La vida en la frontera. Hallazgos del castillo de Monreal de Ariza

The Sala de Novedades of the Museo Arqueológico Nacional presents, from 6 October to 28 February, a temporary exhibition bringing together a remarkable collection of metal objects from this medieval fortress.

The exhibition is the result of a collaboration between the Museo Arqueológico Nacional, the Instituto del Patrimonio Cultural de España and the Government of Aragon, through the Museo de Zaragoza, and brings to the public one of the most interesting assemblages of recent years in Spanish medieval archaeology.

Archaeological interventions carried out in 2017 and 2018, during restoration work at the castle of Monreal de Ariza, made it possible to locate several rooms of its defensive structure. One of them had been sealed by an accidental collapse, preserving inside a notable group of weapons and objects dating from the 15th century.

Among the finds are a barbute, a bascinet, remains of a pair of crossbows, a breastplate, a Gothic bell and two artillery chambers. After their careful removal, the pieces were transferred to the Instituto del Patrimonio Cultural de España, where various professionals carried out the treatments necessary to ensure their preservation and to facilitate their identification and study.

The display thus offers insight both into these exceptional testimonies of life in a medieval frontier fortress and into the methods currently used for the conservation and restoration of archaeological heritage.