Poggiardo, locality Vaste, archaeological park
City:
Poggiardo, locality Vaste
Object:
Vaste Archaeological Park
Address:
A road 497, Maglie – Santa Cesarea Terme. The park extends from Vaste built-up area to the foot of Poggiardo sierra.
Property:
Public
Opening times:
Not yet inaugurated. It is anyway open to the public almost in full, except for the old-Christian church area, in the Giuliano estate.
Ticket:
Free Admittance
Info:
Penelope cooperative, telephone +39 0836 926224
History:
Vaste is one of the better known centres in Salento. There are traces of a settlement dating back to the Bronze age; the Iron age is more consistent and documented, with an Iapygian hut village (VIII-VII centuries B.C.) placed in the central and more elevate part of the inhabited area. The VI century B.C. period is documented by remains of rather simple residences, by a furnace and by a place of worship, currently visible in the archaeological park; the main find, dating back to the V century B.C., consists in a tumulus necropolis. The phase of great expansion of the city is datable between the IV and the III centuries B.C. The city is endowed with mighty boundary walls that delimit an urban area 77 hectares wide; layouts of streets, places of worship, houses and a palace structure have been identified within this space. The city is destroyed during the Roman conquest; nevertheless the excavation finds demonstrate that the area has been inhabited since the old-Norman age.
From the VII century A.D., the presence of an Early middle Age church in the Giuliano estate area, testifies that the area continue to being peopled. The city is inhabited without interruption from the Norman age till nowadays.
From the VII century A.D., the presence of an Early middle Age church in the Giuliano estate area, testifies that the area continue to being peopled. The city is inhabited without interruption from the Norman age till nowadays.
To see:
The area of the Vaste archaeological park includes a series of archaeological evidences referable to different ages. The boundary walls of the Messapian city, in part restored and rebuilt are among the most remarkable finds. It is an imposing defensive apparatus, built starting from about the end of the IV century B.C., constituted by two curtains of blocks and connected among them by an embankment in stone and ground; the external curtain of the town-wall underwent, in different points, one or more reconstructions. Five gateways have been found out: the east gateway, with the remains of a guard-tower is very interesting. Within the area there are several finds of Messapian age.
In Melliche estate area, it is possible to observe the remains of a place of worship, delimited by a low wall characterized by the presence of memorial stones, currently kept in the Vaste Museum; the graves of a necropolis datable among 470 B.C. and the III century B.C.; another place of worship dating back to the IV century B.C., composed by two small rooms placed along a road, and connected with one of the gateways. The park also includes finds relative to other historical ages. The site discovered in the Giuliano estate area is very remarkable., the overlapped structures of four churches have been, in fact, excavated and in part restored.
These buildings embrace a chronological period extending from the V to the X century A.D.. A particular interest is to be paid to the structure of the first church (datable to the V century A.D.), with a Latin cross plan, that has been interpreted as martyrium (church devoted to the cult of a martyr) and to the ecclesial structure of the second one (second half of the VI century A.D.) with a great apse and divided in 3 aisles. The whole area around the church is full of the necropolis graves connected with the martyrion, in part dug in the rock ridge behind the church.
In Melliche estate area, it is possible to observe the remains of a place of worship, delimited by a low wall characterized by the presence of memorial stones, currently kept in the Vaste Museum; the graves of a necropolis datable among 470 B.C. and the III century B.C.; another place of worship dating back to the IV century B.C., composed by two small rooms placed along a road, and connected with one of the gateways. The park also includes finds relative to other historical ages. The site discovered in the Giuliano estate area is very remarkable., the overlapped structures of four churches have been, in fact, excavated and in part restored.
These buildings embrace a chronological period extending from the V to the X century A.D.. A particular interest is to be paid to the structure of the first church (datable to the V century A.D.), with a Latin cross plan, that has been interpreted as martyrium (church devoted to the cult of a martyr) and to the ecclesial structure of the second one (second half of the VI century A.D.) with a great apse and divided in 3 aisles. The whole area around the church is full of the necropolis graves connected with the martyrion, in part dug in the rock ridge behind the church.
Deepenings:
