In Verona the suggestive exhibition “The World Championships of Italy ’90 and the discovery of the Roman necropolis” from 18 December 2021 to 9 January 2022 Events in Verona
The construction site for the 1990 World Cup brought to light extraordinary archaeological finds. It was one of the most important excavation and recovery campaigns of Verona’s most important materials, and today it is on display. In fact, the exhibition will be inaugurated tomorrow at 16.30 at Porta Palio “The World Championships in Italy ’90 and the discovery of the Roman necropolis”, promoted by the Department of Tourism and Unesco Reports and by the Superintendence of archeology, fine arts and landscape for the provinces of Verona, Rovigo and Vicenza, in collaboration with the Department of Engineering and Architecture of the University of Pavia and with the Mutual Aid Society Porta Palio.
The exhibition celebrates the thirtieth anniversary of the discovery of the Roman necropolis which took place on the occasion of the construction of the Porta Palio underpass, the works in via Albere and the ring road of the Marcantonio Bentegodi stadium for the 1990 World Cup. could also be played in Verona, the mayor Gabriele Sboarina had taken the opportunity to modernize the access road to the stadium. The urban and infrastructural adaptation work led to the discovery of a long stretch of via Postumia antica, coming from the Gavi arch (today’s Corso Cavour, Castelvecchio and stradone Porta Palio). A large necropolis datable between the 1st and 4th century AD was also discovered
The excavations, conducted by the director of the Verona Operational Unit of the Archaeological Superintendency of Veneto, Giuliana Cavalieri Manasse and by the English archaeologist Peter J. Hudson, who worked for the Multiart cooperative, brought to light over 1000 burials, including cremations and inhumations, found between Porta Palio and the first Spiana crossing. And it wants to be an informative but also playful moment, to remember the atmosphere of it years from the fibrillation for the imminent World Cup but also for a great discovery that still took place, before starting work, preventive archeology not carried out.
The exhibition at Porta Palio was set up thanks to a real work team, which involved the Unesco Office of the Municipality, the Superintendency and the University of Pavia, retracing the stages of these archaeological discoveries, remembering the protagonists, telling the story of the excavations through a path on the genesis of that period, experienced shortly after the glories of the Hellas Verona championship victory. Everything will therefore be seen with the eyes of now, with many curiosities related to the many objects recovered during the excavations, which represent the various phases of the Roman funerary ritual.
The Santa Lucia Association will also support the initiative, which has organized two guided visits to the archaeological initiatives of the necropolis via Albere on Sunday 19th and Sunday 9th January, at 2 pm, with an appointment at Parco Postumia in via Albere 112 a. To participate you must write to info @ associazionesantalucia.
Information and contacts
The exhibition will remain with free admission from 18 December to 9 January, every day from 10 to 18, with these exceptions: 24 December, open from 10 to 13; 25 December, from 3 to 6 pm; December 31, from 10 to 13; 1 January closed; January 6th from 3pm to 6pm.
Francesca Toffali, the Superintendent Vincenzo Tiné with the official Brunella Bruno, for the Unesco Office of the Municipality Ettore Napione and the president of the Santa Lucia Igino Mengalli Association.
«The exhibition traces the moments of the greatest archaeological campaign that took place in Verona, on the occasion of the World Cup – said the commissioner Toffali -. It will be possible to retrace the steps to improve liveability and mobility in our neighborhoods. I thank the University of Pavia and the Superintendency for the great research and preparation work that led to this result ».
«The initiative draws attention to a fundamental discovery of the very early 90s – said Tiné -. We are in fact talking about one of the most important excavations of the archeology of funerary practices in Northern Italy. This is thanks to important excavations linked to large public works ».