Venice, Italy: San Marco: Royal Palace of Venice: National Archaeological Museum of Venice: Head of Asclepius
Loading...
Authors
Sheppard, Beth M.
Issue Date
May 24, 2017
Type
Image
Language
Keywords
Italy , Venice , Venezia , San Marco , Piazza di San Marco , Procuratie Nuove , National Archaeological Museum of Venice , Archaeological Museums , Asclepius in Art
Alternative Title
Abstract
Description
Multiple photos are associated with this record. Please click the links to view all of the items in the series. The photos were taken in the Royal Palace of Venice (in Italian: Il Palazzo Reale) in the San Marco district on the island of Venice, Italy. Venice (Venezia) is a city in northeastern Italy that is built on a group of 126 islands separated by open water and canals, linked through 472 bridges. The historical island city is home to only 51K people, but a very popular tourist destination with about 60K tourists per day. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is renowned for its beauty, architecture, and artwork. The landmark of St. Mark's Square (Piazza di San Marco) is the basilica dedicated to Saint Mark the Evangelist and contains his relics. The church is sited on the eastern end of the square, the former center of the Republic of Venice, and is attached to the Doge's Palace. There are other important landmarks around this square, such as the Royal Palace of Venice, which is a complex that consists of the Marciana Library, the Correr Museum, and the National Archaeological Museum of Venice. The archaeological collection has always been located in St. Mark's Square since its founding in 1523, but it has been moved several times in its history. Since 1926 it has been part of the Procuratie Nuove on the southern side of the square. The museum has an important collection of Greek and Roman sculptures, bronzes, ceramics, coins, and jewels. Egyptian, Assyrian, and Babylonian antiquities were donated from the Correr Museum. The Archaeological Museum also contains 16th century works acquired by Venetian families. The photos show signage and a sculpted head of Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine. Healing temples in ancient Greece, and in the wider Roman and Hellenistic world, were named asclepieia after him. People worshipped, healed, and learned about medicine at these places, and this is where Hippocrates founded his school. Asclepius was associated with snakes and the healing temples often had rooms for what is called dream therapy today. The head is a copy from the second half of the 2nd century CE; the original dated to the middle of the 5th century BCE.
Citation
Publisher
License
CC BY-NC-SA 4.0