Gilt Bronzes from Cartoceto di Pergola
sculpture
The Gilt Bronzes from Cartoceto di Pergola are the only surviving Roman gilt bronze equestrian group. The monumental ensemble was composed of at least two people on horseback, of which only one remains, and two standing women.
The statues were found in 1946 in many pieces, not far from the intersection of the Via Flaminia and the Via Salaria Gallica in the parish of Cartoceto, near Pergola, Marche, in central Italy. This was an isolated location, far from urban centres, and it is thought they were not originally sited there, but moved for some reason.
The statues may represent the family of Germanicus and date to the early 1st century AD, but more likely date from 50–30 BC and depict Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus and his father Lucius (both consuls), although other figures of local importance have also been suggested.
Because of its extraordinary archaeological importance, the group has been at the centre of a long controversy between the Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici delle Marche and the municipality of Pergola over the location where the bronzes would be preserved. The group was on display at the National Archeological Museum of the Marche, in Ancona, until 1972, when it was moved to the Museo dei Bronzi dorati della città di Pergola, built specifically for this purpose. A compromise solution now moves the original bronzes and replicas between the two sites.
Description
Horsemen
The best-preserved horseman is a mature man (about 40 years of age), whose clothes (the paludamentum, tunic, and calceus) identify him as a high-ranking military officer in time of peace, consistent with the position of the right arm, raised in the symbol of peace. Only fragments remain of the other horseman.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Gilt Bronzes from Cartoceto di Pergola” as sculpture. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the arts & letters register because the source frames it as sculpture. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
Reception evidence should be dated and situated: later canonical status may differ sharply from the work’s initial circulation. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 24, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q1535107. VIAF identifies the subject as 305312288. Authority coordinates are 43.558, 12.837. 1 of 4 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1946 and 1972.
Titles can refer to several editions, objects or performances, making precise identification essential before interpretation. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Separate the work, its editions or performances, and its later reception. Catalogue records, publication histories and object files often preserve different parts of that story.
- Identifying works and editions
- Tracing reception history
- Finding collection records
The original object or edition, catalogue raisonné, performance record, rights file and holding institution.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Gilt Bronzes from Cartoceto di Pergola”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Gilt Bronzes from Cartoceto di Pergola primary sources, Gilt Bronzes from Cartoceto di Pergola archive and Gilt research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Gilt Bronzes from Cartoceto di Pergola”?
- How did later circulation or interpretation alter the work’s reception?
- Which edition, object, performance or recording is being described?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Gilt Bronzes from Cartoceto di Pergola” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.