The museum was established in 1987 and is housed in an ancient oil mill beneath the house inhabited by Carlo Levi (1902-1975) between 1935 and 1936, during the eight and a half months of confinement spent in Aliano. Objects used by peasants in agricultural, artisanal activities and daily life are on display: tools for fieldwork, the millstone and presses used for olive pressing, crockery and pans, irons and tools for preparing homemade pasta, lamps, braziers, harnesses.
The museum also documents ancient trades, such as wool spinning for fabric production and brick firing. Also very interesting are the apotropaic masks and musical instruments used in the carnival.
Note the reconstruction of a typical peasant bedroom where men and animals slept together, making use of the limited space vertically.
Information about Museo della civiltà contadina
Piazza Garibaldi
75010 Aliano (Matera)
0835568181; 0835568315
proloco@aliano.it
Source: MIBACT
