Mineral District Archeological Museum in Rio nell’Elba
Archeological artefacts and exquisite minerals found on the Island
The Mineral District Archeological Museum is located in Rio nell’Elba, in the Barcolaio, and illustrates the history of the island, which is often tied to its extraordinary mineral resources that have been mined since Prehistory.
Ancient archeological artefacts coming from the island are on display, like those from the San Bennato steelworks (Cavo, Rio Marina) or the grave goods from the Grotto di San Giuseppe, a natural grotto that was used as a burial site for generations. There are also bronze objects from the 19th-century collection of Raffaello Foresi and the grave goods found in the Buraccio necropolis.
The Museum also preserves the Mineral Collection of the People of Rio: an evocative collection of minerals that are native to the island and which is part of an exhibition itinerary that explains the geological origins of eastern Elba, its extraordinary minerals and the techniques used for processing bronze and iron, from antiquity to today.
