Collections: Ancient Mediterranean

The collections of Classical antiquity—from the ancient Mediterranean cultures of Greece, Etruria, and Rome—are comprised primarily of the objects brought back by Alfred Emerson, one of Phoebe Hearst’s original collecting agents. Between 1900 and 1904, the former classics professor assembled about 4,200 pieces, primarily painted ceramics but also marble sculpture, bronzes, glass, mosaics, and coins. Complementing the earlier Egyptian collections are items from the Greco-Roman period in Egypt, notably a group of painted mummy portraits from Fayuum.

The Online Collections database of the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology contains records for over 210,000 objects from our collections.

Click on image to the left or enter a keyword to start the search (opens new browser window).