Classical archaeology

RAMM's collections include finds from Greece, Cyprus and the Roman Empire. Many of these were donated to the museum by collectors of material in the the late Victorian era and early 20th centuries.

Highlights of the collection include:

With over 800 antiquities, by far the largest collection is that of Lt. Colonel Leopold A.D. Montague. The majority of these objects are from Greece, Rome, Egypt and Western Asia. L.A.D. Montague had a passion for collecting antiquities but he also played a leading role in organising some of the first scientific archaeological excavations in Devon and Exeter. One of the finest pieces in the collection is a Greek hoplite helmet found in the Straits of Euboea in 1870.

RAMM has a fine collection of Cypriot antiquities. Nearly 200 of these were collected by Claude Delaval Cobham when he worked as the Commissioner for Cyprus. Most of these objects date between 4500-2300 years ago and were grave goods from tombs or offerings at sites called ‘sanctuaries'. Cyprus' position in the Mediterranean means that it is ideally placed for trade but also for invasion. The objects show influences from Egypt, Western Asia and Greece.