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Modern Description: Serra del Cedro is an important site situated on a high hill overlooking a vast swathe of the lower Basento Valley. It also has extensive views over the Torrente Bilioso a major tributary of the Bradano. It is intervisible with a large number of other surrounding sites including the two major fortified settlements of Civita di Tricarico and Monte Croccia. The extent of its observation over the Torrente Bilioso is important as it appears in preliminary investigations that the valley of the Torrente Bilioso seems to be a major access point to Civita di Tricarico. Serra Del Cedro also seems to perform a similar function along the long stretch of the Basento Valley to its east and it seems purposefully situated to give the maximum possible visual control over this natural access point to the heavily populated interior of Lucania. Along with Albano Di Lucania and Monte Croccia it forms an intensive control network with its focus on the middle Basento Valley. Conversely a site like Civita Di Tricarico while having strong intervisibility with all of its surrounding neighbours has little observation of access routes and almost seems purposefully ‘hidden’ from approaching eyes. Reconnaissance on the ground showed large amounts of Hellenistic tile, loom weights and ceramics of a generic 4th and 3rd century date. Extensive excavation has been carried out at the site and although there is little left of the Lucanian era fortification wall it is still possible to trace the circuit of much of it which seems to follow the natural contours of the slope.

Info: Myers Lucania

Brett Andrew Myers, Visual Connectivity and Control in Ancient Lucania, MPhil thesis 2018, Univ. of Sydney

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