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{{short description|Region of Italy}}{{use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}

factoids

sing.), (m. pl.), ({{abbr>f.title=Population on 1 January by age, sex and NUTS 2 regionwebsite=www.ec.europa.eu}}|demographics2_title1 = Total|demographics2_info1 = €13.022 billion (2021)Central European Time>CET| utc_offset1 = +1Central European Summer Time>CEST| utc_offset1_DST = +2| postal_code_type = | postal_code = | area_code_type = ISO 3166 code | area_code = IT-77Human Development Index>HDI (2021)WEBSITE=HDI.GLOBALDATALAB.ORGACCESS-DATE=2023-03-05, {{colorvery high}} · 17th of 21First-level NUTS of the European Union#Italy>NUTS Region| blank_info_sec2 = ITFwww.regione.basilicata.it/}}| footnotes = }}Basilicata ({{IPAc-en|UK|b|É™|ËŒ|s|ɪ|l|áµ»|ˈ|k|ɑː|t|É™}},ENCYCLOPEDIA,www.lexico.com/definition/Basilicata,web.archive.org/web/20200322182312/https://www.lexico.com/definition/basilicata, dead, 2020-03-22, Basilicata, Lexico UK English Dictionary, Oxford University Press, {{IPAc-en|US|-|ËŒ|z|ɪ|l|-}},AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY, Basilicata, 6 May 2019, {{IPA-it|baziliˈkaːta|lang}}), also known by its ancient name Lucania ({{IPAc-en|l|uː|ˈ|k|eɪ|n|i|É™}}, {{IPAc-en|USalso|l|uː|ˈ|k|ɑː|n|j|É™}},MERRIAM-WEBSTER, Basilicata, 6 May 2019, WEB,www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/lucania, Lucania, Collins English Dictionary, HarperCollins, 6 May 2019, {{IPA-it|luˈkaːnja|lang}}), is an administrative region in Southern Italy, bordering on Campania to the west, Apulia to the north and east, and Calabria to the south. It has two coastlines: a 30-km stretch on the Tyrrhenian Sea between Campania and Calabria, and a longer coastline along the Gulf of Taranto between Calabria and Apulia. The region can be thought of as the “instep” of the “boot” of Italy, with Calabria functioning as the “toe” and Apulia the “heel”.The region covers about {{convert|10,000|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}. In 2010, the population was slightly under 600,000. The regional capital is Potenza. The region comprises two provinces: Potenza and Matera.WEB,www.treccani.ienciclopedia/basilicata, Basilicata nell’Enciclopedia Treccani, www.treccani.it, WEB, http:www.treccani.ivocabolario/lucano, lucano in Vocabolario – Treccani, www.treccani.it, Its inhabitants are generally known as Lucanians (), and to a lesser extent as or by other very rare terms.WEB, https:accademiadellacrusca.it/it/consulenza/ci-sono-solo-lucani-in-basilicata/1415, Ci sono solo lucani in Basilicata?, Accademia della Crusca, it, 2021-10-29, In ancient times part of its territory belonged to Magna Graecia, subject to coastal Greek colonies (including Sybaris). Later the region was conquered by the ancient Romans. It was then conquered by the Byzantines, and then by the Normans around the year 1000 with the Hauteville family. Their presence explains the persistence of the Gallo-Italic linguistic enclaves of Basilicata, dialects influenced by Gallo-Italic dialects. The area was later dominated by the Aragonese and by the Spanish. Subsequently, it became part of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, before annexation to the unified Kingdom of Italy (proclaimed in 1861) after the 1860 Expedition of the Thousand.

Etymology

The name probably derives from basilikos (), which refers to the basileus, the Byzantine emperors, who ruled the region for 200 years, from 536/552 to 571/590 and from 879 to 1059.BOOK, La Basilicata dalla caduta dell’impero romano agli Angioiniyear=1997Acerenza, which held judicial power in the Middle Ages.BASILICATA - CALABRIA YEAR=1980, 46, During the Greek and Roman eras, Basilicata was known as Lucania. This was possibly derived from leukos (Greek: λευκός), meaning “white”, from lykos (Greek: λύκος), meaning “wolf”, or from Latin lÅ«cus, meaning “sacred wood”.BOOK, Inchiesta Zanardelli sulla Basilicata year=1976praenomen) Lucius, from the Latin word Lux (gen. lucis), meaning “light” (from Proto-Indo-European language>PIE *leuk-, “brightness”, also the root of the Latin verb lucere, “to shine“), which is a cognate of the name Lucas (given name). Another proposed etymology is a derivation from the Etruscan language>Etruscan word Lauchum (or Lauchme), meaning “king”, which passed into Latin as Lucumo.Bonfante G., Bonfante L, The Etruscan Language: An Introduction, 1983, p. 59.

