Palazzo Panitteri

The exhibition route provides a detailed overview of the ancient and primordial Greek-Punic village of Adrànon, starting from the 8th century BC. It is divided into two sections: one dedicated to the residential, cultic, and public contexts of the site (Section A) and the other to its Necropolis (Section B). The introductory hall presents the topographical and historical-archeological context of the site. In Hall 1, "Fortifications and Acropolis," materials from excavations along the city walls and those found on the summit plateau— the Acropolis— are displayed. Ceramic fragments and artifacts illustrate the phases of the indigenous settlement (7th century BC–mid-6th century BC), the Greek city (mid-6th century BC–end of the 5th century BC), the Punic reconstruction of the 4th century BC (e.g., the Egyptian-style cornice from the Temple on the Acropolis), and the Roman siege of the early 3rd century BC (e.g., stone projectiles from the Acropolis). Subsequent rooms (Rooms 2-3) focus on the “residential contexts,” featuring artifacts from public and cultic structures found in the I and II terraces to the west, beneath the Acropolis, dating between the 4th and early 3rd century BC. Specifically, Room 2 showcases materials from a complex (Block V) likely used for public purposes—possibly a Prytaneion (a building in ancient Greece where the sacred fire was kept, common sacrifices were made, and ambassadors and distinguished citizens were entertained). Domestic utensils, votive and ritual objects reveal daily and religious life. Religious practices extended beyond the actual sanctuaries to private and domestic forms, as evidenced by some household items (louteria, arule, terracotta figurines) from rooms in Blocks I and III of Terrace I. A selection of coin finds in Room 2 highlights the economic significance of the center and the extent of Punic influence. Room 3 is dedicated to religious life in sanctuaries, such as the so-called Punic Temple on Terrace II. Room 4, dedicated to the "Central Sector," continues with displays of materials from private residences and public buildings. This is followed by Room 5, which features materials from the “Farmstead” artisan complex and the Sanctuary dedicated to the Chthonic Deities (generally female deities related to underground cults and personifications of seismic or volcanic forces). This first part of the museum journey concludes in Room 6, focusing on architectural elements uncovered at the site. The right wing of the museum complex is dedicated to the Necropolis: Rooms 7 and 8 contain burial goods from the 6th and 5th centuries BC, while Room 9 displays items from the 4th-3rd centuries BC and offers ethnographic and anthropological insights. The display design in these rooms, which includes vitrines created by architect Franco Minissi, is based on a conservation-restoration approach. The vitrines, made of iron, brass, and glass, follow museographic criteria developed by Minissi from the 1950s, aiming to contain, protect, exhibit, and enhance the historical monuments with utmost respect. The result is a museum within a museum, where the value of the artifacts is highlighted as works of art. The museum route, enriched with visual stimuli and topographical references, maintains a constant dialogue with the Monte Adranone archaeological site and ideally concludes with a visit itinerary extending to the archaeological area on the mountain summit connected to the museum: a unique journey that combines landscape, archaeology, and anthropology. It offers a majestic landscape that remains intact in its identity, integrating nature and human traces.