The National Archaeological Museum ( Spanish : Museo Arqueológico Nacional ; MAN ) is a archaeology museum in Madrid , Spain. It is located on Calle de Serrano beside the Plaza de Colón , sharing its building with the National Library of Spain . It is one of the National Museums of Spain and it is attached to the Ministry of Culture .
60-618: The museum was founded in 1867 by a Royal Decree of Isabella II as a depository for numismatic, archaeological, ethnographical and decorative art collections of the Spanish monarchs. The establishment of the museum was predated by a previous unmaterialised proposal by the Royal Academy of History in 1830 to create a museum of antiquities. The museum was originally located in the Embajadores district of Madrid. In 1895, it moved to
120-467: A building designed specifically to house it, a neoclassical design by architect Francisco Jareño , built from 1866 to 1892. In 1968, renovation and extension works considerably increased its area. The museum closed for renovation in 2008 and reopened in April 2014. Following a restructuring of the collection in the 1940s, its former pieces relative to the section of American Ethnography were transferred to
180-586: A cabinet, presided over by Joaquín María López y López . This government induced the Cortes to declare Isabella of age at 13. Between the beginning of her reign in 1833, and the abdication of Margrethe II in 2024, at any given time, there was a queen regnant in Europe. Isabella was declared of age and swore the 1837 Constitution on 10 November 1843, age thirteen. Despite the alleged parliamentary supremacy, in practice,
240-495: A captain of the guard, Enrique Puigmoltó y Mayans. In 1847, a major scandal took place when Isabella, age seventeen, publicly showed her love for General Serrano and her willingness to divorce from her husband Francisco de Asís; though Narváez and Isabella's mother Maria Christina solved the problem posed to the monarchical institution—Serrano was shifted away from the capital to the post of Captain General of Granada in 1848—,
300-583: A conspiracy against the Crown in connivance with generals from the Liberal Union . Since the late summer, Isabella II had been enjoying her traditional holiday on the coast at Lekeitio , Biscay. The royal entourage moved to San Sebastián to hold a meeting with Napoleon III and Eugenia de Montijo , scheduled for 18 September, but it did not take place, as the French royals did not arrive in time and it
360-617: A female sovereign led to the Carlist Wars . Under the regency of her mother, Spain transitioned from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy, adopting the Royal Statute of 1834 and Constitution of 1837 . Isabella was declared of age and began her personal rule in 1843. Her effective reign was a period marked by palace intrigues, back-stairs and antechamber influences, barracks conspiracies, and military pronunciamientos . Her marriage to Francisco de Asís, Duke of Cádiz
420-628: A group of homecoming exiles who taunted her with cries of "Down with the Bourbons!", "Long Live Liberty!" and "Long Live the Republic!". Prim—leader of the liberal progressives—was received in a festive mood by the Madrilenian people at his arrival in the capital in early October. He pronounced his famous speech of the "three nevers" directed against the Bourbons. At the Puerta del Sol , he gave
480-826: A highly symbolic hug to Serrano, the leader of the revolutionary forces triumphant in the bridge of Alcolea. Following the crossing of the French–Spanish border by train on 30 September, the Queen and King spent 5 weeks in the Château de Pau organising their Parisian future. They went to the French capital and arrived on 8 November, settling in the Rue de Rivoli 172. Isabella was forced to renounce to her dynastic rights in Paris in favour of her son Alfonso on 25 June 1870, officially "freely and spontaneously". Involving an economic settling,
540-574: A lesser extent, from Ancient Egypt , in addition to "a small number of pieces" from Near East . In the forecourt is a replica of the Cave of Altamira from the 1960s. Photogrammetry was used to reproduce the famous paintings on a mould of the original cave. The replica cave is related to an exhibit at the Deutsches Museum in Munich. Visitors enter the building at basement level, and pass to
