Monte Saraceno

Mount Saraceno rises above the coast near Mattinata. Its Daunian necropolis includes rock-cut tombs on the sea-facing hillside, with finds from the site now held in the town’s archaeological collection.

Why it matters

The municipality identifies the ancient Matini, part of the Daunian civilization, with this area. It records traces of Palaeolithic and Neolithic activity before the Daunian settlement of the hill in the eighth or seventh century BC. The necropolis is part of the archaeological landscape that preserves the history of Mattinata and the Gargano coast.

What to notice

The tombs are cut into the limestone in chamber forms described by the municipality as womb-shaped. Burials were laid in a curled position, and grave markers included carved heads, stelae, shields and phallic symbols. A sacred way is also recorded as descending toward the sea. The Mattinata archaeological collection includes stone shields and stela fragments from Monte Saraceno, as well as amber associated with the site.

Context and history

The hill was known as Monte Matino before acquiring the name Monte Saraceno around the year 1000, according to the municipal account. Its Daunian necropolis belongs to the first millennium BC. The site’s archaeological story also includes earlier prehistoric activity, while the objects recovered from the graves help connect the landscape to the material culture of the Daunians.