Roman Spectres

Ghostly remnants of the Roman world

The stone, marble and ceramic remnants of ancient Rome reveal the stories of the people of the thriving multicultural empire.

Overview

The broken and incomplete remains of the ancient world are the ghosts of lives lived thousands of years ago. The beautifully carved sculptures, fragile ceramics, and intricate mosaics that adorned Roman homes, temples and streets are now headless figures, hollow-eyed faces, or fragments encrusted with the earth or sea that swallowed them millennia ago.

In this exhibition, 2000-year-old marble portraits encircle the headless statue of an unknown Roman man. A columbarium inspired façade is filled with memorials to faceless people mourned by those they left behind. A detailed model of Pompeii constructed entirely from LEGO explores the ancient city throughout three time periods: life in the ancient city, the history of archaeological discovery at Pompeii and and the pop culture reception of the story of Pompeii.

From names and faces recorded in stone to a contemporary reconstruction of an ancient city, this exhibition reanimates life in the vibrant Roman world.

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An black and white photo by Max Dupain of a man in a tall hat surrounded by balloons on campus at The University of Sydney Link

Curator
Candace Richards

Designer
Studioplusthree

Exhibition Manager
Luke Parker

Details

When

Open seven days a week
Mon - Fri: 10am - 5pm
Sat - Sun: 12 - 4pm

Closed on Public Holidays

Ongoing exhibition

Location

Nicholson Galleries, Level 2
Chau Chak Wing Museum

Cost

Free

Photo gallery

Header image by Stefanie Zingsheim

 

Get
in touch

Contact us

Phone: +61 2 93512812

Email: ccwm.info@sydney.edu.au

Chau Chak Wing Museum
University Place
Camperdown NSW 2050

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