Museo Civico Archeologico - Ulisse Aldrovandi - Roman gem with scorpion in yellow jasper

The story of Bologna's Civic Museums begins with the Bolognese Ulisse Aldrovandi (1522-1605), whose home housed a museum conceived as a scientific instrument for observing and classifying the world. It brought together "naturalia", samples from different worlds of nature, and "artificialia", artifacts like this gem with a scorpion, considered a powerful talisman in Roman times. Aldrovandi bequeathed his collection to the Bolognese Senate upon his death, with the obligation to make it available to the public. It is one of the oldest public museums in the world.