Antiquarium Statale di Numana

The Numana State Antiquarium brings together finds from the Picene necropolises of ancient Numana, including Attic pottery, Etruscan bronzes and personal ornaments. Its displays include the burial assemblage known as the Tomba della Regina, or Queen's Tomb.

Why it matters

The collections trace the history of Monte Conero and ancient Numana from prehistory through the Picene and Roman periods. Finds from more than two thousand tombs reveal the material culture of the ancient settlement and its exchanges across the Adriatic.

What to notice

The museum's two floors present chronological displays, the Rilli Collection and finds from the Tomba della Regina. Attic pottery and Etruscan objects illustrate connections between local communities and other parts of the ancient Mediterranean.

Context and history

The Tomba della Regina was found in the I Pini necropolis at Sirolo, one of four circular necropolises associated with ancient Numana. Dated to the sixth century BC, the burial contained more than 1,700 objects in three pits, including personal ornaments, a carriage and a two-horse biga, household furnishings, a wine service and the remains of two mules. “Queen” is the traditional name of the burial assemblage, not an identification of a named historical ruler.