Geography

File:Dolomiti lucane e Pietrapertosa.jpg|thumb|left|Dolomiti lucane and PietrapertosaPietrapertosaBasilicata covers an extensive part of the southern Apennine Mountains, between the Ofanto river in the north and the Pollino massif in the south. It is bordered on the east by a large part of the Bradano river depression, which is traversed by numerous streams and declines to the southeastern coastal plains on the Ionian Sea. The region also has a short coastline to the southwest on the Tyrrhenian Sea side of the peninsula.Basilicata is the most mountainous region in the south of Italy, with 47% of its area of {{convert|9,992|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} covered by mountains. Of the remaining area, 45% is hilly, and 8% is made up of plains. Notable mountains and ranges include the Pollino massif, the Dolomiti lucane, Monte Vulture, Monte Alpi, Monte Carmine, Monti Li Foj and Toppa Pizzuta.File:Calanchi1.jpg|thumb|Badlands in AlianoAlianoGeological features of the region include the volcanic formations of Monte Vulture, and the seismic faults in the Melfi and Potenza areas in the north, and around Pollino in the south. Much of the region was devastated in the 1857 Basilicata earthquake. More recently, the 1980 Irpinia earthquake destroyed many towns in the northwest of the region.The mountainous terrain combined with weak rock and soil types makes landslides prevalent. The lithological structure of the substratum and its chaotic tectonic deformation predispose the slope to landslides, and this problem is compounded by the lack of forested land. In common with many another Mediterranean region, Basilicata was once rich in forests, but they were largely felled and made barren during the time of Roman rule.The variable climate is influenced by three coastlines (Adriatic, Ionian and Tyrrhenian) and the complexity of the region’s physical features. In general, the climate is continental in the mountains and Mediterranean along the coasts.

History

{{more citations needed|section|date=September 2022}}

Prehistory

The first traces of human presence in Basilicata date to the late Paleolithic, with findings of Homo erectus. Late Cenozoic fossils, found at Venosa and other locations, include elephants, rhinoceros and species now extinct such as a saber-toothed cat of the genus Machairodus. Examples of rock art from the Mesolithic have been discovered near Filiano. From the fifth millennium, people stopped living in caves and built settlements of huts up to the rivers leading to the interior (Tolve, Tricarico, Aliano, Melfi, Metaponto). In this period, anatomically modern humans lived by cultivating cereals and animal husbandry (Bovinae and Caprinae). Chalcolithic sites include the grottoes of Latronico and the funerary findings of the Cervaro grotto near Lagonegro.The first known stable market center of the Apennine culture on the sea, consisting of huts on the promontory of {{ill|Capo la Timpa|it|Area archeologica di Capo la Timpa|vertical-align=sup}}, near to Maratea, dates to the Bronze Age. The first indigenous Iron Age communities lived in large villages in plateaus located at the borders of the plains and the rivers, in places fitting their breeding and agricultural activities. Such settlements include that of Anglona, located between the fertile valleys of Agri and Sinni, of Siris and, on the coast of the Ionian Sea, of Incoronata-San Teodoro. The first presence of Greek colonists, coming from the Greek islands and Anatolia, date from the late eighth century BC.There are virtually no traces of survival of the 11th–8th century BC archaeological sites of the settlements (aside from a necropolis at Castelluccio on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea): this was perhaps caused by the increasing presence of Greek colonies, which changed the balance of the trades.

Ancient history

File:Lucania da The Historical Atlas, by William R. Shepherd, 1911.png|thumb|left|The ancient region of LucaniaLucaniaIn ancient historical times, the region was originally known as Lucania, named for the Lucani, an Oscan-speaking population from central Italy.Starting from the late eighth century BC, the Greeks established a settlement first at Siris, founded by fugitives from Colophon. Then with the foundation of Metaponto from Achaean colonists, they started the conquest of the whole Ionian coast. There were also indigenous Oenotrian foundations on the coast, which exploited the nearby presence of Greek settlements, such as Velia and Pyxous, for their maritime trades. The region became one of the centers of Magna Graecia, with the foundation along its coasts of many Greek city-states (póleis).The first contacts between the Lucanians and the Romans date from the latter half of the fourth century BC. After the conquest of Taranto in 272, Roman rule was extended to the whole region: the Appian Way reached Brindisi and the colonies of Potentia (modern Potenza) and Grumentum were founded.

