The Pertosa-Auletta Caves, in the Salerno area, are preparing to reveal new secrets of the past. Following the significant discoveries made during the November 2025 campaign, a new phase of archaeological investigations will begin in the coming days along the bed of the underground river that flows through the cave and into the Tanagro River.
Artificial emptying opens the submerged areaThe operations will be possible thanks to the temporary emptying of an artificial reservoir located near the cave entrance, managed by the Iren Group.
This technical condition, essential for working safely in a normally flooded environment, allows archaeologists to access otherwise inaccessible areas and continue exploring the archaeological deposit located approximately 40 meters from the entrance. A unique protohistoric pile-dwelling village in Europe. The area at the center of the investigation preserves traces of human occupation across multiple eras, from the Middle and Late Bronze Age to the Hellenistic-Roman period.
Of particular note is the concentration of vertical piles linked to the protohistoric pile-dwelling settlement, identified as early as the late 19th century. This is an extraordinary site, considered unique in Europe: prehistoric communities managed to reclaim and inhabit a humid environment subject to periodic flooding, creating a true underground village.
Cultic evidence from the Hellenistic-Roman periodIn addition to the protohistoric structures, scholars are studying evidence from the Hellenistic-Roman period, likely connected to cultic practices linked to the deities worshipped in the cave and the underground waters that flow through it.
The investigations aim to better clarify these phases of occupation and their significance in the sacred context of the site. A three-year ministerial project with excellent partnerships. The research is being conducted within the framework of the 2025-2027 ministerial grant awarded by the Ministry of Culture to the MIdA Foundation – Integrated Environmental Museums, in agreement with the Superintendency of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for the provinces of Salerno and Avellino.
The project is being collaborated on by the "Enzo dei Medici" Speleo-Archaeological Research Center and the Central Institute for Archaeology (MIC), with the essential financial and technical support of the Iren Group, operator of the downstream hydroelectric plants. The new investigations represent a valuable opportunity to expand knowledge of one of Italy's most unique archaeological sites, combining prehistory, underground environments, and the sacredness of water in a unique setting.
Auletta. Antonio Pucciarelli, the 78-year-old man who was seriously injured last week by a gas leak at his home in Auletta, in the province of Salerno, passed away today at the Cardarelli Burns Center in Naples. Unfortunately, despite medical attention, the man's burns, which he sustained on several…
This morning in Auletta, a small town in the province of Salerno, a powerful explosion occurred in a house, injuring one person. The injured man, a man in his 70s, was rushed to the hospital by air ambulance due to severe burns. According to initial reports, the explosion…
Pertosa-Auletta Caves, Mercadini on stage on May 31st with a monologue on water for Stillafest
Writer and playwright Roberto Mercadini will be the guest of honor at the opening of the first edition of Stillafest, the national festival of water science, environment, and philosophy, on May 31st. The festival will take place in the evocative setting of the Pertosa-Auletta Caves on June 7th, 8th, and 9th, 2024, in the National Park…
Source EDITORIAL TEAM
Choose the social channel you want to subscribe to