Culti e rituali nelle Grotte di Pertosa-Auletta in Campania tra la tarda età del Bronzo e la prima età del Ferro

Abstract

The Pertosa-Auletta Caves, are among the largest natural caves in the Campania region. They are crossed by an underground
river which emerges on the surface where it flows into the Tanagro river. The human frequentation of the caves
can be traced back to the prehistoric period. During the earliest phases the caves served as a well-protected temporary
dwelling but during the Bronze Age the caves became permanently settled. A pile-dwelling structure, seated in the
wide space at the cave entrance, which was partly flooded by groundwater, relates to this settlement phase. During the
initial periods of frequentation, the function of the caves appears to have been limited to domestic purposes, but the use
of the caves seems to have shifted towards a sacred articulation between the Bronze and Iron Age. The archaeological
evidence suggests that the cavity remained a sacred place up to the medieval period. The current contribution offers
a survey over the remains associated to the cult activities and seeks to define the possible rites ones conducted in the
cave.