A new excavation campaign begins in the Pertosa-Auletta caves in the province of Salerno

A new archaeological excavation campaign will be launched in the Pertosa-Auletta Caves in the province of Salerno in the coming days, following important discoveries that emerged during investigations carried out in November 2025. The research activities will focus along the bed of the underground river that runs through the cavity and resurfaces outside, flowing into the Tanagro River. The excavation work will be made possible by the temporary emptying of a reservoir located near the cave entrance, allowing archaeologists to operate in an area that is usually submerged.

The new phase of investigations intends to continue the study of the archaeological deposit located about forty meters from the mouth of the cavity, an area that has yielded significant traces of different phases of human presence. The evidence collected so far attests to a presence articulated over several periods, particularly from the Middle and Final Bronze Age to the Hellenistic-Roman period.

The area is of particular interest because it hosts the largest concentration of vertical piling that can be traced back to the Protohistoric pile-dwelling, identified as early as the late 19th century. This settlement represents, at the current state of knowledge, a unique case in Europe, both for its location in an underground environment and for the advanced capabilities of prehistoric communities to reclaim a wetland subject to frequent flooding. Alongside the pile-dwelling structures, research is also involving evidence from the Hellenistic-Roman period, likely connected to ritual and cultic practices related to the deities worshipped in the cave and the underground waters.

The excavation activities are taking place under a ministerial concession and are entrusted by the Ministry of Culture to the MIdA Foundation - Integrated Museums of the Environment for the three-year period 2025-2027, in agreement with the Soprintendenza Archeologia, Belle Arti e Paesaggio for the provinces of Salerno and Avellino. The “Enzo dei Medici” Speleo-Archeological Research Center and the Central Institute for Archaeology - MIC are also participating in the scientific project. The investigations also benefit from the economic and technical support of the IREN Group, which is responsible for managing the hydroelectric plants located downstream of the caves.

A new excavation campaign begins in the Pertosa-Auletta caves in the province of Salerno

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