Pievefavera Antiquarium (Caldarola)

The history of the Pievefavera Antiquarium (Antiquarium di Pievefavera)

The Antiquarium was created in the mid-1990s in the southeast tower of the castle of Pievefavera. Its purpose was to display and safely store finds, some of which had already been placed on the churchyard. On April 24, 2008 the current site was inaugurated, in rooms facing the area of the villa rustica excavated on the lakeshore, brought to light in 2004.

The site remained closed for a long time for works. The new display, curated by the Soprintendenza (the state heritage authority), was presented on 5 and April 6, 2025.

What to see at the Pievefavera Antiquarium

The finds are arranged by class of material, in chronological order. The first display case holds black-gloss pottery bowls, some with graffiti inscriptions. Six fragments bear the same name, Stn. Rutilio(s) Somios. Based on the type of writing, the inscriptions are dated to the end of the 3rd century BC and are the oldest written documents in the region.

Next come Italian terra sigillata, oil lamps, thin-walled and common pottery, metals and glass. Then there is a small coin collection with two Punic coins. The last display case presents a selection of finds from the villa rustica. Among the other pieces are a cappuccina tomb (a grave covered with gabled tiles), a fragment of a funerary stele with door decoration and a dolium (a large storage jar).

Part of the collection, the lapidarium, remains in the polygonal tower of the walls of Pievefavera, near the Church of Santa Maria Assunta. It holds early medieval architectural and furnishing elements.

How to visit the Pievefavera Antiquarium

After the 2025 opening days, opening days and arrangements should be checked with the Comune di Caldarola. The visit combines the museum with the excavations of the Roman villa. It is best to check availability in advance: contact details are in the box on this page.

Where the Pievefavera Antiquarium is located

The Antiquarium is in the hamlet of Pievefavera, in the municipality of Caldarola, on the southern shore of Lago di Caccamo, also called Lago di Borgiano. The medieval village is at about 411 m above sea level and overlooks the lake.

Around the Pievefavera Antiquarium

The castle of Pievefavera has kept its circuit of walls almost intact, with three curtain walls and four towers, and holds the parish church with a Romanesque portal. Olive-covered hills slope down toward the lake. Around Caldarola also stand the castles of Vestignano, Croce and Valcimarra. In the town is the Museum of Peasant Art (museum of rural life). More suggestions are on the page on the museums of the Sibillini Mountains.