Opening tomorrow, 10/20: Ancient Mediterranean Cultures in Contact.
This new exhibition tells the story of how things, people, and ideas moved across the Mediterranean from about 500 BC to 500 AD. And cultural interaction hasn't stopped—we experience similar connections, conflicts, and changes today. Explore these stories of #CulturesInContact, past and present, through over 100 objects from our collection.
Many ornate objects, such as this bronze bathtub, carry a hidden story of servitude. As the Roman Empire expanded, slaves from conquered regions were brought to Italy. In Ancient Rome, only the wealthy could afford private baths. Servants would have carried the water to fill tubs like this, though probably were never allowed to actually use it. This bathtub was excavated at Boscoreale, a villa near Pompeii.
#Mediterranean #history #FieldMuseum #anthropology #NaturalHistory #museum #collections #Pompeii #AncientRome