Roman Domus - House of the Child on the Dolphin
Address: Via Cesare Battisti, 15 Lucca
phone: 0583 050060
E-MAIL: info@domusromanalucca.it
website: domusromanalucca.it
accessibility: The museum is located in the cellar of a listed building. Access is via an iron staircase.
entrance: a paid ticket is required
winter timeFriday, Saturday, Sunday 10.30am – 13.00pm and 15.00pm – 17.30pm
The Domus Romana – house of the boy on the dolphin, adheres to Visit Card Lucca the cumulative ticket that allows access to the main places of cultural interest and attractions of the city
The Superintendency for Cultural Heritage of Tuscany considers the site an important archaeological site, of considerable interest in completing the historical reconstruction of the city. In a single space, it is possible to discover the evolution of construction techniques over 2000 years. Relics and structures dating from the XNUMXst century BC to the Middle Ages and Renaissance are visible, embellished with original friezes and objects.
A terracotta jar containing a fibula from the Augustan era has been brought to light: a typical scene of a propitiatory rite to invoke protection and prosperity.
A sestertius issued by the emperor Tiberius in 14 AD in honor of his adoptive father Augustus was recovered in the same room.
Among the most significant findings emerged the fragments of a terracotta frieze which decorated the portico's atrium. Through comparison with examples found in Rome, it was possible to reconstruct the decorative motif: two cherubs who ride dolphins with a victorious attitude towards the head of a Gorgon. Metaphorically, the frieze, from which the Domus takes its name, represents "the triumph of good over evil".
In classical mythology, in fact, dolphins are divine creatures that they protect men and ferry the souls of mortals to the afterlife, while the Gorgon represents evil and the cherubs are the angelic expression of good.
Beginning in September 2019, the 92 artifacts from the Roman, Lombard, Medieval, and Renaissance periods discovered during excavations and temporarily conserved at the Superintendency have been recontextualized and displayed, according to proper museum design guidelines, in the places where they were discovered during excavation work conducted in 2010. Household, personal, and architectural objects, as well as parts of animal skeletons dating back over 2000 years, will once again be accessible to the public and will help shed light on the city's history.
The Taste of History
In an exclusive and welcoming setting, the Roman domus offers the opportunity to learn about Lucca's history and experience truly unique moments. Among Roman walls and Renaissance vaults, amphorae and jewelry, themed film screenings, and shopping at the Vetrina Antica, you can relive the city's fascinating history and savor the delicacies of its culture.