Museo Archeologico Provinciale Francesco Ribezzo

The Francesco Ribezzo Archaeological Museum in Brindisi gathers material from the city and its surrounding territory. Inscriptions, pottery and underwater finds trace cultural connections extending across the ancient Mediterranean and into the medieval period.

Why it matters

The museum places Brindisi's harbour history within a broader archaeological setting. Finds from settlements, burials and the sea reveal different aspects of a territory shaped by exchange and movement.

What to notice

Messapian trozzelle and painted Attic and Italiote pottery represent distinct ceramic traditions. Greek, Latin and Hebrew inscriptions add evidence for different communities and periods. The bronze statue fragments recovered at Punta del Serrone in 1992 are a particularly important group, alongside amphorae and other material associated with maritime activity.

Context and history

The civic collection originated in 1884 through donations and local discoveries. Its later institutional development brought it to the building by the cathedral, with the museum opening there in 1958. It is named for the linguist and epigraphist Francesco Ribezzo. The recovery of the Punta del Serrone bronzes greatly enriched the collections and prompted further study of their origins and history.