600-580: A number of Carlist Wars in the 19th century. Isabella's reign was maintained only through the support of the army. The Cortes and the Moderate Liberals and Progressives reestablished constitutional and parliamentary government, dissolved the religious orders and confiscated their property (including that of the Jesuits ), and tried to restore order to Spain's finances. After the Carlist war,
660-689: Is depicted as a spoiled 11-year-old girl. Lex Ursonensis The Lex Ursonensis is the foundation charter of the Caesarean colonia Iulia Genetiva at Urso near Osuna (province of Seville , Andalusia ) in southern Spain . A copy of its text was inscribed on bronze under the Flavians , portions of which were discovered in 1870/71. The original law spanned nine tablets with three or five columns of text each and comprised over 140 sections ( rubricae ). Of these four tablets survive, including sections 61-82, 91-106 and 123-134. Remains are kept in
SECTION 10
#1732775736187720-749: Is particularly notable, including stone sculptures such as the iconic Lady of Elche , the Lady of Baza , the Lady of Galera , the Dama del Cerro de los Santos , the Bicha of Balazote , the Bull of Osuna , the Sphinx of Agost , one of the two sphinxes of El Salobral [ es ] or the Mausoleum of Pozo Moro . Aside from the set of Iberian sculpture, the area also hosts other items from different cultures, such as
780-621: The Count of San Luis (whose ascension to premiership had been solely founded on the support from the networks of the royal court), the system was in a critical state by June 1854. On 28 June 1854 a military pronunciamiento intending to force the queen to oust the government of the Count of San Luis, featuring Leopoldo O'Donnell (a "puritan" moderate), took place in Vicálvaro , the so-called Vicalvarada . The military coup (rather dominated by
840-565: The First Spanish Republic was overthrown in a coup. The Bourbon monarchy was restored, and Alfonso ascended the throne as King Alfonso XII. Isabella returned to Spain two years later but soon again left for France, where she resided until her death in 1904. Isabella was born in the Royal Palace of Madrid in 1830, the eldest daughter of King Ferdinand VII of Spain , and of his fourth wife and niece, Maria Christina of
900-620: The Iberian Peninsula are a fundamental source for understanding the vast phenomenon of provincial legal Romanization . The bronze tablets are a later reissue of the original text by Marcus Antonius, dating from the last third of the 1st century AD, with the peculiarity that the entire text is interpolated. While it's challenging to specify the origin and timing of the interpolations, it is believed that Marcus Antonius might have already modified Caesar's project; however, it's also possible that other interpolations were made later. Of
960-686: The Marquis of Salamanca (purchased in 1874 and comprising artifacts from the Paestum and Cales sites in the Italian Peninsula). The main room of the area is a courtyard, where the artifacts are placed creating a sort of forum -like arrangement. Meanwhile, the room #27 exhibits a number of mosaics both on its floor and walls. The collection of Hispano-Roman legal bronzes includes the Lex Ursonensis , comprising five pieces found in
1020-667: The Migration Period . Standout artifacts from this area include the Sarcophagus from Astorga [ es ] , the Visigothic hoard of Guarrazar , including the votive crown of Recceswinth , or the fibulae from Alovera [ es ] . The area dedicated to al-Andalus is located in the 1st floor. Iconic pieces from al-Andalus include the pyxis of Zamora (actually made in Medina Azahara),
1080-630: The Museum of the Americas , while other pieces from abroad were destined to the National Museum of Ethnography and to the National Museum of Decorative Arts . Its current collection is based on pieces from the Iberian Peninsula , from Prehistory to Early-Modern Age . However, it also has different collections coming from outside of Spain, especially from Ancient Greece , both from the metropolitan and, above all, from Magna Graecia , and, to
1140-700: The National Archaeological Museum of Spain , in Madrid . The charter was approved by the Roman assembly as a law proposed probably by Mark Antony after the assassination of Julius Caesar . After the battles between Caesar and Pompey during the Republican period , Caesar decided to establish in Osuna a colony of citizens named Genetiva Iulia in honor of the goddess Venus Genetrix ,
