Antiquarium della Motta e Mostra del Fossile

About the museum

The Antiquarium della Motta is housed in the historic Villa Pitotti in Povoletto, and presents the ancient history of the area through archaeological finds, fossils and reconstructions. Its main core is the collection from the excavations of the Motta castle, investigated since 1997 in thirteen excavation campaigns.

The castle stands on a ridge at the confluence of the Torre stream and the Rio Motta, near the hamlet of Savorgnano al Torre. It was built in the early medieval period (8th–9th centuries) and inhabited until the early decades of the 15th century; the last siege, in 1443, led to its abandonment by the feudal lords. In the 13th and 14th centuries it belonged to the Savorgnan family, who made it a strategic point of their power. Since the site was no longer inhabited, the medieval structures have been preserved without later alterations.

The collection illustrates crafts (spinning, weaving, working of bone, glass, stone and metal), daily life, agriculture and hunting. Among the finds are carbonised seeds of cereals and legumes, plates of a knight's armour, among the oldest European finds of the late Middle Ages, and 67 limestone balls for artillery. The Mostra del Fossile also allows visitors to recognise the different geological eras of Friuli Venezia Giulia through trilobites, starfish, ammonites and fossil fish.

Highlights

• Finds from the excavations of the medieval Motta castle (8th–15th centuries)
• Plates of a knight's armour, among the oldest in Europe for the late Middle Ages
• 67 limestone balls for artillery
• Fossil exhibition with trilobites, ammonites and fish
• Self-guided visit with QR code panels

Permanent exhibitions

• Collezione archeologica del castello della Motta – Finds from the excavations of the early medieval and late medieval castle: crafts, daily life, armour and artillery projectiles.
• Mostra del Fossile – Route through the geological eras of Friuli Venezia Giulia, with fossils from the Palaeozoic to the Cenozoic.

Operated by

Comune di Povoletto

Visitors per year

approx. 491

Admission & discounts

Rates shown on the website before closure: admission €3, guided tour €5.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The museum is free of architectural barriers, has a lift and is equipped to welcome people with mobility disabilities. The panels with QR codes offer high-legibility content, in a specially designed typeface.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

Events for families are organised, with a child-friendly visit, a guide dedicated to adults and a final workshop.

Getting there & parking

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

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