Middle Ages

File:Robert Guiscard claimed as a Duke.jpg|thumb|Pope Nicholas II investing Robert Guiscard as duke in MelfiMelfiAfter the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476, Basilicata fell to Germanic rule, which ended in the mid-6th century when the Byzantines reconquered it from the Ostrogoths between 536 and 552 during the apocalyptic Byzantine-Gothic war under the leadership of Byzantine generals Belisarius and Narses. The region, deeply Christianized since as early as the 5th century, became part of the Lombard Duchy of Benevento founded by the invading Lombards between 571 and 590.In the following centuries, Saracen raids led part of the population to move from the plain and coastal settlements to more protected centers located on hills. The towns of Tricarico and Tursi were under Muslim rule for a short period: later the “Saracen” population would be expelled.BOOK, Società napoletana di storia patria, Archivio storico per le province napoletane,archive.org/details/archiviostoricop25rdepuoft, 1876, The region was conquered once more for Byzantium from the Saracens and the Lombards in the late 9th century, with the campaigns of Nikephoros Phokas the Elder and his successors, and became part of the theme of Longobardia. In 968 the theme of Lucania was established, with the capital at Tursikon (Tursi).In the 11th century, Basilicata, together with the rest of much of southern Italy, was conquered by the Normans. Melfi became the first capital of the County of Apulia (later County of Apulia and Calabria) in 1043, where Robert Guiscard was named “Duke” by Pope Nicholas II. Inherited by the Hohenstaufen, Frederick II reorganized the administrative structure of his predecessors and the Justiciarate of Basilicata, whose borders coincided almost entirely with the actual region, was created. In Melfi, the Emperor promulgated the Liber Augustalis (commonly known as Constitutions of Melfi), code of laws for the Kingdom of Sicily. The Swabians were ousted in the 13th century by the Capetian House of Anjou. Since then, Basilicata began to lose importance and was marked by an irreversible socio-political decline.

Modern and contemporary times

(File:Banda Totaro.jpg|thumb|left|Band of brigands from Basilicata, {{circa|1860}})In 1485, Basilicata was the seat of plotters against King Ferdinand I of Naples, the so-called conspiracy of the Barons, which included the Sanseverino of Tricarico, the Caracciolo of Melfi, the Gesualdo of Caggiano, the {{ill|Orsini Del Balzo|it|vertical-align=sup}} of Altamura and Venosa and other anti-Aragonese families. Later, Charles V stripped most of the barons of their lands, replacing them with the Carafa, Revertera, Pignatelli and Colonna among others. After the formation of the Neapolitan Republic (1647), Basilicata also rebelled, but the revolt was suppressed. In 1663 a new province was created in Basilicata with its capital in Matera.The region came under the dominion of the House of Bourbon in 1735. Basilicata autonomously declared its annexation to the Kingdom of Italy on August 18, 1860, with the Potenza insurrection. It was during this period that the state confiscated and sold off vast tracts of Basilicata’s territory formerly owned by the Catholic Church. As the new owners were a handful of wealthy aristocratic families, the average citizen did not see any immediate economic and social improvements after unification, and poverty continued unabated.This gave rise to the phenomenon of brigandage, which actually turned into a civil war in the form of a guerrilla fighting, whereby the Bourbon in exile and the Church encouraged the peasants to rise up against the Kingdom of Italy. This strong opposition movement continued for many years. The revolt in Basilicata was led by Carmine Crocco, who was the most important chief in the region and the most impressive band leader in southern Italy.Eric Hobsbawm, Bandits, Penguin, 1985, p. 25.It was only really after World War II that things slowly began to improve thanks to land reform. In 1952, the inhabitants of the Sassi di Matera were rehoused by the state, but many of Basilicata’s population had emigrated or were in the process of emigrating, which led to a demographic crisis from which it is still recovering.

