The Herculaneum Women and the Origins of Archaeology July 15, 2007

Discovered around 1710, two life-size Roman marble statues of draped women, the so-called Large and Small Herculaneum Women--became famous as the first finds from the site of Herculaneum, the ancient city that was buried under the ashes of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79. This exhibition explores the circumstances of their discovery, their prominent role in the development of archaeology. It includes sketchbooks, prints, and rare books.