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Museo archeologico nazionale della Siritide

State museum in Policoro with finds from the Greek cities of Siris and Herakleia and from the Oenotrian and Lucanian centres of the hinterland, including the Tomb of the Painter of Policoro.

Opening hoursAdmission €5

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About the museum

The Museo della Siritide holds some of the most significant finds relating to the Greek cities of Siris and Herakleia, in the area of present-day Policoro, and to the indigenous centres of the hinterland, including Nova Siri, Tursi, Guardia Perticara, Chiaromonte and Latronico.

The Siris phase is represented by votive statuettes and grave goods from the 7th and 6th centuries BC, with figured pottery of local production that is among the oldest in Magna Graecia. From Herakleia the museum displays moulds for statuettes from the craft quarter, votive objects from urban and suburban sanctuaries and, above all, important grave goods. The most famous is that of the so-called Tomb of the Painter of Policoro, from the late 5th century BC, with splendid figured vases with mythological subjects. Grave goods from the 4th and 3rd centuries BC are more frequent, with red-figure pottery and refined filigree gold jewellery. Exceptional is the tomb of a goldsmith dating between the late 1st century BC and the 1st century AD.

The museum also presents grave goods from the Oenotrian (9th–5th centuries BC) and Lucanian (4th century BC) centres of the hinterland, with bronze armour, silver and gold jewellery, indigenous vases with geometric decoration and a substantial presence of amber jewellery from the Baltic. The rooms devoted to the later Oenotrian phase and to the Lucanians show the growing influence of Greek culture.

Highlights

Grave goods of the Tomb of the Painter of Policoro, late 5th century BC
Figured pottery of Siris, among the oldest in Magna Graecia
Filigree gold jewellery and the tomb of a goldsmith from Herakleia
Oenotrian and Lucanian grave goods with Baltic amber
Moulds for statuettes from the craft quarter of Herakleia

Permanent exhibition

Siris, Herakleia e l'entroterra enotrio e lucano – Grave goods, figured pottery, jewellery and votive objects from the Greek cities and indigenous centres of the Siritide.

Operated by: Direzione regionale Musei nazionali Basilicata (Ministero della Cultura)
Visitors per year: approx. 18,205