The upper Agri valley (in Basilicata): Geoarchaeology and Ancient Topography of an inland mountain landscape

Abstract

Historically, the upper Agri valley is one of the most important connecting routes between the Ionian coast, the interior, and the Tyrrhenian coast. One of the aims of this project is to study the context extensively, in particular the landscape produced by a series of historical events. In addition we will aim to identify the reciprocal influences between geomorphology and ancient settlements, and to reconstruct the historical evolution of the landscape. Finally, we intend to create a ‘Map of Archaeological Potential’, which can be interpreted as an “Archaeological Risk Map”. This reconstruction has demonstrated that in the Lucanian period the distribution of settlements was very dense. A similar network of settlements was present during the Roman Republican period in relation to the establishment of Grumentum followed by the Gracchan centuriation. Finally, after the process of “Romanization” was complete, the modes of land use changed again.

Keywords

• Landscape Archaeology
• Ancient Topography
• Geomorphology
• Centuriation