Museo Archeologico Colfiorito (MAC)

Mac, Archaeological Museum of Colfiorito, inaugurated in 2011, was created through the structural reimagining of a pre-existing block that once housed the infirmary of the internment camp known as “Casermette.” In the museum’s reconstruction was added a new central structure made of steel and glass designed by the architect Roberto De Rubertis.

Human presence in these areas is ancient and deeply rooted, justified by the centrality of the territories and the fertility of the soil. The Colfiorito area was located along primitive routes connecting the Adriatic and Sabina, offering a fertile environment for human settlement due to water availability.

A visit to the MAC - Archaeological Museum of Colfiorito provides an opportunity to understand the cultural development dynamics of this part of Umbria, crucial for reconstructing the history of central Italy. The museum houses approximately 1450 artifacts describing the ancient Plestina civilization, from its origins to Romanization, highlighting its role as a key player in the extensive network of cultural exchanges for centuries in central Italy and beyond.

Among the most fascinating exhibits are four bronze plates from the 4th century BC applied to votive objects, all bearing the same dedication in the Umbrian Safine language: “Cupras matres plestinas sacru esu,” meaning “I am consecrated to Cupra Mother Plestina.” These objects come from the Sanctuary of the Goddess Cupra, whose name in Old Umbrian meant “good,” referring to the Great Mother of life and nature.

The museum tour is organized into thematic sections, with informative panels, multimedia stations, and reconstructions of some discovery contexts.
The ground floor is entirely dedicated to the pre-Roman necropolis of Colfiorito, frequented from the 9th to the 3rd century, displaying grave goods and two reconstructed tombs in real dimensions. Also on the ground floor is a lapidary, featuring artifacts from the Roman city area and the Plestina territory: basins, frames, columns, and inscriptions.

The first floor illustrates settlements and sanctuaries, notably the fortified settlement of Monte Orve and the sanctuary of the goddess Cupra, from which the four bronze plates originate. The tour concludes with a section illustrating the Romanization of the Plestina territory (late 4th-3rd century BC) when the settlement of Plestia downstream consolidated, and rustic villages such as Annifo, Piani di Ricciano, and La Franca emerged simultaneously.