Mercati, Metallotheca Vaticana and representations of prehistoric artifacts in Renaissance Europe

Abstract

For the first time, the Latin translation of the passage about prehistoric tools from Michele Mercati Metallotheca Vaticana’s famous work of the 16th century Natural History Vatican collections is published.

Although it is the first work that reproduces polished stone axes, arrowheads and flint blades, discussing its meaning according to the conception of the time, the present study constitutes the first contribution about the knowledge of the epoch in this specific matter, with evidente interest to the History of ideas and concepts in Archaeology.