This lecture will discuss the coin as a document of a particular relationship between divinity and man.
The Vatican Medagliere preserves important testimonies regarding the use of coins in sacred contexts in
relation to the already mentioned relationship. The first evidence – which refers to a pagan context- is given by the offerings (shapeless pieces of bronze) found in Vicarello, a place which is located in the municipality of Bracciano, in 1852. There, already in the Etruscan times, thermal baths with healing waters existed alongside sanctuaries dedicated to healing Gods. The second and third ones – which refer to a Christian context – are given by the monetary offerings left by pilgrims at the tomb of St Peter during the Middle Ages until the first years of the sixteenth century, when the construction of the current Vatican basilica started, and those left by the visitors and pilgrims of the abbey of St Mary of Rambona, in the province of Macerata in the Marche region, in the tomb of St Amico, from the Middle Ages to the seventeenth century.
About the speaker
Eleonora Giampiccolo (Dott. Ric. or Ph.D.) has been Director of the Numismatic Department of the Vatican Library since 2013. As head of an historical coin cabinet which preserves numismatic material from all over the world, her research embraces various fields, starting from ancient coins, papal coins and medals to modern and contemporary medallistics. Her publications include several articles and books, among which are: Le monete della zecca di Gela, Le medaglie di Paolo VI and Le opere di carità dei Romani Pontefici documentate dalle monete e dalle medaglie papali.