Demographics

{{Historical populations|type=Italian National Institute of Statistics>ISTAT509000524000539000492000486000492000514000543000627586644297603064610186610528597768578036541168}}Although Basilicata has never had a large population, there have nevertheless been quite considerable fluctuations in the demographic pattern of the region. In 1881, there were 539,258 inhabitants but by 1911 the population had decreased by 11% to 485,911, mainly as a result of emigration overseas. There was a slow increase in the population until World War II, after which there was a resurgence of emigration to other countries in Europe, which continued until 1971 and the start of another period of steady increase until 1993 (611,000 inhabitants). However, in recent years the population has decreased as a result of a new wave of migration, both towards northern Italy and to other countries in Europe, and a reduction in the birth rate.WEB,circa.europa.eu/irc/dsis/regportraits/info/data/en/itf5_pop.htm, Eurostat, Circa.europa.eu, 26 July 2013, dead,circa.europa.eu/irc/dsis/regportraits/info/data/en/itf5_pop.htm," title="web.archive.org/web/20120303164608circa.europa.eu/irc/dsis/regportraits/info/data/en/itf5_pop.htm,">web.archive.org/web/20120303164608circa.europa.eu/irc/dsis/regportraits/info/data/en/itf5_pop.htm, 3 March 2012, The population density is very low compared to that of Italy as a whole: 59.1 inhabitants per km2 compared to 200.4 nationwide in 2010. There is not a great difference between the population densities of the provinces of Matera and Potenza.Religion, particularly Roman Catholicism stills maintains a solid role in the culture and everyday lives of people in Basilicata. Italian National Statistical Institute (ISTAT) in 2018 found that 24.9% of the population went weekly to church, synagogue, mosque, temple or other place of worship, with the share of practicing believers higher in Basilicata (27.9%){{citation needed|date=September 2022}}

Government and politics

Administrative divisions

(File:Map of municipalities of Basilicata - Italy.svg|thumb|Map of Municipalities of Basilicata)Basilicata is divided into two provinces:(File:Basilicata Provinces.png|250px){|class=“wikitable centered”!style="background:#ccf;“|Province!style="background:#ccf;“|Area (km2)!style="background:#ccf;“|Population!style="background:#ccf;“|Density (inh./km2)|Province of Matera|3,447|203,837|59.1|Province of Potenza|6,545|387,107|59.1

Economy

File:Sata Melfi.jpg|thumb|left|FIAT plant in MelfiMelfiCultivation consists mainly of sowables (especially wheat), which represent 46% of the total land. Potatoes and maize are produced in the mountain areas. Olives and wine production is relatively small with about {{Convert|31,000|ha}} under cultivation.FAO.org: Olive production: Olive Production: Extension, Consumption, and Exportation (pp.14)- Retrieved 2018-07-03 The terrain is mountainous and hilly with poor transportation routes that hinders harvesting. Most oils are sold unbranded and only 3% is exported. The main olive cultivars are Ogliarola del Vulture, Ogliarola del Bradano, Majatica di Ferrandina and Farasana with only Ogliarola del Vulture having the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO).Olive oil Times: Basilicata- Retrieved 2018-07-03 Other varieties are the Arnasca, Ascolana, Augellina, Cellina, Frantoio, Leccino, Majatica, Nostrale, Ogliarola (Ogliarola Barese), Palmarola or Fasolina, Rapolese di Lavello, and Sargano (Sargano di Fermo and Sargano di San Benedetto).Italian olives {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151102230120oliveoilsindia.com/Italian-Olives.htm |date=2 November 2015 }}- Retrieved 2018=07-03Among industrial activities, the manufacturing sector contributes to the gross value added of the secondary sector with 64% of the total, while the building sector contributes 24%. Within the services sector, the main activities in terms of gross value added are business activities, distributive trade, education and public administration. In the last few years, new productive sectors have developed: manufacturing, automotive, and especially oil extraction. In 2009, Eni employed 230 people in this area (of whom over 50% were from Basilicata), and about 1,800 were employed in activities directly generated by Eni’s operations, distributed in 80 companies of which over 50% were from Basilicata.weblink {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120411115622www.eni.com/en_IT/sustainability/communities/basilicata-model/basilicata-model.shtml|date=11 April 2012}} The region produced about {{convert|100000|oilbbl/d|abbr=on}}, meeting 11 percent of Italy’s domestic oil demand.WEB,www.fossilfreeeib.org/fp_detail.php?fpID=17, Oil Exploration in Basilicata, Italy, Fossilfreeeib.org,www.fossilfreeeib.org/fp_detail.php?fpID=17," title="web.archive.org/web/20110726062259www.fossilfreeeib.org/fp_detail.php?fpID=17,">web.archive.org/web/20110726062259www.fossilfreeeib.org/fp_detail.php?fpID=17, July 26, 2011, dead, FIAT plant in Melfi has 7,200 employees and manufactured 229,848 Jeep Renegade, Jeep Compass and Fiat 500X in 2020.WEB,www.startmag.it/smartcity/stellantis-cosa-succedera-agli-stabilimenti-fca-di-torino-pomigliano-e-melfi/, Stellantis production statistics 2020, 11 January 2021, it, The Gross domestic product (GDP) of the region was 12.6 billion euros in 2018, accounting for 0.7% of Italy’s economic output. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was 22,200 euros or 74% of the EU27 average in the same year. The GDP per employee was 95% of the EU average.WEB,ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/2995521/10474907/1-05032020-AP-EN.pdf/81807e19-e4c8-2e53-c98a-933f5bf30f58, Regional GDP per capita ranged from 30% to 263% of the EU average in 2018, Eurostat, The unemployment rate stood at 8.6% in 2020, the lowest rate in South Italy.WEB,appsso.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/nui/show.do?dataset=lfst_r_lfu3rt&lang=en, Unemployment NUTS 2 regions Eurostat, en,

