Exhibition Satricum. Scavi e reperti archeologici

1 October 2014

In June 2014 the archaeological exhibition Satricum. Scavi e reperti archeologici was opened in the former iron factory of Le Ferriere (ancient Satricum), situated ca. 60 km south of Rome in the present-day Italian province Lazio.

The exhibition, organized by Marijke Gnade and staff and students of the Satricum-project, shows the results of thirty six years of Dutch archaeological research in one of the best preserved sites in central Italy which has revealed archaeological remains covering a period of  continuous occupation of nearly ten centuries (9th century BC- 1st century AD). More than 700 objects recovered during the recent excavations were selected to illustrate the long history of the Latin settlement which developed from a modest hamlet of huts in the ninth century BC, perched on top of an ‘acropolis’ hill, into a prosperous urban centre in the sixth century BC covering an area of nearly 40 ha and which subsequently was occupied for nearly 150 years by the  indigenous Volscians until the installation of a Roman colony in 346 BC.

The site is best known for the Archaic sanctuary of Mater Matuta, goddess of dawn, consisting of three successive temple buildings (625-500/480 BC) each of which with elaborate terracotta roof decorations and preceded by a hut which is generally considered the earliest place of cult. Three enormous votive deposits testify to offering practices over a long period of time. During the Archaic period, a number of large courtyard buildings were situated on and at the foot of the Satricum acropolis. To the NW, a network of roads, amongst which a "Sacra Via", in combination with a dense urban lay out, has been traced, documenting various phases from the 6th to 4th century BC. Among the more surprising recent discoveries is the presence of three necropoleis dated to the 5th and 4th centuries BC, within the agger of the Archaic city and attributed to the Volscians. A late Republican villa on the acropolis and a Roman villa dating to the 1th century BC in the former urban area testify to the Roman presence in the former Latin settlement.

Participating institutions and scientific members

The Satricum exhibition was made possible by permission of the Italian Ministry of Culture and Tourism in collaboration with the Municipality of Latina, the Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici per il Lazio and the University of Groningen.

Financial support was provided by the University of Amsterdam,  the Municipality of Latina, the Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici per il Lazio, the Royal Netherlands Institute at Rome, the Allard Pierson Museum in Amsterdam, the Nieuwe Kerk Amsterdam, PD Lighting Houten,  Azienda Agricola “Casale del Giglio” and the Association of Friends of Satricum.

Address: Via Nettunense 101, 04100 Le Ferriere.

Opening hours: Tue-We-Fri-Sat-Sun 10.00-13.00; Tue and Sa 15.00-19.00 

Published by  Amsterdam School for Culture and History