Gemme romane in Italia settentrionale. Collezioni, studi, rinvenimenti: una ricognizione

Abstract

In Northern Italy, numerous «historic» collections are known, gathered by XVIth-XIXth century collectors: they hold antique or «after the antique» gems bought in various places; they have a high cultural value but porvide no indication of their origin. Conversely, the museums of Aquilea, Altino, Concordia and Luni preserve gen collections, all coming from ther places where they are preserved. The study of the gems along with the excavation data is now revealing itself most interesting, whether the gems come from urban sites, necropolises or shrines. One particular case can be put forward: the abundance of gems in the necropolises located alongside the major arterial roads of the Alpine passes, as in the Verbano Tessino, the Valley of Ossola, the Valley of Aosta, the Grand Saint Bernard pass and the Adige Valley.

Keywords

• Roman glyptics
• gems
• Northern Italy
• trade