ITALY AND ITS COLONIES: Askaris, Uniforms, and African Heritage in the Museum Collections of Trentino-South Tyrol

1-253420

Investigates objects collected during Italy's colonial history in Eritrea, Somalia, Libya and Ethiopia, and the narratives they shaped. Analyzes and questions the creation of these collections, when museums such as the one in Rovereto opened special colonial rooms. The objects served not only documentation purposes but also the glorification of conquest, the construction of an exotic enemy image, and the strengthening of Italian imperial identity through propaganda. Detailed analysis examines uniforms, helmets, and insignia. Mapping extends from the first possessions in Eritrea and Somalia to the Mahdist War in Sudan, the conquest of Libya, and finally the brutal war in Ethiopia, without neglecting lesser-known episodes such as the Tianjin concession or the Dodecanese.