Egnazia: National Archaeological Museum- ImaginApulia

Gnatia, better to say Egnazia, is an ancient town located in the Savelletri area (Fasano), founded by Greeks and Messapians. Thanks to his huge port, Egnazia was a crossroad for maritime and Puglia commercial trade.

Continue to read to discover more about this epic place!

market square sign at egnazia archeological museum of puglia

sacellum of attis at the archeological museum of egnazia puglia

The Archaeological Park

The traces of Gnatia across the years can be seen with a tour in the Archaeological Park.

The most important trace of the Roman period was the Trajan Way (Via Traiana), paved during the Trajan era: this road linked Benevento to Brindisi for commercial traffic.

In this area there are also The Baths, equipped with a calidarium, tiepidarium, swimming pool, marble baths, statues, mosaics and sitting rooms used to wait for your turn.

In the Baths area laconicum (our sauna) is visible: this room was used for perspiration baths by dry hot air.

The heat contained in the praefurnia was released both by suspensurae, pipes placed below the floor, and by holes in the hollow perimeter walls.

A masterpiece of engineering!

via traiana brindisi side at national archeological museum of egnazia

via traiana monopoli side at national archeological museum of egnazia

entrance of the termae at egnazia archeological museum of puglia

The Egnazia National Archaeological Museum

Certainly the archaeological park of Egnazia is one of the most interesting Apulian places to visit: here are the testimonies from the Bronze Age to the Medieval one.

Real archaeological investigations began in 1912: nowadays this area is still a site of excavations and archaeological discoveries.

Inside the National Archaeological Museum

The Museum is divided into areas from the Prehistoric Period to the Medieval one.

Talking about the must-see pieces, it’s impossible not to mention the Banquet, a piece that is almost unique: it depicts the lunch that, according to tradition, was always made during and after the burial of the departed ones.

Furthermore, there are the Messapic trozzella pots, which do have roundels called “trozze” applied to their handles.

In the same area there are the Gnathian pots, black pottery with white and yellow decoration, inspired by Greek culture.

greek an messapian pottery at the national archeological museum of egnazia puglia

clay statues at the national archeological museum of egnazia puglia

messapian pottery at the national archeological museum of egnazia puglia

greek pottery at the national archeological museum of egnazia puglia

ancient greek inspired vase at the national archeological museum of egnazia puglia

To discover more about the Messapic area, watch the video below, done for the Messapic Foundation of the UNPLI Puglia!

The Roman period in the Museum

Speaking of the Roman period (Hadrian era), the statue of Demetra is of particular interest.

According to a legend Demetra, the Greek Goddess of Agriculture, lost her daughter Persephone robbed from Hades, the God of Death.

Demetra became so crazy to find her daughter that she literally lost her head (which is why the statue doesn’t have the head).

Highly valuable in the museum there is also the head of Attis, the lover of Cibele (the Goddess of all Gods), both venerated in the Roman Period.

A nymph skimmed a fruit with her skin and became pregnant with a god: in this way Attis the beautiful, the great love of Cybele, was born.

roman stautue at the national archeological museum of egnazia puglia

roman sculpture at the national archeological museum of egnazia puglia

roman statue at the national archeological museum of egnazia puglia

gold ring at the national archeological museum of egnazia puglia

statue at the national archeological museum of egnazia puglia

Puglia ceramic tradition in the Museum

Ceramics were used to store and transport food (oil, wine) in Puglia since the Bronze Age.

In particular ceramic pomegranates formerly were a symbol of prosperity and the afterlife and inside the Museum you can find a lot of beautiful clay pomegranates, also in the tomb walls.

Actually pomegranates are still produced in Puglia: click this link to discover Grottaglie, the Apulian City of Ceramics!