Armento: Archaeological Area

In Serra Lustrante, Armento, site which is in the middle of the Agri Valley, an important sacred area has developed from the second half of the IV century B.C.; it has a Sanctuary dedicated to Heracles, whose importance quickly rose to a regional level. Right from the beginning of the XIX century, in the whole internal basin of the rivers Agri and Sinni, the ‘Regio Museo di Napoli’ (Naples Royal Museum) started many excavations directed by local civil servants or influential local people, often in consultation with great collectors or European museums. Amongst the most important finds in the Armento site, the most famous ones date back to 1814, as the golden crown of Kritonios and the bronze statue of the kneeling Satyr, both kept now in the museum in Munich. Other important objects, among which a suit of anatomical armour and several bronze vases, were found in 1844.

Satriano di Lucania: Site ‘Satriano Tower’

Satriano Tower was built on a hill that was hard to climb, between Satriano and Tito. It is a high Tower, with a square basis, situated in the middle of the ruins of a deserted settlement. Through the analysis of the fragments of ceramics found on the hillside, the scholars have dated the foundation of the first Satriano back to the period between the V and the VII century. On this hill, known as the Satriano Tower, now on the border between the territory of Satriano and that of Tito, there are several historical layers, starting from the Iron Age to the end of the Middle Ages. A legend says that the cruel Queen Giovanna II, sister of the king Ladislao, had a young companion brought from Terlizzi, in Puglia, with an armed escort. When the squad passed through Satriano, the noble woman was kidnapped because of her beauty. Queen Giovanna II ordered a cruel revenge. The settlement was destroyed by a dreadful fire, which left only the Tower and some walls.

Potenza: The Archaeological Museum

The ancient aspects of Basilicata emerge from the finds kept in the Archaeological Museum. Here are traces of history of the period between the Paleolithic Age and the Roman period. These finds come from several zones of the region, in particular from the Metaponto area, and are mostly composed by bronze objects, little statues, Greek and Latin inscriptions, ceramics and weapons. Particularly relevant are the bronze Corinthian elm, found in 1291 in Vaglio, little statues found in Monticchio and some items in terracotta found around Metaponto. Nowadays the museum hosts important expositions that attract the attention of those who love art. In particular, there have been expositions about Carlo Levi, Giorgio De Chirico and, lately, Carrà, that have conferred a fresh impulse to the ‘culture pole’. It was created to promote and improve the knowledge of works representing a common heritage for personal growth and enrichment.

Vaglio Basilicata: Site

The site of Rossano di Vaglio is a sacred area where the suburban Sanctuary of the goddess Mefitis used to be, with a paved square and an altar. It is one of the most important sites that bear witness of the language and worship of the Lucanians. The site of Serra di Vaglio is composed of an urban setting-up dating back to the VI-V century B.C., with walls 7 km long and tombs with rich outfits. One of the ancient buildings in Serra has been reconstructed and is called ‘the house of the pithoi’. This reconstruction was carried out using the materials and techniques of the time. Inside the building there are the original elements: the base of a cabinet, the pithoi for keeping food and the terracotta weights of a loom. It is also possible to have a view of the previous phases this site went through. Under the floor of the building there are the burials of the Archaic Era, amongst the remains of some huts of the Iron Age.