Medioevo svelato: archaeological finds from Emilia-Romagna on display in Bologna

The Museo Civico Medievale in Bologna hosts 'Medioevo svelato', an exhibition presenting 40 years of archaeological research from Piacenza to Comacchio, covering sites from Late Antiquity to the late Middle Ages. Curated to highlight transformations of the Roman city, the collapse of ancient villas, the arrival of new peoples, the role of early medieval emporia, the reorganization of churches and monasteries, and the rebirth of cities after 1000 AD followed by their decline in the 14th century due to the Black Death, the show avoids a topographical order, instead reconstructing ideal archaeological contexts. Many previously unpublished artifacts from regional museums and deposits are featured, including maiolica basins from the church of San Giacomo in Bologna, silver plates from Cesena depicting a banquet scene, Gothic fibulae, the treasure of Reggio Emilia, and an elegant cameo brooch from Spilamberto. However, the sparse, essential layout with minimal explanatory materials makes the exhibition more suited to specialists than the general public.