Archaeological Collection

The archaeological section, formed starting from an initial numismatic donation in 1875, gathers evidence of civilizations from various geographical origins, ranging from the Neolithic period to the Roman era. The artifacts have diverse origins, including Val d’Ossola, Northern Italy, Rome, Magna Graecia, and Egypt. The pieces were donated by more than 40 benefactors, both local and non-local, among them the Vigezzino Giacomo Pollini: in the late 1800s, he donated several local, Piedmontese, and Lombard artifacts, to which he added the Egyptian ones he collected during a journey in the African continent. Two other important names are remembered: Enrico Bianchetti, who in 1890 donated to the Foundation the artifacts found in the necropolis of Ornavasso, and Felice Mellerio, who contributed to the archaeological collection with the funerary items he discovered in Masera in 1892.