A cultural bridge between the Mediterranean and the South China Sea is being established through the exhibition "Between the Two Seas. Archaeology tells of Apulia," which opened on March 20, 2025, at the Museum of the South China Sea in Hainan, China. This significant event has been promoted by the Regione Puglia's Assessorato all’Industria Turistica e Culturale and the Art Exhibition Center of Beijing, in collaboration with several important institutions, including the Museo archeologico nazionale di Taranto (MArTA), the Department of Cultural Heritage at the University of Salento, and the National Superintendency for Underwater Cultural Heritage.
Curated by Rita Auriemma and Stella Falzone, the exhibition showcases 131 artifacts from MArTA's collections, many of which have never been exhibited before. These artifacts come from various renowned collections, including materials from the Parco Archeologico e Museo Nazionale di Egnazia, the Museo Ribezzo in Brindisi, the Museo Castromediano in Lecce, and the Direzione Regionale Musei di Puglia. The items on display provide a layered reading of the Apulia region’s historical significance as a cultural crossroads, thanks to its strategic position between the Adriatic and Ionian Seas.
The Museum of the South China Sea is a symbolic venue for this exhibition. It houses artifacts from naval trade and maritime disasters along Asian trade routes, thereby allowing for a dialogue between Mediterranean and Eastern civilizations. The efforts to organize this exhibition are part of a broader international cooperation initiative propelled by the Regione Puglia and the Cultural Exchange Center, a Chinese government agency dedicated to fostering cultural exchanges with the country’s major museums.
This exhibition not only enriches the collaboration between Italy and China in archaeological research, but it also aims to promote a model of sustainable cultural tourism that respects the territories, their histories, and the heritage they safeguard. As articulated by the curators, "A pathway through unpublished finds and underwater archaeology" provides visitors with insights into how commercial routes and connections between seemingly distant worlds fostered interaction and cultural exchanges over centuries.
The overarching theme of the exhibition invites us to reconsider the sea not as a barrier, but as a connector of peoples and cultures, allowing for the emergence of shared identities through the lens of history. By shedding light on the trade networks that once linked vastly different civilizations, "Between the Two Seas" serves as a vital reminder of our interconnected past and shared future.
As visitors explore the exhibits at the Museum of the South China Sea, they can appreciate the extensive archaeological heritage of Puglia. Objects such as everyday utensils, decorative elements, and artifacts recovered from sea beds illustrate how this region served as a hub for maritime trade and cultural exchange in ancient times. Each item on display carries a story waiting to be uncovered, offering viewers a chance to engage with not just the past of Italy, but of human civilization itself.
In conclusion, the opening of this exhibition marks a historic moment in cultural diplomacy. It is a platform not only for appreciating archaeological treasures but also for fostering deeper mutual understanding between Italy and China. Through initiatives like "Between the Two Seas," we witness how cultural lines are drawn and redrawn, bridging distances and creating avenues for future cooperation.
