Archaeologists completed an excavation mission within the Pertosa-Auletta Cave in southern Italy, unearthing an ancient Greek sanctuary identified as a cultic structure from the Hellenistic period. The discovery confirms the historical significance of the site and suggests it served as a gathering place for a Hellenistic cult during the 4th to 1st centuries BCE, according to GreekReporter.com.
Located in the Cilento mountain range within the Alburni geological park in the province of Salerno, the Pertosa-Auletta Cave revealed a sacred area along its underground waterway. Among the objects found was a small bowl used for incense burning, indicative of cult ceremonies during the Hellenistic period. This artifact suggests that ritual practices were conducted within the cave, shedding light on religious activities during that era.
Experts propose that the cave may have been used for ritual offerings, purification ceremonies, or oracle practices, paralleling other subterranean sanctuaries in the Greek world. Despite the sanctuary dating between the 4th and 1st centuries BCE, it has not been determined from which type of cult the remnants in the Pertosa-Auletta Cave stem.
The archaeological excavation, which began in late January 2025, focused on the cave's entrance area, where researchers explored sections along Italy's only navigable underground river. To facilitate their work, the underground river was dammed, allowing for an examination of the underlying riverbed, according to Popular Mechanics. Approximately 130 feet from the cave's entrance, archaeologists spent weeks sifting through the newly revealed, mud-sodden riverbed.
While investigating the site, researchers studied an ancient wooden village discovered last year within the Pertosa-Auletta Cave. This wooden village, built on stilts, is considered unique in Europe due to its underground location. New evidence suggests that the platform of the village is larger and more complex than previously believed, with extensions revealing greater structural complexity.
To determine the exact age of the village and understand how the wooden structures have survived for centuries, researchers collected wood samples for laboratory testing.
The excavations were conducted by the MIdA Foundation in collaboration with the Superintendency of Archaeology, Fine Arts, and Landscape of Salerno and Avellino. The project included contributions from the Enzo dei Medici Speleological-Archaeological Research Center. Additional support came from Iren S.p.A. and the municipalities of Pertosa and Auletta, who provided logistical and technical assistance.
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