Otricoli Municipal Antiquarium

Otricoli Municipal Antiquarium

The Museum, located within Otricoli’s Priory Palace, links through an ideal educational path, including artefacts and illustrative panels, the three historical identities of Otricoli: the pre-Roman centre, the ancient Roman town of Ocriculum and the current medieval historical centre, rich of ancient materials reused in the urban fabric. 

Archaeological artefacts of great value from the Roman town of Ocriculum are to be exhibited in the Antiquarium. Particularly interesting among them are the reproduction of the polychrome mosaic from the baths of Ocriculum, an archaeological collection on the surface of the town, a communion altar, four decorated funerary inscriptions, a table support and especially the only original mould of Jupiter’s colossal head.

 

 

The marble head, 58 cm high, was discovered in Ocriculum at the end of 1700 and it was part of a statue of colossal dimensions, with the naked parts made of marble and the rest of the body of masonry and stucco (technique of the acrolith - large statue made of different materials). The figure represents a divinity, probably the Jupiter of the local capitolium, the temple devoted to the divine triad made up of Jupiter, Juno and Minerva, and was a copy of the Jupiter’s statue placed within the Rome’s capitol temple. 

The original cult statue, dating back to the end of 6th century B.C., was destroyed in a fire in 83 B.C. A new simulacrum was executed by a Greek artist, Apollonius, who used as a model the famous statue of Zeus at Olympia, artwork of the sculptor Phidias. Zeus at Olympia, probably the most famous statue of the ancient times, should have been more than 14 metres tall and was executed with gold and ivory. The god was sitting on a throne decorated with paintings and sculptures: his head decorated with olive branches, holding his right hand a statue representing a Victory and in his left hand a sceptre topped by an eagle. The artwork was executed in the thirties of the fifth century B.C, right after the completion of the Parthenon. This statue of Apollonius served as a model for statues of many municipal capitoliums, among which, probably, the Jupiter of Ocriculum. 

Otricoli Municipal Antiquarium opening times

From October to March
Saturday, Sunday and holidays: 10.30 am - 12.30 pm

From April to September
Saturday, Sunday and holidays: 10 am - 1 pm

Just upon booking in the working days and in hours different from those indicated above. 

Contacts
Email addresses: info@comune.otricoli.tr.it – agnesenunzi@hotmail.it 
Phone Number: 0744 719628 – 329.9482481
Web site: www.comune.otricoli.tr.it

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