The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) has collaborated with the National Archaeological Museum of Naples (MANN) to showcase a collection of ancient masterpieces from Italy in Saudi Arabia for the first time. This historic exhibition, titled “Masterpieces of the National Archaeological Museum of Naples,” forms a centerpiece of AlUla’s 2024 Ancient Kingdoms Festival and is being held at Maraya, the world’s largest mirrored building, until December 14.
Fifteen masterpieces from renowned ancient sites such as Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Rome are being presented to audiences in the region for the first time. Among the highlights is the Nilotic Mosaic, which has previously been displayed abroad only once, in Japan.
The exhibit features a variety of historical artifacts, including a bronze statuette of Alexander on horseback from Herculaneum, dated to the 1st century BCE, and a marble statue of Emperor Trajan from Minturno, dating back to the late 1st century CE.
Abdulrahman Al-Suhaibani, vice president of culture at RCU, expressed the significance of the collaboration: “The National Archaeological Museum of Naples is a repository of masterpieces that reveal the wonders and richly interconnected stories that helped shape the ancient world — key among them are Nabataean artifacts including altars and inscriptions dedicated to the Nabataean chief deity Dushares that show the extent of that civilization, from AlUla in northwest Arabia to the shores of southern Europe.”
He added that it is a privilege for the RCU to host the exhibit and display these artifacts for the first time in the region, marking an important milestone in cultural exchange and underscoring the RCU’s growing calendar of cultural events, including the AlUla World Archaeological Symposium.