Artifacts in Verona «Undressed» the museum
The Civic Archaeological Museum of Cologna Veneta
The Civic Archaeological Museum of Cologna Veneta
It acquires the official name of the Museum, but loses the most valuable pieces it contained. A new era begins for the Archaeological Civic Museum of Cologne. An era marked by modernity, yet an orphan of some protohistoric testimonies that had made the Colognese collection unique in Northern Italy. Within a couple of weeks, the Superintendence of Archaeological Heritage of Veneto recovered, and transferred to Verona for cleaning and restoration, about fifteen pieces preserved in the display cases of the former Monte di Pietà. Three truly surprising and original pieces were taken away from Cologne to become part of the exhibition of the great National Archaeological Museum being completed at the former Habsburg barracks San Tomaso: the two bronze foil greaves, decorated with birds. aquatic, found in Caneviera di Albaredo, a bronze belt plaque, adorned with spirals and symbols of the sun wheel, found in Tombazosana di Ronco, a clay bottle in the shape of a foot from the so-called tomb of the child, excavated in the necropolis of Desmontà . In addition to these finds, Cologna sold bronze fibulae, torques (choker) and bronze bracelets, a halberd and dagger blades, as well as flint filaments and elements to Verona. A loss of enough material for the city which, however, the municipal administration does not consider an impoverishment of the colognese museum offer. “Obviously, we were sorry to see our valuable finds leave, but finally our Museum has been recognized at the regional level, after a lot of work”, reports the Councilor for Culture Francesca Avella. “We must remember that the finds are state-owned, therefore, even if we could have opposed it,” explains Avella. The mayor of Legnago Graziano Lorenzetti has a different opinion, who has put his foot down in order not to lose the “family jewels” of the Environmental Center. “We have to be honest and consider what objects our Museum can host the public”, explains the mayor of Cologna Manuel Scalzotto. «It is an environment aimed mostly at school groups and small groups of enthusiasts, it does not have a large influx of visitors. The didactic and informative function will remain, thanks to the faithful reproductions of the finds transferred to Verona ». For Scalzotto, therefore, “the departure of the finds will not bring any damage to Cologne, on the contrary, interest in our town will grow”. As a counterpart, the Municipality asked the Superintendency not only to send photographs and reproductions to make perfect copies of the pieces to be put back into the techniques for educational use, but also to participate in the renewal of the Museum itself. «By now», Avella observes, «we need greater interaction, multimedia, the ability to draw even people with physical or cognitive difficulties».