News and updates

24 June 2026

Via Libertini 6, Lecce 

11:30 am

Institutional Welcomes

Arch. Antonio Zunno – Superintendent of ABAP (Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape) for the provinces of Brindisi, Lecce and Taranto

Dr Gabriele Abaterusso – Mayor of Patù

Introduction

Dr Serena Strafella – Case officer archaeologist responsible for the Patù territory

Speakers

Prof. Valentino Nizzo – University of Naples L'Orientale (Scientific Director of the research)

Dr Alessandro Rizzo – Archaeologist, field operations manager

10 June 2026

A land of passages, cultivation, trade, and community, Vereto safeguards a history built on connections between people, knowledge, and landscapes. Drawing upon this heritage, the event offers a space for discussion on the relationship between archaeological patrimony and contemporary agricultural practices.

Programme

18:00 | FARMERS' MARKET

A market featuring home-grown and artisanal products, organised by local producers.

Seed swap curated by the Casa delle Sementi project (Climavore's Monoculture Meltdown and Salento Km0).

19:00 | INTRODUCTORY TALK

Introduction by:

Antonio De Marco, Chairman of Archeorete del Mediterraneo

Mariangela Sammarco, Scientific Director of the Vereto Archaeological Museum

Chaired by:

Laura Perrone and Luca Coclite, Studioconcreto

Speakers:

Maeve Brennan, filmmaker

Valentino Nizzo, Professor at the University of Naples L'Orientale and Scientific Director of the Vereto archaeological excavation

Roberto Polo, farmer and expert in regenerative agriculture

Giovanni Giangreco, expert in archaeological and cultural resources

20:30 | SCREENING

SITICULOSA

Directed by Maeve Brennan (2025)

The DiscoVereto project reopens the doors of history to local schools with a series of guided tours exploring the archaeological area of Patù (LE). Two days of exploration, storytelling, and learning designed to help students and educators understand the past and connect deeply with their cultural roots.

The initiative will welcome a total of 229 students, engaging them in a tailored educational itinerary structured to inspire curiosity and promote the value of local archaeological heritage.

Programme Outline:

• Monday 8th June: Dedicated to Secondary Schools. Classes from Salve, Morciano, and Patù will explore the Vereto archaeological excavations, delving into the history and heritage of the ancient world.

• Tuesday 9th June: Dedicated to Primary Schools. Classes from Morciano and Patù will explore the archaeological site and visit the charming Chiesetta della Madonna di Vereto, a historic chapel representing spirituality and local cultural identity.

Five university lectures open to the public during the Vereto excavation campaign

On the occasion of the first systematic archaeological investigation campaign at the ancient Messapian city of Vereto, the University of Naples "L'Orientale" symbolically brings the university into the heart of the local community.

From 22 to 28 May, the Palazzo Comunale of Patù will host "Università in Comune", a series of five lectures open to the public drawn from the course on the Archaeology of Pre-Roman Italy, taught by Prof. Valentino Nizzo, scientific director of the DiscoVereto excavation.

The lectures, aimed at university students but freely open to residents, enthusiasts and the curious, will address themes relating to Etruscan civilisation and the other cultures of ancient Italy before Rome, whilst also offering an opportunity to reflect on the significance of archaeological research and on the relationship between the university, the territory and the community. At the end of each lecture, questions may be put to the speaker.

The initiative is born in the spirit of participatory archaeology that characterises the DiscoVereto project: sharing the knowledge, tools and methods of archaeological research, temporarily transforming the town hall into a space for dialogue between the university and the public.

Venue:

Palazzo Comunale, Via Giuseppe Romano 65, Patù (LE)

Schedule:

22, 25, 26, 27 and 28 May

6.00 pm – 8.00 pm

Free admission, subject to availability (approx. 50 seats).

The @DiscoVereto campaign is promoted by @uniorientale, as part of the @storiemeridiane project of the @comunedipatu and @comune_morcianodileuca, funded by the EU – NextGenerationEU and the MIC within the framework of the PNRR Cultura.

On 13 May 2026, at 6.00 pm, at Palazzo Romano in Patù, there will be a public presentation of the first archaeological excavation campaign in Vereto.

The event will be an opportunity to learn more about DiscoVereto, the research project dedicated to the ancient Messapian city of Vereto, promoted as part of Leucantica and included in the Storie Meridiane project of the municipalities of Patù and Morciano di Leuca.

The public is invited to attend an event dedicated to the objectives of the excavation, the historical and archaeological significance of the site, and the research, conservation and enhancement activities that will be launched in the area.

Institutional greetings:

Gabriele Abaterusso, Mayor of Patù

Lorenzo Ricchiuti, President of the “Terra di Leuca” Union of Municipalities and Mayor of Morciano di Leuca

Antonio Zunno, Superintendent of the Superintendency of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for the provinces of Brindisi, Lecce and Taranto

Speeches:

Valentino Nizzo, Associate Professor at the Università Orientale di Napoli and Scientific Director of the excavation

Coordinated by:

Mariangela Sammarco, Scientific Director of the Vereto Archaeological Museum

An opportunity to discover the initial research objectives and the significance of a site that continues to tell our story.

Municipality of Patù Municipality of Morciano di Leuca Associazione Narrazioni Archeorete Del Mediterraneo Castromediano Museum - Lecce.

Within the framework of the "Storie Meridiane" project of the Municipalities of Patù and Morciano di Leuca — funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU and by the Ministry of Culture under the PNRR Culture – M1C3I2.1