1200-715: The Palacio Castilla . She paid some visits to Seville. She wrote her testament in Paris in June 1901, making her will to be entombed in El Escorial . Less than a month after passing through a cold categorised as "flu" by the physicians, she died on 9 April 1904, at 8:45 AM. Her corpse was moved from the Palacio Castilla to the Gare d'Orsay , and arrived to El Escorial on 15 April. The funeral took place on
1260-520: The baleen stays of her corset , and what was intended to be a stab wound to the chest only resulted in a minor incision at the right side of the belly. Merino, quickly seized by the halberdiers of the Royal Guard (with help from the dukes of Osuna and Tamames, the Marquis of Alcañices and the Count of Pinohermoso), was removed from sacerdocy and executed by garrote . Under the government of
SECTION 20
#17327757361871320-408: The deer-like fountain source of Medina Azahara [ es ] or the marble font for ablutions of Almanzor . A Jewish bilingual chapitel from Toledo is also exhibited. Two items of the so-called Alhambra vases [ es ] stand out within the collection of Nasrid pottery [ es ] . The area dedicated to the medieval Christian Kingdoms (roughly ranging from the 8th to
1380-478: The "double trust" led to Isabella having a role in the making and toppling of governments, undermining the progressives. The uneasy alliance between moderates and progressives that had toppled Espartero in July 1843 was already disintegrating by the time of the coming of age of the queen. Following a brief government led by progressive Salustiano de Olózaga , the moderates elected their candidate, Pedro José Pidal , to
1440-579: The 15th century) is located in the 2nd floor. Iconic pieces of Romanesque ivory craftsmanship include the Arca de las Bienaventuranzas [ es ] and the Crucifix of Ferdinand and Sancha . The medieval collection features the praying statue of Peter I of Castile [ es ] , made in alabaster and moved from the former convent of Santo Domingo el Real in Madrid [ es ] to
1500-802: The 1870s in Osuna . The halls corresponding to the Late Antiquity (1st floor) host pieces related to the period of time corresponding to the Lower Roman Empire in the Iberian Peninsula—the Diocesis Hispaniarum (3rd–5th centuries AD)—, the Visigothic Kingdom of Toledo (6th-8th centuries AD), the Byzantine Empire (5th to 12th centuries AD), as well as some artifacts of other peoples from
1560-584: The 1940s by the Mexican collector Marius de Zayas (later deposited in the MAN). 21st century purchases include that of the Praying Sumerian figure [ es ] bought at Christie's in 2001. The collections of Egypt and Nubia are made up mainly of funerary funds (amulets, mummies , steles , sculpture of divinities, ushabti ...) ranging from prehistory to Roman and medieval times. Many of
1620-604: The Bourbon dynasty, a Damnatio memoriae . The defeat of the Isabelline forces commanded by Manuel Pavía y Lacy by the revolutionary forces led by Marshal Serrano at the 28 September 1868 Battle of Alcolea led to the definitive demise of Isabella II's 35-year reign. In the light of the news, Isabella and her entourage left San Sebastián and went to exile taking a train to Biarritz (France) on 30 September. As Isabella entered France after her abdication, her train passed
1680-407: The Bourbons in the early 18th century, and to reestablish the older succession law of Spain. The first pretender to the throne, Ferdinand's brother Infante Carlos, Count of Molina , fought for seven years during Isabella's minority to dispute her title (see First Carlist War ). The supporters of Carlos and his descendants were known as Carlists , and the fight over the succession was the subject of
1740-465: The Isabelline monarchy. Dominated by the figure of Marshal Narváez , the Espadón ("Big Sword") of Loja, the so-called " Moderate decade " began in 1844. The constitutional reforms devised by Narváez moved away from the 1837 Constitution by rejecting national sovereignty and reinforcing the power of the monarch, to the point of a "co-sovereignty" between the Cortes and the Queen. On 10 October 1846,
1800-524: The Moderate Party made their sixteen-year-old queen marry her double-first cousin Francisco de Asís, Duke of Cádiz (1822–1902), the same day that her younger sister, Infanta Luisa Fernanda , married Antoine d'Orléans, Duke of Montpensier . Disgusted by her marriage, Isabella reportedly commented later to one of her intimates: "what shall I tell you about a man whom I saw wearing more lace than I
