In order to put a stop to robbing by clandestine excavators it has been necessary to re-open investigations in the area. There have been several indications of the presence of a rich votive deposit in this area outside the city, comprising ceramics and bronzes which can be linked to a cult site dedicated to Demeter and Kore, according to Lo Porto. In a later phase Dionysos-Hades was added to this cult site which was dedicated to Demeter or Artemis, according to Adamesteanu. The topographical relationship between the sanctuary and the exterior of the city walls was documented and the period of use, from the end of the 7th century B.C. to the first half of the 3rd century B.C., was established on the basis of the material recovered. Below the latest alluvial layers, a large quantity of votive material was recoverd, some still conserved in its original context. The sanctuary's female divinity appears to have been be Aphrodite, despite the generic and indistinct iconography of the archaic figurines. Support for this theory can be found in several attributes that are specific to this deity. However, one of the strongest indications is the link between the ex-voto and water. All the miniature vases reproduce vessel forms for drinking or pouring. The most interesting aspect is the fact that an extensive sand dune has been identified in the area, cut by a drainage channel and covered by a modern road. Within the sand are the very disturbed remains of one or perhaps two cult buildings. Fragments of limestone blocks and architectural terracottas offer valid evidence for the existence of a sanctuary with monumental buildings. Between the dune and the city walls the line of an ancient depression has been identified, marked by dark and marshy terrain. It is probable that a meander of the Basento river fed into this part of the city's defensive ditch before reaching the port area on the southern side of the city. The sanctuary would therefore have had a direct and functional relationship with the port. (Maria Luisa Nava)