Riviera Marconi 53 - 45017 Loreo (RO)
Tel. 0426 336811 - Fax 0426 669186
Summary
The Antiquarium was established in 2004 in the civic tower of the municipality of Loreo, with the purpose of promoting the culture and the historical-artistic traditions of Loreo and of the Po Delta by creating a tourist attraction. The most significant part of the collection displays the finds discovered during the excavation carried out between 1981 and 1990 in the country villa of Corte Cavanella by the regional board for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of the Veneto region.
Room I
The first room is provided with panels that explain the history of the area surrounding Loreo; there are three display cases containing the finds of Roman origin discovered in the country dwelling of Corte Cavanella. The large Roman villa was probably located on an elevated “barena” (salt meadows typical of the Lagoon environment), next to a canal that connected it to the sea. Its particular position influenced its building (it was necessary to adopt different building techniques) and the duration of its life, which started in the early 1st cent. A.D. and ended in the early 5th cent. A.D. Its importance basically depends on its specific position, which enabled it to play a strategic role in the trade by sea (or river) and land. The villa can be identified with the Mansio Fossis mentioned in the ancient routes, as a stopping place for travellers going northwards along the via Pompilia. The finds contained in the three display cases mainly consist of cooking pottery (convex-bottom utilitarian ollas of the 2nd cent. A.D.), luxury objects (fragments of bottoms and necks of glass hydriai, worked bone pins and needle), table pottery (north-italic sigillata bowls and plates, thin-walled cups) as well as fittings for the villa (lamps of the “Firmalampen” type).
Room II
The first section of the second room is devoted to boats and inland navigation thanks to the important discovery in Corte Cavanella of two wooden boats of the Roman period. The second section addresses the topic of the human settlement in the area surrounding Loreo in the Middle Ages and then in the Renaissance. At the centre of the room there is a display case containing transport amphoras, again from the Roman settlement in Corte Cavanella, which bear witness to the important role played by the village in the field of trade and production. Next to it, it is possible to see a scale model of the monumental complex and an aerial photograph of the area surrounding Loreo.
Visiting
Admission: Su prenotazione; Ticket: No;
School access
TipologyWhenSpecs
Summer/WinterTuesdayUpon reservation, only in the morning
Summer/WinterSaturdayUpon reservation, all day


Recommended tour time (minutes): 20
Services for visitors
Educational Services
Guide a stampa
Italian
Information boards
Italian
Captions under exhibits
Italian
PC learning points
Guided Tours
Bibliography
Da Mansio Fossis a Portus Laureti a Loreo: 2000 anni di storia del Delta del Po 2004, Porto Viro, pp. 14-27.
Bonetto J. 2009, Veneto (Archeologia delle Regioni d'Italia), Roma, pp. 388.