Museum of the Messapian Civilization

A fascinating itinerary along the streets of ancient Vaste, when the city reached its peak development, from the mid-4th century BC. The Archaeological Museum of the Messapian Civilization in Poggiardo is a treasure chest of artifacts found in various excavation campaigns, arranged chronologically, from places of worship from the Archaic and Hellenistic periods, reconstructed in the first halls, up to the Middle Ages.\n\nThe exhibition brims with rich grave goods from sarcophagus tombs, craters, basins, strigils, as well as hairpins with geometric or floral decorations from female burials. Notable are the treasure consisting of 150 silver staters of fine coinage and the 17 \"tesserae lusoriae\" in ivory, a rare gaming tool from the Roman era.\n\nThere are also numerous architectural elements, among which a rosette-decorated capital, part of a funerary column, stands out for its importance. A detailed virtual reconstruction also accompanies the visitor on an authentic journey back in time.