Summary (English)
Excavations continued on the Messapian residential complex revealing the beaten floors of the third and fourth rooms and identifying numerous foundation walls in squared carparo blocks and a roof collapse. Among these structures part of a beaten floor of crushed tufa of a Iapigian hut came to light. The associated proto-Corinthian pottery dated it to the 7th century B.C.
This new data was overshadowed by the discovery of an ostrakon, seemingly datable to the 5th century B.C., bearing an incision of the outline of southern Salento showing the position of twelve toponyms of ancient Messapia, among which, in a central position, SOL (that is the abbreviation of the Messapian toponym corresponding to the Latin Soletum, now Soleto). This precious find, is of great importance for understanding the cultural dynamics and the Messapians’ auto-definition of their identity in their relationship with Greek civilisation, and is also of importance for the history of cartography in the western world. It has been named the “Soleto map” and is the object of a collective study programme.
- Thierry Van Compernolle - Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier III 
Director
Team
- Alan Pézennec
- Daniela Tansella - Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici della Puglia
- Studente - Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier III
- Studenti - Università degli Studi di Lecce
Research Body
- Universitè Paul Valery - Centre d’Etude et de Recherche su les Civilisations Antiques de la Mediterranèe - Montpellier III France
Funding Body
- Comune di Soleto
- Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier III
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