Tourism

Difficult accessibility and lack of extended promotion make Basilicata one of the most remote and least visited regions of Italy. However, tourism is slowly growing since the early 2000s. Matera, once dubbed “national disgrace” by prime minister Alcide De Gasperi who urged to take strict development measures due to its extreme poverty,WEB, The miracle of Matera: from city of poverty and squalor to hip hub for cave-dwellers,www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jun/17/matera-italy-culture-capital-cave-homes-from-squalor-to-airbnb-film-sets, theguardian.com, 18 June 2017, 19 November 2020, is now Basilicata’s main attraction and has gained fame worldwide for its historical center, the Sassi, designated in 1993 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.WEB,whc.unesco.org/en/list/670, The Sassi and the Park of the Rupestrian Churches of Matera, Centre, UNESCO World Heritage, whc.unesco.org, en, 2018-06-04, In 2019, Matera was designated as the European Capital of Culture.WEB, Plovdiv and Matera: European Capitals of Culture in 2019,www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/society/20181205STO20960/plovdiv-and-matera-european-capitals-of-culture-in-2019, europarl.europa.eu, 7 January 2019, 20 November 2020, Seaside tourism is mainly concentrated in Maratea, nicknamed “The Pearl of Tyrrhenian Sea”,WEB, Maratea, the Pearl of Tyrrhenian Sea,www.italiaslowtour.com/maratea-pearl-tyrrhenian-sea/, italiaslowtour.com, 18 June 2017, 19 November 2020, but also the Ionian coast (Policoro, Pisticci, Bernalda, Nova Siri) is fairly developed. Naturalistic attractions include Pollino, that hosts the largest national park in Italy,WEB, Visit Italy’s largest park - Parco del Pollino,www.italymagazine.com/italy/calabria/visit-italys-largest-park-parco-del-pollino, italymagazine.com, 23 July 2009, 19 November 2020, Dolomiti lucane and Vulture. The New York Times ranked Basilicata third in its list of “52 Places to Go in 2018”, describing it as “Italy’s best-kept secret”.NEWS,www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/travel/places-to-visit.html, 52 Places to Go in 2018, The New York Times, 2018-01-10, 21 January 2018, {{Gallery height=130 |align=center{{center|Sassi di Matera}}{{center|Maratea}}{{center|Pollino}}}}

Archeological sites

File:Tavole-palatine - Hera temple.jpg|thumb|Tavole Palatine, MetapontoMetapontoBasilicata has a variety of archeological sites containing traces of Prehistoric, Greek, Roman and Jewish heritage:

• Civita, Tricarico
• Grumentum
• Heraclea
• Metapontum
• Jewish catacombs of Venosa
• Notarchirico
• Petre de la Mola
• Serra di Vaglio
• Venusia

Religious buildings

File:Abbazia della Santissima Trinità ( Venosa).jpg|thumb|Abbey of Santissima Trinità ]]File:Cattedrale dal drone.jpg|thumb|Acerenza CathedralAcerenza CathedralBasilicata hosts a series of religious structures. The Abbey of Santissima Trinità, Venosa, is one of the most representative, which includes marks of Roman, early Christian, Romanesque, Lombard and Norman origin. It was chosen by Robert Guiscard as the Hauteville family’s burial (and he himself will be later buried there too).WEB, The Most Holy Trinity Complex in Venosa,www.portacoeli.it/venosa/en/the-context/the-most-holy-trinity-complex-in-venosa, portacoeli.it, 17 November 2020, Other relevant religious buildings are:

• Acerenza Cathedral
• Irsina Cathedral
• Matera Cathedral
• Melfi Cathedral
• Pierno Abbey, San Fele
• Potenza Cathedral
• Rapolla Cathedral
• San Michele Abbey, Monticchio
• San Pietro Caveoso Church, Matera
• Sanctuary of Anglona, Tursi
• Tricarico Cathedral
• Venosa Cathedral

