Archaeological park · Magna Graecia · Apulia

Promontory of Saturo Archaeological Park

The Promontory of Saturo Archaeological Park lies on the Ionian coast of Apulia, near Leporano in the province of Taranto. The headland was the site of one of the earliest Greek settlements in the territory of ancient Taras (Taranto), with remains layered across prehistoric, Greek and Roman phases.

At a glance

Type: Coastal archaeological park
Period: Prehistoric, ancient Greek and Roman phases
Style: Magna Graecia coastal settlement and sanctuary site
Location: Saturo, near Leporano, province of Taranto, Apulia, Italy

Overview

The park occupies a promontory on the Ionian Sea south-east of Taranto. The site preserves traces of human presence reaching back to prehistory and of the early Greek colonisation linked to the founding of Taras. Its setting combines archaeology with a panoramic coastal landscape.

History

The promontory was occupied from prehistoric times and became one of the first points of Greek settlement in the area of ancient Taras. The location was tied to the broader colonisation of the Apulian coast within Magna Graecia. In later antiquity the site saw Roman-period occupation, leaving overlapping layers of habitation.

What you see

The archaeological area preserves structural remains, foundations and traces of ancient occupation set on the headland above the sea. Excavated zones document the successive phases of life on the promontory. The coastal position gives the visit both archaeological and scenic interest.

Cultural significance

Saturo is a key witness to the early Greek presence on the Ionian coast of Apulia and to the origins of settlement around Taranto. As an open archaeological park it links the deep prehistory of the region with the Greek and Roman past of Magna Graecia.

Practical information

The park is an open-air archaeological area on the coast near Leporano. For opening times, access and guided visits, check the official website of the managing authority or the Comune di Leporano.

Getting there

The site is reached by road from Taranto via Leporano, on the Ionian coast south-east of the city. The nearest major airports are Brindisi and Bari, both connected to Taranto by road.

Sources & resources

Find it on the map

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The Promontory of Saturo Archaeological Park is of very important historical and archaeological value, in fact extended to the entire locality formed by a wide river valley rich in archaeological remains between the Neolithic and the Early Middle Ages, not all protected and falling within private property.



The very long life phase of this coastal promontory and the valley behind it depends on its particular geological conformation and geographical position, the first places it among those coastal towns with double landing, the second depends on the close proximity to the great Port of Taranto.



In particular, inside the Park it is possible to admire and visit part of the large indigenous settlement of the Bronze and Iron Age, characterized by a small consolidation area, the remains of a polyadic sanctuary dedicated to Athena, two large portions concerning a Roman villa of the Imperial Age (II-IV century) which occupied a large part of the coastal promontory.



The large Roman structure rested, to the south, towards the coast, on a crypto-portico used as a lookout promenade and which connected the private house to the public baths with a large swimming pool. The construction of a probable landing stage or pier, according to others, can be interpreted as a breakwater barrier (which can be visited) dates back to this period.



Inside the park there is also a sighting tower from the 15th century, still intact, but awaiting restoration.



The park embraces a promontory of considerable naturalistic and landscape interest.



The land of the park is owned by the municipality. Since 2006, the PoliSviluppo cooperative, made up of archaeologists, has carried out guided tours, educational projects, experimental archeology laboratories, promotion and takes care of routine maintenance, opening of the Park and realization of scientific projects.



In the archaeological park are still visible:


	the remains of the Roman villa (in the figure marked with A1-4 and B1-4) and of its portico (in the figure marked with C);
	the anticorsara tower (in the figure marked with F);
	the acropolis with its terraces (in the figure marked with G1-2);
	the necropolis (in the figure marked with H);
	the large cistern cut (in the figure marked I);
	the Sanctuary of the Source (marked J in the figure);
	the stairway that descends from the acropolis to the sanctuary (in the figure marked with K);
	the various buildings built during World War II (in the figure marked with L1-4);
	the submerged masonry works that served as breakwaters and piers for the landing of ships (in the figure marked with M).




In the figure they are also marked:


	the areas where the nymphaeum stood (in the figure marked with E), destroyed by the construction of the military depot, now home to the Park refreshment point;
	the areas where the gardens of the villa stood (in the figure marked with D), today occupied by the Mediterranean scrub (including, rosemary and mallow trees, mimosa trees, gorse, reeds, etc.) and various benches for visitors to the Park;
	the main entrance of the Park (in the figure marked with N).



The portico of the ancient Roman villa is interrupted in its path by the construction of a bunker, a hill in reinforced concrete covered with earth. In the bunker a manual lift is still visible, consisting of an elevator floor served by concrete counterweights, which allowed a large lighthouse to come out from its top, to illuminate the sea (in favor of the coastal batteries) and the sky (a favor of anti-aircraft batteries).



At the foot of the bunker there is still a casemate, as is the case at the top of the ancient acropolis.

https://culturalheritageonline.com/places/promontory-of-saturo-archaeological-park-l4390/

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