1860-667: The National Archaeological Museum in 1868. It also displays a number of items of Levantine pottery. The topic area devoted to the Ancient Near East (conventionally excluding Ancient Egypt) is located at the 2nd floor. One of the most important sets of the MAN's Near East collection is that of pottery from Iran. The museum displays a diorite head from Mesopotamia donated to the Prado Museum in
National Archaeological Museum (Madrid) - Misplaced Pages Continue
1920-538: The Royal Guard were caught by surprise while the Queen was leaving the Chapel of the Royal Palace intending to go with her parade to the Basilica of Nuestra Señora de Atocha : Martín Merino y Gómez [ es ] , an ordained priest and liberal activist approached the queen giving the impression of wanting to deliver her a message, and stabbed her. The impact was reduced by the gold embroidery of her dress and by
1980-577: The Talaiotic bulls of Costitx, the torque of Ribadeo from the Castro culture in northwestern Iberia, or the Lady of Ibiza , associated to the Punic civilization . The collection of Hispano-Roman artifacts—located in the 1st floor—comes both from diggings at specific archaeological sites as well as from punctual purchases. The collection of Roman artifacts is completed by items from the personal collection of
2040-590: The Two Sicilies . She was entrusted to the royal governess María del Carmen Machín y Ortiz de Zárate . Queen Maria Christina became regent on 29 September 1833, when her three-year-old daughter Isabella was proclaimed sovereign following the death of Ferdinand VII. Isabella succeeded to the throne because Ferdinand VII had induced the Cortes Generales to help him set aside the Salic law , introduced by
2100-673: The capital of Spain on 28 July, and proceeded to separate again Isabella from the influence of Maria Christina. In any case, though Isabella accepted advice from Maria Christina, she was not characterised for displaying a profound filial love towards her mother. By virtue of a royal decree, Iloilo in the Philippines was opened to world trade on 29 September 1855, mainly to export sugar and other products to America, Australia and Europe. A Liberal Constitution ("the Unborn One")
2160-711: The collection of bronzes, terracottas, goldsmiths, sculptures and to a greater extent pottery come from; pieces that ranging from the Mycenaean to the Hellenistic period. In its beginnings, the collection had funds from the Royal Cabinet of Natural History and the National Library , the collection was later enriched with works brought from the expeditions of the frigate Arapiles to the East in addition to
2220-528: The deterioration of the public image of the queen increased from then on. Following the near-revolution of 1848 , Narváez was authorised to rule as dictator to repress insurrectionary attempts up until 1849. In late 1851, Isabella II gave birth to her first daughter and heir presumptive, who was baptised on 21 December as María Isabel Francisca de Asís . Historians have attributed the Princess of Asturias' biological parenthood to José Ruiz de Arana , Gentilhombre de cámara . On 2 February 1852, Isabella and
2280-510: The dominant figure of the new regime, became convinced that the figure of Isabella had become an issue for the Crown and wrote her a letter bluntly stating "Your Majesty is not a person, it is a reign, it is a historical time, and what the country needs is another reign, a different time", hellbent on avoiding the former queen stepping onto the Spanish capital before the proclamation of the new constitution in June 1876 . She returned to Spain in July 1876, stayed in Santander and El Escorial and
2340-458: The formal separation between Isabella and Francisco had pended on the passing of the former queen's dynastic rights to her son. Following the election to the Spanish throne of Amadeo of Savoy (second son of Victor Emmanuel II of Italy ) in November 1870, Isabella reconciled in 1871 with her brother-in-law, the Duke of Montpensier, who assumed the political management of the family. The First Spanish Republic that followed Amadeo's short reign
