Museo Archeologico 'F. Ferrari'

The Archaeological Museum F. Ferrari in Guardiagrele presents finds from the Comino necropolis alongside the archive of don Filippo Ferrari, whose early excavations and 1913 account helped bring the site to wider attention. Opened as a temporary exhibition in 1999, it later became a permanent museum across six rooms.

Why it matters

The museum follows burials from the 9th century BC through the Hellenistic period. It also preserves Ferrari's photographs, notes, drawings and manuscript, linking the archaeological finds to the history of their study.

What to notice

A full-scale reconstruction of Tomba 38 occupies the floor of one room; the original grave goods are held at the National Archaeological Museum Villa Frigerj in Chieti. Another room displays a stone copy of the stele of Guardiagrele, found in the Comino area in the 1960s. Other cases present grave goods from different periods, including bronze and glass-paste jewellery, painted vessels, black-glaze pottery and equipment from elite burials.

Context and history

Don Filippo Ferrari, a parish priest, excavated at Comino in the early 20th century and documented the collection in a book published in 1913. The Archeoclub of Guardiagrele resumed excavations between 1998 and 2005. Finds from those campaigns contributed to the museum's displays, which combine archaeological material with Ferrari's research archive.