Museo nazionale della Siritide, Archaeological museum in Policoro, Italy
The Museo nazionale della Siritide is a national archaeological museum in Policoro, in southern Italy, holding finds from the ancient Greek settlements of Siris and Herakleia. The collection spans from the Neolithic period to Roman times and covers ceramics, burial goods, and metal objects from the surrounding area.
Siris and Herakleia were founded as part of Greek expansion into southern Italy and became two of the most active cities in the region for several centuries. When Rome extended its control southward, these settlements gradually declined but left behind a dense layer of finds now housed in the museum.
The museum displays red-figure vases showing scenes from Greek mythology alongside gold jewelry and amber objects brought from distant regions. These finds show how open and connected the ancient communities along the Gulf of Taranto were.
The museum sits in the center of Policoro and is easy to reach on foot from the main part of town. The rooms are laid out in a clear order, so you can move through the displays at your own pace without needing a guide.
Among the burial finds is the tomb of the so-called Policoro Painter, dating to the 5th century BCE, a person who appears to have been directly connected to vase production. The vessels found inside are considered among the finest examples of early Apulian pottery known today.
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