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Museums and Libraries
On another free standing display
is a painting on a slate tablet of difficult identification in the
dating as well as its origins. The delicatepainting is of the muse
Polimnia which was thought to be of the classical era. Critics are
more convinced that it is a work of th eighteeenth century.
In the sucessive displays a series of
small bronzes. The bronzes of Etruscan, Italic and Roman origins
represent a broad range of the expressions of this antique craft.
Most of them were poured bronzes which were then finished when they
were cooled with files or a burin. Others were made from sheets
of bronze of different thicknesses. Most of them were votive offerings
dedicated to the divinities who were venerated in the sanctuaries
and took the form of the god or the offerent, or the animal that
was being presented to the divinity. There production satrts from
the sixth century and continues with variations until the Roman
age. Among these are two statuettes which were uncovered in Cortona
in 1847, which are of particular interest. As is indicated in the
inscriptions found on both pieces, they were votives offerred to
a certain Vel Quizio the son of Arnut. The first statuette represents
the god Culsans with two faces, the other the god Selvans has his
head covered with an animal skin. On the bronze base the name of
the city is leggible, Curton.
 From
the Hall of the Biscione, crossing the open air corridor which presents
an incomparable wiew of the domes, rooftops and the Valdichiana,
one enters Sala XII (Hall 12) where Etruscan, Greek and Italic ceramics,
are kept along with funerary urns and other valuable examples of
Etruscan statuary, most of which come from the collection of Onofrio
Baldelli. On the walls between the two windows the top row of five
urns come from Volterra and were donated by monsignor Mario Guarnacci,
who was lucomone (president) of the Academy from 1770 to 1771.
In the next hall, Sala XI (Hall 11), there
are for the most parts objects tied to daily use from the Etruscan
to the Roman age. On the walls are dedication inscriptions and funerary
plaques almost all from the Roman period from a variety of places.
In Sala X (Hall 10) one should admire a collection
of gemstones and goldwork displayed in two cases against the walls
and in the following Sala IX (Hall 9) the collection of coins and
medals from various epochs.
The Archeological collection continues on
the upper floor where in the Sala XIII (Hall 13), in Sala XIV (Hall
14), and Sala XV (Hall 15) the Etruscan artifacts from the excavations
of the Meloni del Sodo (Etruscan tombs called "melon"
by the Cortonese because of there round covering) are on display.
The Egyptian Collection
The Egyptian collection is kept in its entirety in Sala III (Hall
3) and was donated by monsignor Guido Corbelli, a member of the
Academy. Corbelli's portrait can be found on th eupper part of the
right side wall, he was delegated the duty of apostolic in Egypt
from 1891 to 1896. It is the most important among minor Italian
collections and is vast enough to give a documented idea of the
Egyptian society. Of particular importance is a small funerary boat
with figures. It may be the only one in Italy and has been placed
in the Middle Reign and datable to about 2060 to 1785 before Christ.
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