Tra scienza e coscienza collettiva. La comunicazione dei materiali archeologici nelle guide di Roma e Firenze dal XVI al XIX secolo
In: Bullettino della Commissione Archeologica Comunale di Roma: 118, 2018
DOI: 10.1400/267714
This paper focuses on the dynamics of development of descriptive models of archaeological materials in the guidebooks of Rome and Florence from the Sixteenth to the Nineteenth centuries. The informative character of those guidebooks and their wide accessibility make it a privileged point of observation for examining the evolution of the conceptual paradigms relating to the common reception of Cultural Heritage. In particular, the paper analyzes the relationships between the exhibition contexts of the materials and their description in scientific and popular communication. The Roman model, essentially depending on sculptural material, was later joined by a Florentine model, more open to new classes of materials, which contributes to the enlargement of the concept of archaeological object in the common perception. The study of the relationship between the setting up of museums and the standards of the descriptions leads to a reflection on the function and role of exhibitions and museums in contemporary societies too.