Matera's Murgia: A Photographic Journey Through Ancient Rock Churches and Neolithic Villages
In a personal piece for Artribune, artist Valerio Rocco Orlando shares his experiences of early morning strolls across the Murgia plateau close to Matera, Italy, beginning his walks before sunrise to escape the crowds. He explores the Neolithic Village of Murgia Timone, a settlement dating back to the 6th to 3rd millennia BC, and traces ancient transhumance paths leading to Jazzo Gattini. He reflects on the region's agro-pastoral heritage up until the mid-20th century and discovers caves utilized by Byzantine monks between the 9th and 13th centuries. The essay features rock-cut churches, including Madonna delle Tre Porte, adorned with frescoes from the 12th to 17th centuries, and wraps up at the Scuola dei Sassi, underscoring the value of serene morning moments. Accompanying photographs are by Pierangelo Laterza.
Key facts
- Valerio Rocco Orlando wrote a personal essay about walking in the Murgia near Matera.
- The Neolithic Village of Murgia Timone dates between the 6th and 3rd millennia BC.
- Jazzo Gattini are traditional dry-stone shepherds' shelters along ancient transhumance routes.
- Byzantine monastic communities settled in the gravina between the 9th and 13th centuries.
- The Madonna delle Tre Porte church has frescoes from the 12th to 17th centuries with Byzantine influence.
- San Falcione church contains liturgical niches, iconostasis remains, and Byzantine fresco traces.
- The Tibetan bridge crosses the ravine and offers a contrast between nature and human presence.
- Pierangelo Laterza's photographs from the series Mater(i)a (2019) accompany the essay.
- The essay was published on Artribune in August 2026.
Entities
Artists
- Valerio Rocco Orlando
- Pierangelo Laterza
Institutions
- Artribune
Locations
- Murgia
- Matera
- Italy
- Murgia Timone
- Jazzo Gattini
- Madonna delle Tre Porte
- San Falcione
- Scuola dei Sassi