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The magic of amber in Naples
Exhibition showcases timeless charm of stone
By
“Transparent and warm, amber is a precious material that throughout history denoted status and was used to exalt the magnificence, opulence and power of ruling classes: even today, it is used not only in jewellery but also in the creation of precious objects that showcase the taste and status of the people who wear them.”
According to Maria Luisa Nava, Superintendent of the Archaeological Patrimony for the provinces of Naples and Caserta, this is one of the reasons behind the timeless charm of amber, the subject of the exhibition entitled Ambre. Trasparenze dall’antico (“Ambers. Transparency from Antiquity”), now open at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples. This original exhibition tackles “a fascinating subject about a material that ancient people always credited with magical, therapeutic properties,” explained Nava; “it was an important material that marked some fundamental moments in history, as its trade made contacts among Baltic, Central European and Mediterranean populations easier. In short, civilization followed the way of amber.”
This subject had never before been covered so extensively, with a complete overview of the role and history of amber from the Bronze Age to the present, on display in an exhibition made possible by no fewer than 32 different institutions, including the British Museum that lent several specimens that had never before left Great Britain.
The pieces lent by the Superintendence of Naples and Caserta had also never been displayed before, “because the Archaeological Museum assembled its permanent exhibition choosing pieces of greater visual impact, e.g. statues, mosaics and frescoes. From this standpoint, this exhibition is an important opportunity to show visitors a ‘minor’ collection of great beauty.” The exhibition, displaying close to 1,000 items dating from the Bronze Age to the High Middle Ages, illustrates the mining, working and diffusion of this fossil resin, grouping along the presentation path the main findings of amber objects (necklaces, fibulas, pendants, statuettes, etc.) in Italy, listing main characteristics, artistic traits, working techniques, trade routes, and the economic, social and ritual mechanisms behind the widespread diffusion of this material. The exhibition presents both unique, exceptional art pieces and their contexts: different archaeological contexts are ordered on a chronological as well as cultural basis, and each section is introduced by the classical myths linked to the origin and discovery of the items.
There are five sections: The Metamorphosis of the Heliades, where the story of Phaeton will be used as the springboard for an analysis of the characteristics, deposits and diffusion of amber; Between Faraway Worlds (2200-900 BCE), a presentation on the earliest findings in Italy, the diffusion of amber during the Bronze Age, the trading routes between the Baltic and Mediterranean areas and the main production centres; Gods, Women and Beasts (900-200 BCE) on the diffusion of amber in Pre-Roman Italy; The Joys of Matrons (2nd c. BCE-4th c. CE), with items of luxury and status from the necropolis of Pompeii, Rome, Aquileia, Nola and Pozzuoli; and Among the Lords of Swords (High Middle Ages).
Publication Date: 2007-04-29
Story Location: http://www.tandemnews.com/viewstory.php?storyid=7240
See full article here, with a pic.
http://www.corrieretandem.com/viewstory.php?storyid=7240
kenb
The magic of amber in Naples
Exhibition showcases timeless charm of stone
By
“Transparent and warm, amber is a precious material that throughout history denoted status and was used to exalt the magnificence, opulence and power of ruling classes: even today, it is used not only in jewellery but also in the creation of precious objects that showcase the taste and status of the people who wear them.”
According to Maria Luisa Nava, Superintendent of the Archaeological Patrimony for the provinces of Naples and Caserta, this is one of the reasons behind the timeless charm of amber, the subject of the exhibition entitled Ambre. Trasparenze dall’antico (“Ambers. Transparency from Antiquity”), now open at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples. This original exhibition tackles “a fascinating subject about a material that ancient people always credited with magical, therapeutic properties,” explained Nava; “it was an important material that marked some fundamental moments in history, as its trade made contacts among Baltic, Central European and Mediterranean populations easier. In short, civilization followed the way of amber.”
This subject had never before been covered so extensively, with a complete overview of the role and history of amber from the Bronze Age to the present, on display in an exhibition made possible by no fewer than 32 different institutions, including the British Museum that lent several specimens that had never before left Great Britain.
The pieces lent by the Superintendence of Naples and Caserta had also never been displayed before, “because the Archaeological Museum assembled its permanent exhibition choosing pieces of greater visual impact, e.g. statues, mosaics and frescoes. From this standpoint, this exhibition is an important opportunity to show visitors a ‘minor’ collection of great beauty.” The exhibition, displaying close to 1,000 items dating from the Bronze Age to the High Middle Ages, illustrates the mining, working and diffusion of this fossil resin, grouping along the presentation path the main findings of amber objects (necklaces, fibulas, pendants, statuettes, etc.) in Italy, listing main characteristics, artistic traits, working techniques, trade routes, and the economic, social and ritual mechanisms behind the widespread diffusion of this material. The exhibition presents both unique, exceptional art pieces and their contexts: different archaeological contexts are ordered on a chronological as well as cultural basis, and each section is introduced by the classical myths linked to the origin and discovery of the items.
There are five sections: The Metamorphosis of the Heliades, where the story of Phaeton will be used as the springboard for an analysis of the characteristics, deposits and diffusion of amber; Between Faraway Worlds (2200-900 BCE), a presentation on the earliest findings in Italy, the diffusion of amber during the Bronze Age, the trading routes between the Baltic and Mediterranean areas and the main production centres; Gods, Women and Beasts (900-200 BCE) on the diffusion of amber in Pre-Roman Italy; The Joys of Matrons (2nd c. BCE-4th c. CE), with items of luxury and status from the necropolis of Pompeii, Rome, Aquileia, Nola and Pozzuoli; and Among the Lords of Swords (High Middle Ages).
Publication Date: 2007-04-29
Story Location: http://www.tandemnews.com/viewstory.php?storyid=7240
See full article here, with a pic.
http://www.corrieretandem.com/viewstory.php?storyid=7240
kenb
