National Days of Rediscovered Archaeology

National Days of Rediscovered Archaeology in Prata Sannita

Every year, during the weekends of October, the small town of Prata Sannita, in the Province of Caserta, takes part in the National Days of Rediscovered Archaeology. This event, promoted nationwide by the Archaeological Groups of Italy, aims to enhance and protect those 'minor' cultural assets that risk being abandoned and erased from the community's historical memory. Now in its twenty-second national edition as of 2025 and frequently honored with medals from the President of the Republic, the initiative finds one of its most authentic expressions here at the foot of the Matese mountains: an entire village transforming into an open-air museum.

The Prata Sannita Archaeological Group

The local program is managed by the Prata Sannita Archaeological Group (G.A.P.S.), a volunteer organization associated with the Archaeological Groups of Italy, active in the area since 1981. In 2021, it celebrated forty years of research, restoration, and archaeological education in the Alto Casertano region. Based at Palazzo Procaccianti on Via Cantone, all activities are conducted by volunteer members, led by president Santillo Martinelli, who personally guides many of the local excursions.

Event Locations

The program varies from year to year but revolves around a specific heritage that is well worth the trip:

• The medieval village and the Castle of Prata Inferiore, the fortified core of the town and the usual meeting point for guided tours, departing from Piazza Castello.
• The Wall of the Fates (Muro delle Fate), in the Cerasa area: an imposing pre-Roman megalithic structure, likely a sacred or defensive building given its dominant position over the plain below.
• The ruins of the Convent of Sant'Agostino and the adjacent Pantani-Fragneto archaeological area, subjects of study and several G.A.P.S. restoration campaigns.
• The Old Mill on the Lete river, the traditional venue for documentary exhibitions on the historical, architectural, and artistic development of Prata Sannita, as well as many evening conferences.
• The parish church of San Pancrazio Martire, featuring an 18th-century floor that was once the subject of a restoration exhibition.
• Prata Superiore, the upper part of the town, reached via thematic walks often accompanied by poetry readings.

Conferences, Exhibitions, and the G.A.P.S. Notebooks

Alongside the tours, the cultural heart of the event is the presentation of the G.A.P.S. Notebooks series, which compiles the group's research. Volume 5 is dedicated to new studies on materials from the Convent of Sant'Agostino area, while volume 6, presented in October 2025, addresses the theme 'Spinning and Weaving – Tools of an Ancient Art.' Conferences are held at the Old Mill or in the former council chamber of the Town Hall, covering topics such as Roman presence in the area, the Samnites between Allifae and Callifae, and local religious iconography. The event also features a prehistory workshop for children and documentary exhibitions, making it a perfect outing for families.

Recent Editions

• 2021: Tours of the village, the Wall of the Fates, and Prata Superiore; conference on 'The Samnites between Allifae and Callifae.'
• 2022: 19th national edition, featuring visits to the ruins of Sant'Agostino and the Pantani-Fragneto area, and the presentation of Notebook no. 5.
• 2023: 20th national edition, spread over three dates (October 15, 22, and 28) covering the Wall of the Fates, Prata Superiore, and the Convent of Sant'Agostino, with readings by actor Pierluigi Tortora.
• 2025: 22nd national edition, held on October 18 and 19, with a guided tour of the village and the presentation of Notebook no. 6.

The Context: The Matese of Caserta

Prata Sannita is located at an altitude of 333 meters in the Lete valley, within the Matese Regional Park, in one of the most evocative and least-frequented inland areas of Campania. The event is sponsored by the Municipality of Prata Sannita, the Province of Caserta, the Matese Regional Park Authority, the GAL Alto Casertano Consortium, and the San Tommaso d'Aquino Diocesan Library.

Admission and Participation

The initiatives have always been free and open to the public, with the only recommendation being to notify the group organizers of your attendance. For architects in the Province of Caserta, some conferences have also provided professional training credits.