Castles

File:Castello di melfi1.JPG|thumb|Melfi castleMelfi castleOf many castles that existed in the region, mostly isolated towers and ruins have survived. The Melfi castle is perhaps the most iconic, where important events from the Middle Age took place, such as the five councils between the Normans and the Catholic Church and the constitutions of Melfi promulgated by Frederick II. The Malconsiglio castle, Miglionico, hosted the conspiracy of the Barons against Ferrante of Aragon.Among the other best preserved castles of the region are:

• Bernalda castle
• Lagopesole castle
• Laurenzana Castle
• Muro Lucano castle
• Tramontano Castle
• Venosa castle

Other sights

File:Castelmezzano - Province of Potenza, Italy - 3 July 2010.jpg|thumb|CastelmezzanoCastelmezzanoFile:Uno sguardo su Craco Vecchia.jpg|thumb|CracoCracoBasilicata has many small and picturesque villages, nine of them have been selected by (),WEB,borghipiubelliditalia.it/basilicata/, Basilicata, 10 January 2017, 1 August 2023, it, a non-profit private association of small Italian towns of strong historical and artistic interest,WEB,www.repubblica.it/viaggi/2023/01/16/news/borghi_piu_belli_italia_14_nuovi_2023-383794441/, Borghi più belli d’Italia. Le 14 novità 2023, dal Trentino alla Calabria, 16 January 2023, 28 July 2023, it, that was founded on the initiative of the Tourism Council of the National Association of Italian Municipalities.WEB,borghipiubelliditalia.it/, I Borghi più belli d’Italia, la guida online ai piccoli centri dell’Italia nascosta, 3 May 2018, it, However, they have to face depopulation problems, while others such as Craco and Campomaggiore saw their old sites abandoned due to natural disasters. Nonetheless, filmmakers, writers and musicians have contributed to give a boost to the rebirth of Craco, making it one of the most popular ghost towns in the world.WEB, You’re Guaranteed to Get Goosebumps While Visiting the World’s 20 Eeriest Ghost Towns,www.fodors.com/news/photos/youre-guaranteed-to-get-goosebumps-while-visiting-the-worlds-20-eeriest-ghost-towns, fodors.com, 3 October 2018, 26 March 2021, Other historical and distinctive villages are:

• Accettura
• Acerenza
• Aliano
• Castelmezzano
• Guardia Perticara
• Pietrapertosa
• Rivello
• Rotondella
• Satriano di Lucania
• Valsinni
• Viggianello

Culture

Art

File:Pittore di pisticci, pelike con due donne, 440-430 ac ca.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Lucanian red-figure 430 BC}}, Archaeological Museum “Domenico Ridola”, MateraCave paintings were found in the Tuppo dei Sassi site (or Ranaldi shelter, after its discoverer Francesco Ranaldi, archaeologist and museum director), a prehistoric site in the Filiano territory, considered the oldest artistic trace in Basilicata. During the Greek colonisation era, artists like the Pisticci Painter and the Amykos Painter operated in the area of Metaponto around the 5th century BC. Metaponto is one of the largest and earliest Greek centres of vase painting in Italy;WEB, Lucanian red - figure nestoris,www.mfab.hu/artworks/lucanian-red-figure-nestoris/, mfab.hu, 16 November 2020, the Lucanian vase painting began around 430 BC, with the works of the Pisticci Painter. In the Armento area the Kritonios Crown and the Armento Rider were found, now exposed in Munich and London respectively.File:達文西自畫像.jpg|thumb|upright|Lucan portrait of Leonardo da Vinci, Museo delle Antiche Genti di Lucania, Vaglio ]]The Jewish catacombs of Venosa are cited among the most significant signs of the Jewish presence in southern Italy.WEB, Jewish Catacombs of Venosa,www.visitjewishitaly.it/en/listing/catacombe-ebraiche-di-venosa/, visitjewishitaly.it, 23 February 2021, Around the 7th century, basilian monks settled in Basilicata, leaving a high concentration of rupestrian churches (155 ascertained today), in Matera, Pollino and the Agri and Sinni Valleys.WEB, An Artistic Profile,www.aptbasilicata.it/Profilo-artistico.48+M52087573ab0.0.html?&bowhzyumzmqsntfr, aptbasilicata.it, 23 February 2021, {{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Frescoes from the Angevin period can be found in the Abbey of the Santissima Trinità of Venosa, the Rupestrian churches of S. Mary of the Valley in Matera, S. Antuono in Oppido Lucano, S. Lucia in Rapolla and S. Margherita in Melfi.The stone Nativity scene by Altobello Persio (1534) in the Matera Cathedral is an early example of Renaissance art in the region. Later Basilicata saw the imported and imitated art phenomenon with artists such as Giovanni Bellini and Cima da Conegliano, and Flemish painting by Dirck Hendricksz, Guglielmo Borremans, Aert Mijtens among the others. Local painters such as Giovanni De Gregorio, Andrea Miglionico and Carlo Sellitto had a Neapolitan school background. An alleged portrait of Leonardo da Vinci, dating back to the 1500s, was discovered in 2008, today exhibited in the Museo delle Antiche genti di Lucania, Vaglio.Some artists from the 19th century include Vincenzo Marinelli, Giacomo Di Chirico and Michele Tedesco. Several contemporary artists gained fame outside Italy, among them are worth to mention Marino Di Teana, Eugenio Santoro and Joseph Stella, sometimes cited as the first futurist painter in America.WEB, Joseph Stella (1877-1946)website=sullivangoss.comaccessdate=16 November 2020, During his exile under the fascist regime, Carlo Levi, a painting passionate, left many works, today exposed in Matera.

