Museum Guide - Museo e Parco Archeologico di Cecina

Introduction

In the Archaeological Museum of Cecina are collected numerous examples of artifacts and archaeological finds from the surrounding area of the Lower Valley of Cecina River. The exhibition, with its pieces displayed either in chronological and topographical order, aims to represent, in an easily understandable way, the development of the dwelling process of local inhabitants along with the evolutionary processes involving the territory in the past, from the Prehistoric times, through the remains of the thriving trade community of the Etruscan to the Roman Age up to the end of the Roman Empire.
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Hall I | 1

The exhibition itinerary starts with Room I and the display of the most ancient prehistoric finds: the first tools made out of flint and jasper made by the Paleolithic Man, which testify the occupation of the territory along the coast ( ca. 700.000 - 10.000 years ago). Then it is possible to see the most refined pieces made out of stone and the oldest pottery fragment found in the area manufactured during the Neolithic Age (ca. 5.000 – 3.000 BC).
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Hall II | 2

In the next room (Room II) are shown finds from the Iron Age (9-8 century BC), in particular one example of the distinctive cone-shaped Villanovian ossuary from one of the most important necropolis of Volterra (Necropolis of Guerruccia), which testify the beginning of the Etruscan civilization in the area.
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Halls III – IV | 3 – 4

The next sections (Rooms III-IV) is dedicated to the Necropolis of Casa Nocera, a complex of ten burials belonging to a single family group who lived in Casalvecchio (an Etruscan settlement) near Casale Marittimo, a small hill town near Cecina, between the end of the 8th century b.C. and the beginning of the 6th century b.C.; a scale model shows the tombs at the moment of the discovery.
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Halls V – VI | 5 – 6

In the Rooms V-VI there are finds of 6th century b.C. coming from excavations of modest houses discovered in Montescudaio and Casale Marittimo.
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Hall VII | 7

The itinerary goes on (Room VII) with the display of some pieces of Etruscan archaic period (6th-5th century BC). A series of funeral marble markers: these elements were put on the chamber tombs to testify their presence.
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Hall VIII | 8

To the Hellenistic Age (from the end of 4th century to 1st century BC) is dedicated the following section of the Museum (Room VIII).
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Hall IX | 9 (Temporary closed)

The Room IX is usually dedicated to the collection of archaeological objects belonging to the Municipality. Sometimes, in this area, there are temporary exhibition of finds belonging to other museums.
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Hall X | 10

The following section of the exhibition (Room X) is dedicated to the Roman Age. In Roman times the territory of Volterra continued to experience, as in previous centuries, a prosperous period, characterized by strong economic growth; in the second half of the 1st century. B.C. the members of the city aristocracy – in particular the Caecina family (Kaikna in Etruscan) – entered the Senate of Rome, actively entering the political life of the capital of the world.
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Halls XI – XII | 11 – 12

A specific area is then reserved to the sea and its use as a means of communication and instrument for trade (Rooms XI-XII). Here it is shown a large collection of amphoras used for transport of wine, oil and grain and other objects (anchors, millstone) emerged from the waters opposite the shore.
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