The Myth on Pottery exhibition at the Ningxia Museum in Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui autonomous region, highlights cultural connections while linking tourism with heritage. [Photo/Xinhua]

For Anna Lucia Tempesta, an Italian museum curator, an exhibition is never merely a display of ancient objects, but rather serves as an open invitation to intercultural dialogue.

This philosophy is currently coming to life in Ningxia Hui autonomous region, where an ongoing showcase of ancient Mediterranean pottery has evolved into a profound exchange between European and Chinese heritage professionals.

The catalyst for this exchange is the Myth on Pottery exhibition, which opened in late March at the Ningxia Museum. Featuring 115 precious ceramics, sculptures and glassware from Italy's Puglia region, the event uses the myths of ancient Greek deities to illustrate Mediterranean culture and history.

However, as the exhibition settles into its three-month run, the spotlight has shifted beyond the artifacts to the deep, collaborative ties being forged behind the scenes.

Tempesta, the Italian chief curator of the exhibition and a promotion officer at Puglia's Department of Tourism and Culture, notes that the true triumph of the event lies in mutual discovery.

"These items are not merely vessels. Their patterns and motifs tell stories of ancient customs, earthly harvests and the relationships between peoples," Tempesta says after extensive discussions with her Chinese counterparts.

"These images are meaningful to us, and they hold meaning for you. If we converse, we explain and you listen, you interpret and we understand — that is true exchange. We are both enriched by it," she adds.

This shared understanding is vividly captured in the exhibition hall itself.

Chinese and Italian curators deliberately placed a 400 BC Greek krater from Puglia alongside a Chinese national treasure, namely a gilt silver ewer unearthed from a local tomb dating back to the Northern Zhou Dynasty (557-581). Made in the ancient Bactria region, which is in present-day northern Afghanistan, the ewer features Persian and Roman decorative elements.

Remarkably, both artifacts depict scenes from the Trojan War. Placed adjacent to each other, they create a vivid, cross-continental resonance spanning thousands of miles, underscoring Ningxia's historical role as a vital crossroads on the ancient Silk Road.

The Myth on Pottery exhibition at the Ningxia Museum in Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui autonomous region, highlights cultural connections while linking tourism with heritage. [Photo/Xinhua]

The cultural synergy has extended well beyond display cabinets. During their stay in Yinchuan, capital city of Ningxia, the Italian delegation toured the Ningxia Museum's cultural relic conservation center to observe Chinese preservation practices.

The European experts engaged in comprehensive discussions with Chinese specialists regarding restoration materials and preservation techniques.

According to Hong Quan, the exhibition's Chinese curator, the Italian team expressed admiration for the museum's advanced digital exhibition technologies and the meticulous dedication of its staff members, laying a solid foundation for future academic collaboration.

The Italian team's immersion in Chinese heritage also included a visit to the Xixia Imperial Tombs, which were inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List last year.

By comparing ancient Xixia ceramics and porcelain kiln sites with Italian archaeological finds, the experts marveled at the distinctiveness and historical value of China's regional heritage, noting how different environments shape unique artistic expressions.

Wang Xiaojun, curator of the Ningxia Museum, highlights that launching this exhibition during the spring tourism season was a strategic move to enrich public cultural life and foster deeper cultural cooperation between China and Italy.

Noting the striking similarities between Italy's rich rock art and the ancient petroglyphs found in Ningxia's Helan Mountains, Tempesta revealed an ambitious vision of the future.

"We hope to eventually bring the Helan Mountains rock art to Europe for exhibition," Tempesta says, adding that she looks forward to establishing a long-term, pragmatic partnership in relic conservation, joint exhibitions and academic research.