Archaeological Museum of the Messapian Civilization of Vaste, Poggiardo

The Archaeological Museum of the Messapian Civilization offers along its exhibition path a succession of testimonials that lead the observer along a fascinating itinerary, along which one can relive the period when the Messapian Vaste reached its highest level of development, starting from the mid-4th century BC, through the rich quantity of artifacts found. One can indeed observe the rich furnishings of the sarcophagus tombs, the beautiful kraters, basins, strigils, as well as the typical “trozzelle” with geometric or floral decoration of the female burials. Numerous are also the architectural elements, among which stands out for importance a capital decorated with rosettes, part of a funerary column. The museum is arranged in chronological order: from the places of worship of the archaic and Hellenistic age, reconstructed in the first rooms, up to the Middle Ages. Noteworthy are the “small treasure” consisting of 150 silver staters in mint condition and the 17 “tesserae lussoriae” in ivory, a rare playing instrument of the Roman age.

An accurate virtual reconstruction, projected on a large screen, allows the visitor an authentic immersion back in time, making the visit to this jewel of Apulian archaeology unforgettable.