Music

File:BOURCARD(1853) p1.192 - I VIGGIANESI.jpg|thumb|left|I Viggianesi, by Filippo PalizziFilippo PalizziAlthough Basilicata hosted classical composers such as Carlo Gesualdo and Egidio Romualdo Duni, the region is primarily identified in popular music, which reflects the humble living conditions of its inhabitants. The arpa viggianese (commonly known as arpicedda) is a typical harp from Viggiano of average size, with a thin and light structure that makes it easier to carry; it was the distinctive instrument of street musicians from the Val d’Agri area in the past centuries, who wandered around the world and many of whom were admitted to symphony orchestras. Today, Viggiano is remembered as the “City of Harp and Music”.WEB, From local traditions to “augmented reality”. The MUVIG museum of Viggiano (Italy),core.ac.uk/download/pdf/82776779.pdf,web.archive.org/web/20190312101356/https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/82776779.pdf, 2019-03-12, live, core.ac.uk, 16 November 2020, Other traditional instruments are cupa cupa, zampogna and ciaramella.During the emigration wave of the late 19th century, some composers gained recognition in North America: Leonardo De Lorenzo, flautist of several American philharmonic orchestras and professor at the Eastman School of Music, regarded as one of the most eminent flute pedagogues of the 1900s; Carlo Curti, who helped to popularize the mandolin in the United States and Mexico, and founder of the Orquestra Típica Mexicana, considered the “predecessor of the Mariachi bands”.THESIS, Castillo, Manuel M., 2014, Italian and Spanish works of Mexican composers: Maria Grever, Ignacio Fernandez Esperon “Tata Nacho,” and Agustin Lara, Theses and Dissertations--Music,uknowledge.uky.edu/music_etds/32/, DMA dissertation, The University of Kentucky, UKnowledge, 20, September 8, 2015, The Orquesta Típica is the predecessor of the Mariachi bands and is the same orchestra that Tata Nacho conducted from 1960-1968., Comedy duo Lyons and Yosco became popular for their million-selling ragtime piece “Spaghetti Rag”.BOOK, Jasen, David A, 1986, Ragtime gems: original sheet music for 25 ragtime classics,books.google.com/books?id=AVo30wDPbIMC&q=spaghetti+rag+recording&pg=PR3, New York, Dover Publications, iii, 978-0-486-25248-3, Modern pop artists such as Mango and Arisa achieved great success in the Italian music scene. Since the mid-1990s, Basilicata hosts the Agglutination Metal Festival, one of the most long-lived heavy metal events in Europe.WEB,metalitalia.com/articolo/agglutination-metal-festival-2018-meet-greet-esclusivo-con-i-death-ss/, AGGLUTINATION METAL FESTIVAL 2018: meet & greet esclusivo con i DEATH SS, metalitalia.com, it, 19 July 2018, 2 November 2018, WEB,www.metalpit.it/xxiv-agglutination-metal-festival-il-programma-completo-del-festival/, XXIV AGGLUTINATION METAL FESTIVAL: il programma completo del festival, metalpit.it, it, 12 June 2018, 2 November 2018,

