National Archaeological Museum of Altamura

The exhibition of the National Archaeological Museum of Altamura represents a fascinating journey through the various historical and cultural eras of the Peucezi, illustrating at the same time their interactions with the surrounding territory and with neighboring civilizations. The excavation campaigns undertaken since the post-war period have revealed a settlement of great historical importance, with finds that extend from the Bronze Age to the Hellenistic period. The exhibition is expertly structured on two floors, starting on the first floor with a story that embraces the civilizations that have succeeded one another in the Alta Murgia, from Prehistory to Late Antiquity. Here, the visitor can admire archaeological materials from local settlements and necropolises. Particular attention is currently reserved for the exhibition entitled “Prehistory of food”, which aims to highlight the strong link with the agricultural tradition of the region.

An entire section of the museum is dedicated to the Altamura man, while among the many highly valuable finds exhibited in the museum, a special mention should be made of the worked bone handle, which is presumed to have served as a grip for a dagger, found in the grave goods of an individual buried in a cave tomb near Casal Sabini, not far from Altamura. Another work of considerable value is the lid of an Apulian red-figure pyx, dating back to the second half of the 4th century BC and attributed to the renowned workshop of the Dario Painter, one of the most illustrious ceramic artists of the time. It depicts a scene that seems to be inspired by the tragedy “Hippolytus” by Euripides, with Phaedra as the protagonist, caught in her grief over the death of Hippolytus.

In addition, the rich archaeological documentation of the classical and Hellenistic era cannot ignore the extraordinary grave goods from the Agip Tomb, discovered in 1974. This tomb is characterised by an abundant quantity of objects, including numerous red-figure vases and a group of silver vases, accompanied by numerous clay figurines depicting deities such as Nike, Aphrodite and Eros. Among the most significant finds is a large monumental volute crater, found in fragments and attributed to the Darius Painter, which illustrates the clash between Alexander the Great and the Persian king Darius, which took place in Gaugamela in 331 BC. Finally, the cross-shaped pendant from the late ancient period deserves a special place, an object that testifies to the influence of oriental cultures in the period between the 6th and 7th centuries AD, even in rural contexts such as that of Belmonte, where this precious find comes from.