Second floor

The furnishings and liturgical vestments displayed in this room come not only from the main churches of the historic center but also from various religious buildings scattered throughout the Asciano territory. Most of the objects, including censers, chalices, monstrances, reliquaries, chasubles, and ciboria, span a wide period from the 16th to the 19th century. From the 15th century, however, there is a *Pace* featuring Christ in Piety, a piece that was kissed by the faithful during religious ceremonies as a sign of peace. As you exit the room, you'll find the large 18th-century wooden statue of Saint Agatha, which was once carried in procession by the community on her feast day, February 5th.

The room displays important paintings that were once housed in the major churches of Asciano. These works were mainly created in the 1600s by artists of the caliber of Rutilio Manetti, with his Vision of Saint Felice of Cantalice, Bernardino Mei, and Francesco Nasini, the authors of two Crucifixions. The only 18th-century painting, dated 1723, depicts Saint Lawrence healing a child; this piece was created by Donato Creti, one of the best painters active in Bologna during that period.

In a corner of the room's entrance, there is a small alabaster marble statue depicting Joan of Arc, traditionally considered a youthful work by the sculptor Luigi Magi, born in Asciano in 1804. However, recent studies have revealed that the work was actually created by Giovanni Magi, his grandson. Giovanni, a lesser-known artist, worked in Tito Sarrocchi's workshop, but his career was tragically cut short by his premature death, leaving this sculpture as one of the few remaining examples of his talent. A delicate piece that tells a family and artistic story of great intrigue. The room is further enriched by a display case dedicated to temporary exhibitions of objects stored in the museum's collection, which are usually not on public display.

As soon as you enter the room, the attention is immediately captured by the extraordinary Nativity of the Virgin, a work that dominates the space with its beauty. The intense colors and the refinement of the details create an enchanting and immersive atmosphere. The tripartite composition depicts Saint Joachim, the newborn Mary, and Saint Anne, with elegant references to the everyday life of the 15th century. Above the scene, panels with the Dormitio Virginis, the Madonna of Humility, and the Funeral of the Virgin are displayed. In the past, the panel was attributed to the mysterious Master of the Observance, but thanks to new documentary evidence, the enigma was solved, revealing Sano di Pietro as the true author of the painting.

This room inaugurates the Archaeology Section of the museum, dedicated to the history of the Upper Ombrone Valley, well illustrated by the model representing its territory. Welcoming you is an elegant red-figure krater found in the Poggio Pinci necropolis, a work of the so-called "Painter of Asciano."

Here is displayed a precious selection of items from Tomb A of the Poggione necropolis (Castelnuovo Berardenga), likely connected to the aristocratic residence of Poggio Tondo and the settlement of Cetamura. The burial, dating from the late 7th to the 6th century BC, provides insights into the life and status of the time. Alongside the remains of a man and a woman, rich grave goods were found: weapons, bucchero and bronze vessels for the man; spinning tools and containers for perfumes and other precious substances for the woman. Among the finds are bucchero containers with Etruscan inscriptions and refined ivory objects, such as a richly decorated comb. The wooden and iron chariot, featured in Room 21, completes this fascinating discovery.

This room introduces the Molinello Tumulus, first identified in the 1940s by Guglielmo Maetzke and later investigated through excavation campaigns in the 1960s and 1980s. Built on a travertine plateau, the tumulus has a diameter of 38.6 meters and contains tombs dating from the 7th to the 1st century BC. Among the discoveries, notable items include fragments of statues, bronze objects and other precious metals, as well as various containers in bucchero and Etrusco-Corinthian ceramics.

Discovered in Tomb A of the Necropolis of Poggione in Castelnuovo Berardenga, this chariot is one of the rarest and most valuable items in the collection. After extensive restoration, it was reconstructed based on the fragments found and comparisons with similar examples. It is a carpentum, a chariot used by the Etruscan elite for transportation and ceremonies, also possessing symbolic-religious significance as a means of passage to the afterlife.

In this space, you can observe the reconstruction model of the Molinello tumulus and explore more information about the necropolis before taking the stairs to reach the next room.