2400-435: The fruitless Chincha Islands War (1864–1866) against Peru and Chile . In August 1866, exiled forces comprising both elements from the Democratic and the Progressive Party met secretly in Belgium and subscribed to the Pact of Ostend [ es ] under the initiative of Marshal Prim , seeking to topple Isabella. On 7 July 1868, Isabella banished her sister and brother-in-law from Spain, as they were linked to
2460-434: The moderates themselves) had a mixed result and O'Donnell (advised by Ángel Fernández de los Ríos and Antonio Cánovas del Castillo ) proceeded then to seek for civilian support, promising new reforms not in the initial plans in order to appeal to progressives, by bringing a "liberal regeneration", as proclaimed in the Manifesto of Manzanares , drafted by Antonio Cánovas del Castillo and issued on 7 July 1854. Days later,
National Archaeological Museum (Madrid) - Misplaced Pages Continue
2520-430: The next day at San Francisco el Grande . Isabella had twelve pregnancies, but only five children reached adulthood: There has been considerable speculation that some or all of Isabella's children were not fathered by Francisco de Asís; this has been bolstered by rumours that Francisco de Asís was either homosexual or impotent. Francisco de Asís recognised all of them: he played the offended, proceeding to blackmail
2580-460: The pieces come from purchases such as the one made from the collection of the Spanish Egyptologist Eduardo Toda y Güell and also from various excavations such as the ones carried in Egypt and Sudan as a result of the agreements with the Egyptian government for the construction of the Aswan Dam or the systematic excavations in Heracleopolis Magna . The Greek collection is made up of works from continental Greece, Ionia, Magna Graecia and Sicily, where
2640-425: The prehistory section. The halls devoted to the Protohistory of the Iberian Peninsula (1st floor) exhibit pieces from a number of Pre-Roman peoples existing roughly along the 1st millennia BC, as well as from the Punic-Phoenician colonisation. The former includes items from the Talaiotic culture , Iberian , Celtic, and Tartessian artifacts. The collection of Iberian sculpture from southern and southeastern Iberia
2700-403: The presidency of the Cortes. After the subsequent decision to dissolve the hostile Cortes by Olózaga on 28 November, rumours about an alleged forcing of the queen to sign the royal decree spread. As a result, Olózaga was prosecuted, removed from political office, and forced to exile, with the Progressive Party already being beheaded, in what was the starting point of their growing disaffection from
2760-414: The protector of the gens Iulia , to which Caesar himself belonged. In Hispania, there were two fundamental laws: The laws that regulated colonies and municipalities were known as "leges datae," meaning they were given directly by a magistrate authorized by the assemblies based on a comitial law . Even though other laws from outside Hispania have been preserved, it can be asserted that the texts found in
2820-413: The purchase of private funds such as those of the Marquis of Salamanca or those of Tomás Asensi. Isabella II of Spain Isabella II ( Spanish : Isabel II , María Isabel Luisa de Borbón y Borbón-Dos Sicilias; 10 October 1830 – 9 April 1904) was Queen of Spain from 1833 until her deposition in 1868 . She is the only queen regnant in the history of unified Spain. Isabella
2880-401: The queen to receive money in exchange for keeping his mouth shut. The extortion by her husband would continue and intensify during Isabella's exile. She came to be known by the sobriquets of the Traditional Queen ( Spanish : la Reina Castiza ), and the Queen of Sad Mischance ( Spanish : la de los Tristes Destinos ). In the 1997 film Amistad , she was played by Anna Paquin , and
2940-462: The regent, Maria Christina, resigned to make way for Baldomero Espartero , Prince of Vergara, the most successful and most popular Isabelline general. Espartero, a Progressive, remained regent for only two years. Her minority saw tensions with the United States over the Amistad affair . Baldomero Espartero was deposed in 1843 by a military and political pronunciamiento led by Generals Leopoldo O'Donnell and Ramón María Narváez . They formed
3000-431: The revolution highlight that peasantry , small bourgeoisie, and the proletariat formed an alternative to bourgeoisie proper, articulated through the progressive and federal republican forces. By September 1868 Isabella was a repudiated monarch, and, during the early stages of the revolution, instances of political iconoclasm carried out by the masses took place, leading to the destruction of many symbols and emblems of
