Il Museo, inaugurated in 2004, is located in the Baronial Castle of the village of Oliveto Citra. It hosts a first core of artifacts derived from the documentation of the excavation campaigns of 1928-29 which yielded as many as 65 burials, covering a wide chronological range, from the 8th-7th century to the 4th-3rd century BC, representing the culture of “Oliveto-Cairano” which within the framework of the “pit tomb culture” is unique for its strong conservatism and the exuberance of female ornamentation. The female burial goods indeed show a singular richness with absolutely characteristic elements, overloaded in all their parts with ornaments, as evidenced by the numerous objects that appear in the burial goods in particular abundance; displayed, with the reconstruction of a female ornamental costume inside the Museum (demonstrating the solemn and sacred image of the woman of Oliveto Citra as a characteristic example of this culture). The burial goods of the 4th century BC of Oliveto are similar to those of other centers of Sannitized Campania, a sign that this site also participated in the phenomenon of the “Sannitization of Campania”, which occurred during the second half of the 5th century BC. For the 4th-early 3rd century BC, the necropolises have yielded black-gloss and “red-figure” vases and obviously pottery with geometric decoration; an interesting clue to the Sannitization of the territory are the bronze belts, a peculiar element of the Sannitic costume.
Information on the Provincial Archaeological Museum of the Upper Sele Valley
Castello di Oliveto Citra – Via Chiesa snc,
84020 Oliveto Citra (Salerno)
09757717
museiprovincialisalerno@virgilio.it
Source: MIBACT
