Anzi (pz): un piccolo centro lucano nel cuore dell’archeologia borbonica

From 2014 the Classical Archeology Chair of the University of Basilicata, Dep. of Human Science, is leading a research project in Anzi (Potenza, Italy), an important ancient site situated in the inner part of Basilicata (scientific direction: Prof. M.C. Monaco). Along with archaeological surveys on the field, a considerable part of the research has been focused on the reconstruction of the events that involved the small Lucanian village as an indisputed star on the archaeological scene of the Kingdom of Naples, in particular during the first three decades of the 19th century. In this period, in fact, excavations carried out in its territory knew a real “golden age” in which was brought to light a considerable archaeological heritage, most of which – unfortunately – was irretrievably missing. Starting from the study of bibliographical and archival sources, these last largely still unpublished, emerges, with a certain vividness, that Anzi had become not only one of the most important supply centers for the Neapolitan market of antiquities, but also an ideal incubation place for the birth of real professional archaeologists always working between official archeology and illegal excavations. They were the “esperti scavatori” (expert excavators) and “rattoppatori de’ cocci” (restorers of vessels) from Anzi, at that time known as the most renowned around the Kingdom and, doubtless, among the main characters of the history of Bourbon archeology.