back to introduction

Images

Exhibition rooms | Room XI - Gallic Bologna