Sovana Museum Complex

This museum complex includes three of the most representative historical buildings of the town of Sovana, all of which face the principal square: the San Mamiliano Museum, the Palazzo Pretorio, and the Palazzetto dell’Archivio.

The San Mamiliano Museum was inaugurated in 2012 after significant renovations were made to transform the church of San Mamiliano into a museum structure. Several archeological investigations were undertaken which led to the discovery of a thermal installation dating back to Roman times, the crypt and the many medieval and Renaissance tombs, and above all an extraordinary monetary treasure belonging to the Late Ancient period, consisting of 498 gold coins traceable to the V Century BC. After these findings, the museum was set up in the former church, making an important part of the excavation visible to the public, and the archeological items which pointed to the Roman phase of the city were exposed along with the coin treasure.

The «treasure trove» is of solid gold and represents an extraordinary finding, partly due to the great number of coins found, as well as to the number of emperors who are represented on them, and above all because it’s the only archeological piece of evidence which can be traced to Late Ancient times in Sovana.

In addition to the coins, the museum showcases valuable ceramic items which are evidence of local craftsmanship of terracotta in Sovana. A great number of ex-voto items, from a votive deposit discovered in 1827 in the sacred area, are displayed at the entrance to the via cava known as Il Cavone. There’s also evidence of architectural coroplastics in Sovana. A display of the Museum showcases some architectural terracotta decorations of an urban building, perhaps a cultural building of unknown location.

Sovana Museum Complex