Athena Museum

Athena is the archaeological and ethnographic museum of Capannori, featuring sections dedicated to the explorer Carlo Piaggia and to rural peasant culture.

It is housed inside a historic building spread over three floors in the center of Capannori, located along the route of the Via Francigena, and it also serves as a credential point for pilgrims.

The sections of Athena are divided as follows.

Exhibition of the Frizzone Wooden Building

Discovered during excavation campaigns for the construction of the new Capannori highway tollbooth, this structure is notable for its excellent state of preservation, especially in the underground section.

It has a rectangular shape measuring 4.5 by 3.5 meters, made of oak beams arranged horizontally and interlocked using a technique now known as blockbau, typical of Alpine mountain huts.

After a restoration lasting nine years, since December 2016 it has been housed in Athens for the completion of the wood drying process in a climate-controlled environment.

Latin Epigraphy of the Capannori Territory

The site hosts one of the most important epigraphic documents from the Lucca area, the so-called “Stele of the Laronii,” discovered in 1954 at Castelvecchio di Compito.

In total, there are five epigraphic documents here, all related to funerary contexts. The texts engraved in stone tell the stories of real people and families, offering a glimpse into Roman society in the Lucca plain during the 1st century AD. Most notably, they open unique windows into the private lives — sometimes even the intimate details — of individuals who lived nearly two thousand years ago in this area, something that only this particular type of artifact can reveal.

Archaeology of the Lands of the Auser — Curated by the GAC (Capannori Archaeological Group)

This section tells the story of Capannori. Among the most significant finds, resulting from 30 years of excavations, are Roman and Late Republican artifacts discovered in the Frizzone area, including a glass cup, three glass balsamaria, an African terra sigillata cup, and six bronze coins.

Other important Roman-era discoveries include those from Via Martiri Lunatesi, featuring a “Spello” type amphora, a bronze ring-shaped object with longitudinal engravings, and a bronze key. Additionally, prehistoric objects have been found at various sites, such as Bronze Age artifacts uncovered in the Palazzaccio locality.

Also on display is the temporary exhibition “The Land of the Auser,” dedicated to the archaeological research carried out in the Frizzone area during the construction of the new highway tollbooth. It showcases Late Republican era finds, particularly from the 1st and 2nd centuries BCE, including two infant burials, exquisite terracotta pieces, and a model reconstructing a wooden building whose significant traces were uncovered during the excavations.

Rural Civilization of the Piana – curated by the cultural association Ponte

Numerous historical farming tools are on display, along with images depicting fieldwork and publications on the cultivation of corn, beans, and the typical products of the area.

The ethnographic section of the Museum dedicated to the Rural Civilization of the Piana of Lucca is organized around three specific themes:

Sessantina Corn
The first topic covered in the exhibition is the cultivation of Sessantina corn, traditionally grown systematically on the same land following the wheat harvest, allowing for a second annual crop. This unique practice is a distinctive feature of the territory, recognized as one of a kind in Italy. Due to this crop rotation, the corn ears, though mature at the time of harvest, were not yet completely dried; they were gathered into bundles and hung on house facades so that sun and wind could naturally complete the drying process. On display are several tools essential to the related production cycle: soil preparation, sowing, fertilization, irrigation, harvesting, husking, drying, shelling, cleaning, and ventilation. The section is enriched with panels featuring photographs, drawings, and reproductions of historical documents that illustrate the sequence of operations and enhance understanding.

Beans of Lucchesia
The second theme explores bean cultivation, often practiced alongside Sessantina corn, with beans usually sown in the same furrows and partly following the corn’s growing cycle. In addition to the tools used, a rich collection of images illustrates the various stages of processing. Exhibited is a selection of seed varieties tied to the local tradition. It is important to highlight the nutritional role of these two crops in sustaining the local population in the past: beans, with their protein content, were known as “the poor man’s meat.” Today, there is a strong resurgence of traditional dishes based on corn flour and/or beans in local cuisine.

Ancient Volume Measures for Dry Goods
The exhibition concludes with a rich collection of ancient volumetric measuring tools for dry goods such as cereals, legumes, chestnuts, and milled products. These measures, varying slightly in capacity from area to area, remained in use long after the introduction of the metric system.

Carlo Piaggia and Africa – curated by the Lucchese Historical Institute Auser – Sesto

Dedicated spaces honor the Capannori-born explorer Carlo Piaggia (1827–1882), from Badia di Cantignano, who in the mid-19th century explored various parts of the African continent, including the Nile River, Sudan, Ethiopia, and Eritrea.

On the ground floor of the Athena Museum, there is a space dedicated to temporary exhibitions—a multifunctional area designed for hosting exhibitions and small cultural events.

Here, artists can display their works (e.g., photography, painting, visual arts, installations) free of charge during the Museum’s opening hours.

For exhibition use, the standard equipment of the room includes: modular black wooden panel elements of various sizes, chains, a small reception desk, seating, a laptop connected to a wall-mounted screen, and speakers for multimedia displays.

Athena Museum
Located at Via Carlo Piaggia, 74, 55012 Capannori (Lucca)

Contacts:
Phone: +39 0583 428784
Email: staff.museo@comune.capannori.lu.it

Opening Hours:
Monday, Wednesday, and Sunday – CLOSED
Tuesday and Thursday – 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Friday – 1:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Saturday – 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM / 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM