Exhibition sheds light on little-known culture
A new exhibition is opening (April 28) at the Swiss National Museum in Zurich, which provides an insight into the lives of the nearly forgotten people of the Lepontians.
The people lived in pre-Christian times in what are today’s cantons Ticino and Graubünden, and in parts of northern Italy.
The exhibition, “The Lepontians – between Celts and Etruscans”, presents a number of the museum’s own archaeological finds, which rank among the most important in Europe, as well as loans from museums in Ticino, Italy and Germany.
Many of the artefacts, such as bronze and silver vessels, jewellery, costumes and weapons have survived 2,500 years almost intact, and shed light on a culture whose traditions were influenced by the Etruscans, Celts, Greeks and Romans.
The organisers of the exhibition say they want to provide an overview of the cultural history of the Lepontians, as well as to show how they lived. Visitors can peak into the daily lives of the ancient people to see the type of clothes they wore, the crafts they made and to learn about their cult and death rituals.
The exhibition runs until August 12.
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