3060-415: The revolution included the weariness of the moderates alienated by the Crown and the progressives barely having even the chance to rule. Both developed a vis-à-vis with the Isabelline monarchy. Other factors were the personal behaviour of the queen, the corruption, the abortion of the possibility of political reform and the economic crisis alienating the bourgeoisie . Historians looking at social roots for
SECTION 50
#17327757361873120-430: The situation was followed by a full-scale people's revolution, with revolutionary juntas organised on 17 July in Madrid, and barricades erected in the streets. With the prospect of a civil war on the horizon, Isabella was advised to appoint General Espartero (who enjoyed charisma and popular support) as prime minister. This renewed ascension of Espartero marked the beginning of the bienio progresista . Espartero entered
3180-437: Was an unhappy one, and her personal conduct as well as rumours of affairs damaged her reputation. In September 1868, a naval mutiny began in Cadiz , marking the beginning of the Glorious Revolution . The defeat of her forces by Marshal Francisco Serrano, 1st Duke of la Torre brought her reign to an end, and she went into exile in France. In 1870, she formally abdicated the Spanish throne in favour of her son, Alfonso . In 1874,
3240-467: Was drafted in 1856, yet it was never enacted as the counter-revolutionary coup by O'Donnell seized power. On 28 November 1857, Isabella II gave birth to a male heir, who was baptised on 7 December 1857 as Alfonso Francisco de Asís Fernando Pío Juan María Gregorio y Pelagio . Assumed by historians to be the biological son of Enrique Puigmoltó y Mayans [ es ] , the toddler, who replaced infanta Isabella as Prince of Asturias upon his birth,
3300-429: Was known under the moniker el Puigmoltejo , in reference to the rumours about his presumed biological parenthood. Isabella II showed a special affection for the child, greater than that shown to her daughters. The later part of her reign saw a war against Morocco (1859–1860), which ended in a treaty advantageous for Spain and cession of some Moroccan territory, the Spanish retake of Santo Domingo (1861–1865), and
3360-408: Was only allowed to visit Madrid for barely hours on 13 October. She moved to Seville , where she remained for a longer time and left for France in 1877. Isabella's son would marry Mercedes of Orléans (first cousin of Alfonso and daughter of the Dukes of Montpensier) in 1878, only for the latter to die five months after the wedding. Isabella mostly lived in Paris for the rest of her life, based at
3420-421: Was overthrown by a military coup started in Sagunto by General Arsenio Martínez Campos on 29 December 1874 that proclaimed the restoration of the monarchy and the Bourbon dynasty in the person of Isabella's son Alfonso XII, who landed in Barcelona on 9 January 1875. After 1875 she lived in a relationship with Ramiro de la Puente y González Nandín , her secretary and chief of staff. Cánovas del Castillo,
3480-423: Was subsequently aborted. On that day, a pronunciamento took place in Cádiz . Led by Marshal Prim and the Admiral Topete (himself an unconditional follower of the Duke of Montpensier), it marked the beginning of the Glorious Revolution . The Democratic Party provided the insurrection with popular support, making it transcend the nature of a simple military statement into an actual revolution. Factors for
3540-440: Was the elder daughter of King Ferdinand VII and Queen Maria Christina . Shortly before Isabella's birth, her father issued the Pragmatic Sanction to revert the Salic Law and ensure the succession of his firstborn daughter, due to his lack of a son. She came to the throne a month before her third birthday, but her succession was disputed by her uncle Infante Carlos (founder of the Carlist movement ), whose refusal to recognize
3600-445: Was wearing on our wedding night?" The marriages suited France and Louis Philippe, King of the French , who as a result bitterly quarrelled with Britain. However, the marriages were not happy; persistent rumour had it that few if any of Isabella's children were fathered by her King Consort , rumoured to be a homosexual. The Carlist party asserted that the heir-apparent to the throne, who later became Alfonso XII, had been fathered by
#186813