Physical evidence of dedication rites in rock churches of Basilicata and Apulia (Italy). Some case studies

This paper analyzes the physical evidence of the rite of dedication preserved in the rock-cut churches of Basilicata and Apulia, through a wide investigation of walls, columns, altars, vaults, inscriptions, and liturgical furnishings, supported by selected case studies. It compares these findings with examples from other Italian regions and foreign countries, highlighting both shared liturgical patterns and local adaptations required by rupestrian architecture. Particular attention is devoted to the colour, shape, materials, and placement of surviving dedication crosses - painted, carved, or graffito - as well as to the former presence of relics within altars, epigraphic records, and other tangible traces of consecration. The study also considers evidence of later rededication phases and clear signs of deconsecration. By bringing renewed attention to this often overlooked rite, the article seeks to provide a correct interpretation of its rare physical remains, frequently misunderstood in cave churches, and proposes a recognition method useful for identifying sacred stratifications and reconstructing the liturgical history of a church.