Museo archeologico Metauros

Set up in the 18th century Baldari Palace, in the historic centre of Gioia Tauro, it illustrates the history of Métauros, a centre founded by the inhabitants of Zancle (today's Messina) for expansionist-commercial reasons and passed under the influence of the colony of Locri in the 6th century BC.The intense urbanization of Piano delle Fosse, site of the ancient town, did not allow more depth investigations; it was, instead, possible to dig in extension the coastal area that returned the great necropolis of the VII-V century BC. The rich finds attest the close ties of Métauros with the centres of Mylae, Zancle and Rhegion and with sites of the southern Tyrrhenian, as well as documenting trade with the Mediterranean area.The museum route, which occupies the entire ground floor of the building, mainly displays materials from the area of the necropolis excavated in the last century and which also gave significant evidence of indigenous presence in the 7th century BC. Among the artefacts on display are aryballoi, insular production alabaster, Attic varnished pottery and black figures, SOS transport amphorae.A space is reserved for funerary finds from the Roman period (2nd-3rd century AD) when the city began to be inhabited again. Among the exhibited pottery we distinguish very refined glass vases, decorated with applied motifs, which can be imports from the Mediterranean area, confirming the commercial vocation of Métauros even in Roman times.The medieval age is witnessed by ceramic materials from an area located between the remains of the so-called “Norman” square and the city walls, in the northernmost part of Piano delle Fosse.Also, documented pottery datable between the 13th century and the Renaissance age.