These collections include various types of ceramics produced in Viterbo and in other towns of northern Lazio between the end of the 12th century and the 17th century.

The highlight of the exhibition is the medieval section which in particular contains ceramics with a simple clay body, painted glazed ceramics, archaic manganese brown and ramina green majolica with cobalt blue and green decorations in relief. There are also sections dedicated to Renaissance and Baroque polychromatic ceramics, apothecary jars and the collection of the ancient Pharmacy of the Ospedale Grande degli Infermi of Viterbo.

The original collection is the largest and most representative section of the pieces exhibited in the Museum. All ceramics date back to the end of the 12th century to the beginning of the 17th century and provide interesting evidence of the evolution of the types of ceramics produced and used at the time in Viterbo and other towns of northern Lazio. The collection includes: ceramics with a simple clay body, archaic green and brown majolica with cobalt blue and green decorations in relief, and multi-coloured majolica.
Dates:
end of 12th century – 17th century

Location:

· Room 1: end of the 12th century to the 14th century
· Room 2: second half of the 12th century to the beginning of the 15th century
· Room 4: 15th century
· Room 5: second half of the 15th century to the 16th century

The pieces belonged to the workshop of an apothecary and were found in the cesspool of a house in the centre of Viterbo.
This collection consists of many ceramic items, shards of small glass containers, a trade token, some coins and weights.
Because of the shape and style of the ceramics, the period of maximum activity for this apothecary shop could date back to the second half of the 15th century and the beginning of the 16th century.

Dates:
15th century

Location:
Room 3: second half of the 15th century – beginning of the 16th century

These artefacts belonged to the old pharmacy of the Ospedale Grande degli Infermi of Viterbo.
They consist of cylindrical vases and albarellos decorated with the typical “parsley leaf” or “Venetian” motif (polylobed leaves with a longitudinal division) and a coat of grey-blue enamel, perhaps originating from a factory in Bagnoregio.
Some of these items date back to 1602 and 1608. Each of them has a cartouche at the front with the name of the substance that it contained, the coat of arms of the city and the emblem of the hospital representing three mountains surmounted by an equal number of crosses (Calvary).

Dates:
end of the 16th century – mid-17th century

Location:
Room 7: second half of the 15th century – beginning of the 16th century

Le 39 ceramiche risalenti al cosiddetto periodo “federiciano” (da Federico II di Svevia), prevalentemente boccali, sono la testimonianza di una fase evolutiva della ceramica viterbese che registra nella produzione locale importanti novità tecnologiche e stilistiche.
Local pottery artists started diversifying their style after their encounter with different and unknown artistic-cultural traditions. This productive impetus was favoured by multiculturalism at the court of Frederick II (with workers coming from southern Italy and from the Arab-Muslim world).
The pieces consist of jugs in the “a panata” style typical of Viterbo and in the “a cannata” style of Sicilian inspiration, bowls and dishes. The decorations include geometric floral motifs with acanthus branches and leaves, and the first examples of animal representations.

Dates:
XIII sec.

Location:
Room 2: XIII sec.

This collection is divided into two large sections: apothecary jars dating back to the 16th century and including containers (albarellos, vases, etc.) used for the storage of medicines in the Renaissance period and items originating from the New World; also some items decorated with representations of the themes of sacred love (iconographical decorative motifs and religious-devotional writings) and profane art (typically decorative patterns such as hearts and images with the names of a beloved lady).
These finds can be traced back not only to the workshops of Viterbo, Castro and Acquapendente, but also to some of the major ceramic production centres at that time including Deruta, Montelupo Fiorentino, Rimini, Florence and Siena.

Dates:
15th century - 16th century.

Location:
Room 6: 15th century – XVI sec.