Six museums from Andalusia have collaborated to lend over 40 archaeological pieces for the upcoming exhibition 'In the shadow of Vulcan. Roman bronze in Hispania', organised by the National Museum of Roman Art in Mérida, marking the museum's 40th anniversary. The exhibition will be open to the public from 20 November 2026 until 31 March 2027.
The lending institutions include five museums under the Ministry of Culture, Historical Heritage and Sport of the Junta de Andalucía: the Museum of Cádiz, the Archaeological Museum of Seville, the Archaeological Museum of Córdoba, the Museum of Huelva, and the Archaeological Museum of Granada, along with the Municipal Archaeological Museum of Jerez.
Patricia del Pozo, the Minister of Culture, Historical Heritage and Sport, announced that the six museums have provided significant pieces for the exhibition, including the renowned Carriazo Bronze from the Archaeological Museum of Seville, the Apollinean Youth from Pedro Abad, restored by the IAPH and held by the Archaeological Museum of Córdoba, and various artefacts from the Museum of Huelva, Museum of Cádiz, and Museum of Granada.
The exhibition will also feature other valuable items, such as a collection of 40 coins from the treasure discovered in the olive grove of Zaudín in Tomares, and the bronze tablets of the Lex Irnitana, which contain the most complete known Roman municipal regulations, both from the Archaeological Museum of Seville. Additional pieces include a Roman thoracata statue from the Museum of Cádiz, a dancing youth from the Roman villa of El Ruedo in Almedinilla from the Archaeological Museum of Córdoba, and four swords from the Museum of Huelva.
Del Pozo highlighted the significance of this loan, stating, "This is a highly relevant loan that will showcase the immense wealth and uniqueness of Andalusian collections, spanning both Tartessian and Hispano-Roman periods, once again demonstrating the variety of our records." She noted that this temporary loan is likely the most important for the exhibition, encompassing a wide range of items, including coins, weapons, luxury objects, tools, ingots, vessels, and even valuable legislative tablets.
The Minister emphasised the importance of collaboration with nationally and internationally recognised museum institutions like the National Museum of Roman Art in Mérida, which is essential for advancing the understanding of history. She remarked that the interest generated by Andalusian museum collections among researchers and museum directors serves as an excellent gauge of the quality of their holdings and the conservation and dissemination efforts of their specialists.
The Museum of Cádiz will lend four pieces, including the Hercules of Cádiz statuette, a bronze lamp, the thoracata statue, and a lead ingot. The Archaeological Museum of Seville will contribute ten works, including the 40 coins from the Tomares Treasure, the Carriazo Bronze, and various other significant artefacts. The Archaeological Museum of Córdoba will provide 18 pieces, while the Museum of Huelva will showcase 14 items, and the Archaeological Museum of Granada will exhibit three pieces. The Municipal Archaeological Museum of Jerez will display a Greek bronze helmet and a bronze sculpture of Juno.
The exhibition 'In the shadow of Vulcan. Roman bronze in Hispania' aims to highlight the importance of bronze in Roman society, both for its artistic value and practical applications. With a total of around 400 pieces on display, the exhibition will cover a timeline from pre-Roman times to the late antiquity, offering insights into the bronze production of ancient Hispania. It seeks to update knowledge and perspectives from the previous exhibition 'Roman Bronzes in Spain', held at the Palacio de Velázquez in Madrid's Retiro Park in 1990.
