Museum of Geological and Archaeological Sciences

The collection

The Museum of Geological and Archaeological Sciences of the island of Pianosa is located in a site which was previously part of the island’s prison. The structure is characterised by two series of rooms, in some cases connecting, which open out onto a long corridor. In addition to four exhibition rooms, there are four further rooms dedicated to educational and recreational activities: a laboratory, a library/reading room, a microscope room and a conference room with 40 seats.

The first room is called “Forbidden not to touch” and contains specimens of minerals which are found on Pianosa, allowing visitors to connect and interact directly with the exhibits. From this room it is possible to go directly to the second room, which is dedicated to the geology of the island, its palaeogeographical evolution and paleo-environmental reconstructions based on deer skeletons found on the island. The archaeological section is also organised in chronological order, starting from the prehistoric exhibits, and includes the reconstruction of a domestic oven dating from the ancient Neolithic period.

The next section is devoted to the Romans, containing objects excavated on the island, in particular from the Villa di Agrippa and Villa San Giovanni, and recovered from the sea, such as amphorae exhibited on sand to recreate how they were found. The exhibition ends with the reconstruction of a Roman burial containing a “Charon’s Obol,” found during an excavation. This practice involved placing a coin or “Obol” in the mouth of the dead person so that they would be able to pay Charon, the ferryman, to transport their soul across the river to the world of the dead. There is also a reconstruction of a medieval burial, since San Giovanni was partially used as a cemetery until the 18th century. The 4th – 6th century Catacombs, another major attraction on the island, have not yielded any finds for display, but are represented in an information panel.