Wednesday 29 December 2021

Crustumerium and returns to Italy


It appears that some of the objects that have been returned to Italy from Fordham University may have been removed from the cemeteries around Crustumerium in Latium. The city lies 15 km to the east of Veii in Etruria. Richard de Puma has discussed the production of White on Red pottery from Crustumerium, based on the research of Marina Micozzi. He draws specific parallels ("close similarities to some of the pieces excavated at Crustumerium", p. 99) with several pieces once in the Fordham University collection: for example, two lidded pyxides (inv. 70.038; cat. no. 43; 7.040; cat. no. 44). He then turns to the olla with four attached bowls: there are two examples that were once in Fordham, one decorated in the white on red style (inv. 2007.1.3–4 [2.002–003]; cat. nos. 45–46). De Puma notes that "details of fabric, style, and technique ... suggest that the place of manufacture may have been Crustumerium" (under no. 46). All four are reported to have been purchased from Harmer Rooke Numismatics or Harmer Rooke Numismatists. In addition, de Puma notes that the two pieces with the four attached bowls were reported by the vendor to have been found together "at the border of Etruscan, Faliscan and Latin territories"; this locality suggests Crustumerium.

The pyxides and one olla are placed in "northern Latium" by de Puma who wrote the catalogue entries for Fordham. 

The Fordham return is reported to be linked to material associated with Edoardo Almagià [Manhattan DA press release]

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