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53-580: The Basento (Latin Casuentus ) is a river in the Basilicata region of southern Italy . It rises at Monte Arioso in the southern Apennine Mountains , southwest of Potenza in the province of Potenza . The river flows northeast near Pignola and Potenza before curving east near Vaglio Basilicata . It curves southeast and flows near Brindisi Montagna , Trivigno , and Albano di Lucania . A right tributary coming from Lago di Ponte Fontanelle flows into

106-570: A boost to the rebirth of Craco, making it one of the most popular ghost towns in the world. Other historical and distinctive villages are: Cave 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

159-473: 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 . Other locations include the ghost town of Craco , Melfi and Maratea . The region hosted, among the others, the filming of Il Demonio (1963), The Gospel According to St. Matthew (1964), Christ Stopped at Eboli (1979), I'm Not Scared (2003), The Passion of

212-569: A variety of archeological sites containing traces of Prehistoric, Greek, Roman and Jewish heritage: Basilicata 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). Other relevant religious buildings are: Of many castles that existed in

265-503: 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". Other traditional instruments are cupa cupa , zampogna and ciaramella . During

318-595: 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 "arch" of the "boot" of Italy, with Calabria functioning as

371-553: 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 9,992 km (3,858 sq mi) covered by mountains. Of

424-437: 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

477-733: 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). 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). Among industrial activities,

530-401: Is not a great difference between the population densities of the provinces of Matera and Potenza. Religion, particularly Roman Catholicism still 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

583-847: The Capetian House of Anjou . Since then, Basilicata began to lose importance and was marked by an irreversible socio-political decline. 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 Orsini Del Balzo of Altamura and Venosa and other anti-Aragonese families. Later, Charles V stripped most of

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636-1098: 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; 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. The Jewish catacombs of Venosa are cited among

689-737: The Gulf of Taranto , which is part of the Ionian Sea , near Metaponto . The main city on the Basento is Potenza , the capital of Basilicata . This Basilicata location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article related to a river in Italy is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Basilicata Basilicata ( UK : / b ə ˌ s ɪ l ɪ ˈ k ɑː t ə / , US : /- ˌ z ɪ l -/ ; Italian: [baziliˈkaːta] ), also known by its ancient name Lucania ( / l uː ˈ k eɪ n i ə / , US also / l uː ˈ k ɑː n j ə / , Italian: [luˈkaːnja] ),

742-702: 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

795-554: 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

848-561: The Middle Ages . 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 lūcus , meaning " sacred wood ". More probably, the name Lucania derived, like the forename ( praenomen ) Lucius , from the Latin word Lux (gen. lucis ), meaning " light " (from PIE *leuk- , "brightness", also

901-524: 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

954-688: The "predecessor of the Mariachi bands". Comedy duo Lyons and Yosco became popular for their million-selling ragtime piece "Spaghetti Rag". 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. Since the post–World War II era, Basilicata has become

1007-533: The "toe" and Apulia the "heel". The region covers about 10,000 km (3,900 sq mi). In 2010, the population was slightly under 600,000. The regional capital is Potenza . The region comprises two provinces: Potenza and Matera . Its inhabitants are generally known as Lucanians ( Italian : lucani ), and to a lesser extent as basilicatesi or by other very rare terms. In ancient times part of its territory belonged to Magna Graecia , subject to coastal Greek colonies (including Sybaris ). Later

1060-614: 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

1113-680: The Italian movie industry. Gallo-Italic of Basilicata These dialects are found in two areas: one near the regional capital of Potenza (in Tito , Picerno , Pignola and Vaglio Basilicata ), but not in Castelmezzano , and another on the Tyrrhenian coast ( Trecchina , Rivello , Nemoli and San Costantino ). Similar communities have survived in Sicily , speaking Gallo-Italic dialects of Sicily . This language-related article

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1166-799: 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

1219-653: 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

1272-454: 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

1325-543: The coasts. 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

1378-530: 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

1431-461: 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

1484-703: 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

1537-493: The first futurist painter in America. During his exile under the fascist regime , Carlo Levi , a painting passionate, left many works, today exposed in Matera. Although 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 )

1590-557: The increasing presence of Greek colonies, which changed the balance of the trades. In 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

1643-595: 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. After 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

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1696-959: 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. The region produced about 100,000 bbl/d (16,000 m /d), meeting 11 percent of Italy's domestic oil demand. FIAT plant in Melfi has 7,200 employees and manufactured 229,848 Jeep Renegade , Jeep Compass and Fiat 500X in 2020. The Gross domestic product (GDP) of

1749-492: 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, 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 . In 2019, Matera

1802-741: The most significant signs of the Jewish presence in southern Italy. 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. Frescoes from the Angevin period can be found in the Abbey of the Santissima Trinità of Venosa, the Rupestrian churches of S. Mary of

1855-809: The other best preserved castles of the region are: Basilicata has many small and picturesque villages, nine of them have been selected by I Borghi più belli d'Italia (English: The most beautiful Villages of Italy ), a non-profit private association of small Italian towns of strong historical and artistic interest, that was founded on the initiative of the Tourism Council of the National Association of Italian Municipalities. 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

1908-628: 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

1961-546: 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. It

2014-572: 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. 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

2067-399: 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. As of 2024, the population is 533,636 inhabitants which is a 12.7% decrease since 1993. The population density is very low compared to that of Italy as a whole: 59.1 inhabitants per km compared to 200.4 nationwide in 2010. There

2120-566: 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. The unemployment rate stood at 8.6% in 2020, the lowest rate in South Italy . Difficult accessibility and lack of extended promotion make Basilicata one of

2173-709: 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 . 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

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2226-585: 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

2279-410: 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 . Geological 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

2332-440: The river in this area. The river forms the border between the province of Potenza and the province of Matera for a short distance before flowing into the province of Matera. It flows eastward near Tricarico , Calciano , and Grassano before curving southeast. The river flows near Grottole , Miglionico , Pomarico , Ferrandina , and Monte Finese before curving eastward. It flows near Pisticci and Bernalda before flowing into

2385-404: 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

2438-399: The root of the Latin verb lucere , "to shine"), which is a cognate of the name Lucas . Another proposed etymology is a derivation from the Etruscan word Lauchum (or Lauchme ), meaning " king ", which passed into Latin as Lucumo . Basilicata covers an extensive part of the southern Apennine Mountains , between the Ofanto river in the north and the Pollino massif in the south. It

2491-457: The sea, consisting of huts on the promontory of Capo la Timpa , 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 Tursi , known at the time as Anglona, located between the fertile valleys of Agri and Sinni , of Siris and, on

2544-400: The share of practicing believers higher in Basilicata (27.9%) Basilicata is divided into two provinces: [REDACTED] Cultivation 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 31,000 hectares (77,000 acres) under cultivation. The terrain

2597-409: 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

2650-418: 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

2703-409: The unified Kingdom of Italy (proclaimed in 1861) after the 1860 Expedition of the Thousand . The name probably derives from basilikos ( Greek : βασιλικός ), 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. Others argue that the name may refer to the Basilica of Acerenza , which held judicial power in

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2756-528: Was designated as the European Capital of Culture . Seaside tourism is mainly concentrated in Maratea , nicknamed "The Pearl of Tyrrhenian Sea", 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, 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". Basilicata has

2809-450: 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. Although Basilicata has never had a large population, there have nevertheless been quite considerable fluctuations in

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