Numantine Museum of Soria facts for kids
| Museo Numantino de Soria | |
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| Established | 1919 |
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| Location | Soria, Spain |
| Visitors | 330.030 (2009) |
The Numantine Museum of Soria is a cool place in Soria, Spain. It shows off the amazing prehistory and history of the province of Soria. You can see ancient art and archaeological finds here.
The museum gets its name from Numantia. This was a very famous ancient hill fort in Spain. It's just a few kilometers from Soria. The museum is also a main hub for smaller museums in the area. One example is the Museo Paleontológico de Ambrona.
You'll find many items from Numantia at the museum. However, it doesn't focus much on the siege by the Romans. That big event is remembered more at the actual Numantia site. The museum also has items from other Iron Age towns. These include Tiermes and Uxama. These displays add to what you can see at the smaller museums at those sites.
Contents
Discovering the Museum's History
The Numantine Museum of Soria was created in 1919. It was formed by joining two older museums in Soria. One was the Provincial Museum, which opened in 1913. The other was the Museo Numantino. This second museum grew from studies of the ancient site of Numantia. These studies became very important between 1906 and 1923.
The museum building was designed by Manuel Aníbal Álvarez. Ramón Benito Aceña paid for its construction. The local Council gave the land for free. King Alfonso XIII officially opened the museum on September 18, 1919.
In 1932, the Provincial Museum changed its name. It became the Museo Celtibérico. In 1941, the two museums officially joined together. But they still worked somewhat separately until 1968. Over time, the combined museum had different names. It was called Museo Provincial de Soria, then Museo de Soria, and finally Museo Numantino. In 1989, the museum had a big makeover. Its exhibition space grew to 7,000 square meters.
Exploring the Museum Building
The original museum building had one floor. It had three sections that created two courtyards. These sections are still there today. However, in the 1980s, the main part of the building was made taller. It now has three floors.
The museum is set up to follow history in order. Your visit starts with the Lower Paleolithic period. From the Bronze Age, you can see cool weapons and gravestones. The Iron Age section has ceramic pots from castros, which are hill forts.
From the Celtiberian period, there are pottery pieces, brooches, and tools. These come from Numantia, Uxama, Tiermes, and other places in the province. The Roman period section shows items found in villages and cemeteries. The museum also covers the Middle Ages. Here you can see old building parts, pottery, and coins.
Making the Museum Accessible
The museum is designed so that everyone can enjoy it. The path through the museum is easy for blind and partially sighted people. Some pieces and copies of items can be touched. This helps visitors experience the exhibits in a different way.
What You Can See: Museum Collections
Stone Age Discoveries
There aren't many human remains from the Stone Age in Soria. But there are amazing bones of a huge ancient elephant. This elephant, called Palaeoloxodon antiquus, lived about 400,000 years ago. Its remains were found at the Torralba and Ambrona sites. Here, these giant animals were butchered.
The museum also shows a special piece from the Solutrean period. It's called the Placa de Villalba. This slate plaque was found in the 1980s. It shows animals that lived during the Stone Age. Many Neolithic objects have also been found in the southwest part of the province.
Copper and Bronze Ages
The museum also has items from the Chalcolithic period. This includes pieces from the Bell Beaker culture. You can also see items from the Bronze Age. These come from places like the Covelda site and the Villar del Alba menhir.
Iron Age Treasures
The Iron Age is well-represented in the museum. Many items come from Numantia, Tiermes, and Uxama. This period's exhibits are on the upper floors. They make up the Celtiberian Section. This exhibit is also arranged by time period. It covers the early, middle, and late Iron Age. There are many pieces in all sections. You can see cool funerary items with swords and brooches. There are also spiral plates and burial urns. The pottery collection is also very important.
Roman Period and Later Finds
The Roman occupation was a very important time. It brought many social and political changes. The museum displays items found at Cuevas de Soria, Santervás del Burgo, and Quintanares de Rioseco. There are also important finds from Numantia.
You can also see items from the Visigothic period. These come from places like Numantia, Osma, and Tiermes. There are also significant Muslim pieces. They show the strong Muslim presence in the province. They organized the Marca Media, with its capital in Medinaceli. After the Muslims left, Christians moved in. They brought Romanesque and Gothic art to the area.
See also
In Spanish: Museo Numantino de Soria para niños
