Discovering Gnathia: A Trip in History

“Gnatia lymphis iratis exstructa” -  Horace

                 “Gnathia built on tumultuous water”

Once upon a time there was a town on Apulian coast. It was prosperous thanks to its position on the Adriatic Sea. Everyone in the Mediterrean Sea knew Gnathia and many coutries had commercial relationships with it.

Leggi in italiano

This could be the beginning of a fairy tale, but actually it corresponds to the reality. The town of Gnathia existed until the 10^th – 15^th century a. C.  and you can visit it in Apulia, near Fasano, thanks to the effort of the Archeological Museum, which has brought it to light in collaboration with the University of Bari.

If you’re ready, let’s start the visit. We’re going to begin with the museum and then we’ll go outside to see the excavations of the Necropolis and the town. In the museum there is the whole history of Gnathia from the origins to its end. You will see artifacts that date back to the 15^th century b. C., the Bronze Age. Continuing the visit you’ll see how this town, and actually the surrounding area, developed and the influences that the native people, the Iapyges, had. So, you’ll see artifacts that remind you the Greek style and later the Romans. You’ll discover that here there was the Oriental cult of the Great Mother, Cibele, and one of the most beautiful pieces of the collection, Attis’s Head, which is also the symbol of the museum.

And then there is the section that I like the most, where you’ll find the Oriental artifacts, the evidence that this town had commercial relationships with Mediterranean countries and was the harbor to leave for those lands. Pay attention to the golden ring: it represents the Christ’s grave in the Holy Land and is perfectly preserved.

Let’s move to the Necropolis. In the museum you’ve seen some examples of grave goods; here you can have an idea of the kinds of grave of this area: the pit grave and the semi-chamber tombs. But the real treasure is beneath the museum, the Pomegranate Tomb. It’s a chamber grave discovered in 1971 during the construction of the museum. It’s decorated with frescos and its name is due to three pomegranates, the symbol of otherworldly life, painted on the walls. Honestly, I wouldn’t have believed that its doors still work, if I wouldn’t  have seen them in action.

Now it’s time to discover the town. Consider that what you see is just a part of it. Actually, the rest of it is under your feet, undiscovered. Apparently, the town extended in the whole area of the museum. Can you see that paved street? That’s the Trajan Way, which divided the town in two parts: the residential and artisanal quarters and the public buildings. Inevitably, I end up thinking about how it was to live in this town in the past. Just imagine: a place on the Adriatic Sea with a salty wind, the warm sun of May and people of different cultures who leave or arrive in the town to sell their merchandise. Can you see it?

That’s the end of the visit. Starting from the 1^st of June it will be possible to visit the Acropolis, the highest part of the town, where they found some more recent artifacts. It will be a new page of the history of Gnathia and I can’t wait to read it.

For more information you can visit the website of the ArcheologicalMuseum of Egnazia.