Etruria and Rome

Etruscan objects such as pottery vessels, bronze figurines and sculpture are on display in the Etruscan Cabinet. The Allard Pierson's Etruscan collection reflects an aspect of the culture of the Etruscans. They held banquets with wine and music in honour of a deceased person. Afterwards, they left the pottery in the grave. The presentation in the museum is inspired by an Etruscan tomb. Many objects were donated to the museum at the end of the previous century and early this century. The archaeological provenance of many objects is often unknown. These objects are currently being researched.

The Roman collection features mainly objects from the imperial period from 27 BC to 476 AD. The objects come from all over the Roman Empire, from England to North Africa and from Rome far into the eastern Mediterranean. Many objects originate from Roman Egypt. They include utensils such as oil lamps, jugs and dishes made of pottery and glass and coins. There is a large collection of pottery from North Africa. The collection of portrait heads is typical of Roman sculpture from the late Republican and imperial periods. An impressive item is the large marble sarcophagus depicting the god Dionysus.

Etruria

• Biconical cinerary urns with a characteristic double conical or cone shape. APM11000
• Canopic or cinerary urn from the late 7th century BC with a lid in the shape of a stylised head. APM11734
• Black shiny pottery known as Bucchero from the 7th and 6th centuries BC APM03503, APM02858, APM0625
• Bronze pottery such as this bronze kantharos. APM10859
• Many cinerary urns from the second century BC originate from Volterra APM01438

Rome

• Dionysus sarcophagus APM10854
• Flavian lady APM17670
• Glass jug made in the Rhineland APM00484
• Venus Genetrix APM09239
• Emperor Tiberius APM08355
• Oil lamps APM08596, APM08387, APM12533
• Pottery from North Africa APM12378, APM10167

All objects from the Etruria and Rome collections can be found via the online Catalogue. Some of the objects can be found via the Image Bank. More details on the background, content, acquisition and provenance of specific objects can be found in ArchivesSpace.

The Reading Room's Reference Library contains journals, reference works, bibliographies and printed catalogues on Etruria and Rome and objects in the collection. If you are unable to request materials or have another question, please use the contact form.

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• Rogier Kalkers
  Interim curator Etruscan and Roman collections.
  E-mail: r.a.a.kalkers@uva.nl