Cinema

Since the post–World War II era, Basilicata has become a set for many national and international film productions. Matera is the most coveted film location, especially for biblical-themed movies, being often compared with the ancient Jerusalem.WEB, Basilicata Blockbusters: What To Watch Before Visiting,www.italymagazine.com/featured-story/basilicata-blockbusters-what-watch-visiting, italymagazine.com, 16 November 2020, Other locations include the ghost town of Craco, Melfi and Maratea. The region hosted, among the others, the filming of The Gospel According to St. Matthew (1964), Christ Stopped at Eboli (1979), I’m Not Scared (2003), The Passion of the Christ (2004), The Omen (2006), Quantum of Solace (2008), Wonder Woman (2017), No Time to Die (2021).Some actors and film directors are from Basilicata, most notably Robert G. Vignola, a prominent figure of the silent era, Pasquale Festa Campanile, associated with the commedia all’italiana genre, Ruggero Deodato, known for his horror films such as the controversial Cannibal Holocaust. Tanio Boccia, Rocco Papaleo, Antonio Gerardi, Antonio Petrocelli, Alessandra Di Sanzo are other notable personalities in the Italian movie industry.

Cuisine

File:Le Lamie di Bitonte.jpg|thumb|Peperone cruscoPeperone cruscoThe local cuisine is mostly based on pork and sheep meat, legumes, cereals, vegetables and tubers. It is commonly referred to as “cucina povera” (peasant food), deeply anchored in peasant traditions. Bread crumb is considered a poor-man’s cheese substitute, sprinkled over pasta dishes and used as a seasoning for meat and vegetables. Horseradish is often used as a spice and condiment, which is referred to as “poor man’s truffle”.WEB,www.greatitalianchefs.com/features/basilicata-food-guide, The complete foodie guide to Basilicata, greatitalianchefs.com, 8 August 2019, 16 November 2020, The peperone crusco (PAT) is a specialty of the regional cuisine, sometimes labeled as “the red gold of Basilicata”.WEB,www.lacucinaitaliana.com/trip-to-italy/southern-italy/crusco-peppers-the-red-necklaces-of-basilicata-towns?refresh_ce=, Crusco Peppers: the Red Necklaces of Basilicata Towns, lacucinaitaliana.com, 16 September 2019, 30 August 2020, It is the dried form of the peperone di Senise (PGI), one of the most popular Italian pepper varieties.WEB,www.tasteatlas.com/most-popular-peppers-in-italy, Top 3 most popular Italian peppers, tasteatlas.com, 19 November 2020, 19 November 2020, Traditional recipes include pasta dishes like pasta con i peperoni cruschi and tumact me tulez, and main courses such as rafanata, acquasale. Pastizz and falagone are common street foods.Basilicata is best known for the Lucanica di Picerno (PGI) pork sausage that derives from lucanica, an ancient recipe originated before the Roman empire. Pane di Matera (PGI) is a type of bread recognizable for its intense flavour and conical shape, as well as long preservation.WEB,www.italianfoodexcellence.com/bread-of-matera-a-world-patrimony/, Bread of Matera, a world patrimony, italianfoodexcellence.com, 14 November 2016, 16 November 2020, Other principal products are cheeses like pecorino di Filiano (PDO), canestrato di Moliterno (PGI), padraccio (PAT) and treccia dura (PAT); vegetables like melanzana rossa di Rotonda (PDO); and legumes like fagiolo di Sarconi (PGI) and fagiolo bianco di Rotonda (PDO). The region is also known for its naturally sparkling mineral water that springs from the streams of Mount Vulture.WEB,www.aptbasilicata.it/Vulture-Mineral-Waters.651+M52087573ab0.0.html, Rionero in Vulture (PZ) - Vulture Mineral Waters, aptbasilicata.it, 16 November 2020, 6 June 2016,www.aptbasilicata.it/Vulture-Mineral-Waters.651+M52087573ab0.0.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20160606064537www.aptbasilicata.it/Vulture-Mineral-Waters.651+M52087573ab0.0.html,">web.archive.org/web/20160606064537www.aptbasilicata.it/Vulture-Mineral-Waters.651+M52087573ab0.0.html, dead, Alcoholic beverages include Aglianico del Vulture, considered one of Italy’s top red wines,WEB, Aglianico del Vulture: The Basilicata Region Produces One of the Great Undiscovered Wines of Italy,www.intowine.com/aglianico-del-vulture-basilicata-region-produces-one-great-undiscovered-wines-italy?page=0,2, intowine.com, 22 May 2008, 4 March 2016, and Amaro Lucano liqueur.

References

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External links

{{EB1911 poster|Basilicata}}{{commons}}

• {{Official websitewww.regione.basilicata.it}}
• Basilicata Tourist Office
• Photo gallery made by a UNESCO photographer

{{Basilicata}}{{regions of Italy}}{{Italy topics}}{{Authority control}}