FONDAZIONE SAN DOMENICO

FONDAZIONE SAN DOMENICO History & Mission Fondazione San Domenico was established in 2001 by its founder, Marisa Lisi Melpignano, entrepreneur and tourist agent, owner of Masseria San Domenico of Savelletri di Fasano –location where the organization’s head-quarters are based. The intent of the project is to promote the study, the recovery and the protection of the territories of Fasano and Monopoli with major focus on cave settlements with which complete historical witnesses are preserved. The preciousness of the cave settlements is given by what they symbolize: essentiality and refinement, oriental mysticism and practical simplicity regarding materials and landscape characterized by stone, light and colour. This exceptional chapter of European history is not yet well-known and it is duty of Fondazione San Domenico to expand this knowledge across the territory. With its activities, Fondazione San Domenico concentrates particularly its attention towards the cave-houses and cave-churches which stand out in the territories of Fasano and Monopoli because of theirs unique contents (starting from the precious Byzantine pictorial cycles) as well as the particular environment in which they are settled. Thanks to the precious contribution of its scientific committee, Fondazione San Domenico collaborates with universities, professionals in the field (anthropologists, historians, archaeologists, art historians, geologists), Public Curator, government of Apulia region and local authorities. The role of Fondazione San Domenico is in fact to promote meetings, conventions, scholarships and awards as well as the elaboration of projects regarding preservation and valorisation. The activities of Fondazione San Domenico are only a small part of the present Apulian Renaissance. The attention regarding the value of the territory and the increasing number of initiatives have made the Apulian region a real guide and role model for all the other regions of Southern Italy. A role model which focuses on linking tradition and modernity, quality of life and economic development, a persistent commitment to exploit the historical and environmental treasures with the aim of not distorting them, avoiding turning the region into a gastronomic or archaeological funfair. With this, Fondazione San Domenico uses the capacity to network public and private sources with the aim of promoting the historical value of the territory.

OUR LOCATION

THE ORIGINS The history of Cave settlements The origins of the cave settlements in the area of Fasano, are believed to be very old: historians today believe that the trend of digging the lame to set up shelters dates back earlier than Greek and Roman times. It is also believed that with the roman civilization, the caves in the area were abandoned until the Dark Ages, between the VIth and VIIth century. The cause of abandon was the withdrawl of the population (made up of peasants and shepherds) that moved from the cost to the inland. Of course, there were other causes that influenced the moving of the population such as the wars between the Byzantines and the Lombards (who fought for the domain of the territory), the fall of Egnazia (which once was a rich center ruled by the Messapi and Greeks first, and Romans after), and finally the beginning of the invasions of the Saracens. Settlers, Shepherds and some artisans started to live in cave-houses which were either recuperated or built from scratch. These were the people who maintained relationships with the villages on the cost and with the administrative power of the time: The peasants of the caves for example, payed annual taxes (every august) to the Byzantine Officials. Their settlements in the lame was possible thanks to the easiness of carving housing in the rocks, as well as the fertility of the land where they were settled. The land was characterized by red soil, which was the final result of the geological process of pulverization of the lime-stones. In the VIIIth Century, the monks from the Balkans arrived, as they were escaping from invaders, and very soon they started a relationship with the people of the caves. This relationship brought to an improvement on the level of civilization: Villages were organized in proper independent units, supplied with infrastructure as well as public actions needed to support the local economy (such as wells, oil and wind mills). Furthermore, the monks influenced the cave settlers with their moral and religious values which were needed in order to establish a real civilization The monks therefore, were not isolated hermits, but active and influential members of the community. The recent historiography in fact, denies the idea of cave-churches as places of isolated prayer. In the IXth and Xth centuries, a group of Greek-Italians arrived in the territory, pushed by Saracen invasion. Their arrival brought to a consolidation of Byzantine culture without overtaking the already existing Latin culture and language. For this reason, the frescoes we see in the area of Fasano reflect a real mix of Greek and Latin motifs. Following the Benedictine penetration of the territory, which was particularly strong in 1059, Benedictine followers re-organized the settlements increasing public facilities. Thanks to their re-organization , villages soon started to get into a more urban shape, and rural areas –like Fasano for example –soon evolved into cities. Up until the XIVth Century, Greek rituals were still frequent in the lame, while the cave settlements began to disappear due to an evolution in civilization.

Cave-Churches and their Frescoes

To make it brief, the churches digged into lime-stone in the area of Fasano, more or less have a rectangular shape, with low walls and with limited dimensions. The interiors reflect a true byzantine style: first off, we find the naos –room used to welcome the worshippers, holding one or two aisles; moving forward we get to the iconostasi, a wall used to separate the naos from the sacred space; on the other side of the iconostasi, there is the bema (presbytery); in its interior, there is the protesi used for religious ceremonies; and finally in the very end there is a semi-circular apse, always facing the east. This is an example of how crypts are structured in the most important cave-churches of our territory.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES List of archaeological sites preserved by Fondazione San Domenico’s Projects LAMA D’ANTICO

LAMALUNGA SAN FRANCESCO SAN GIOVANNI SAN LORENZO SAN MARCO SANTA VIGILIA SAN BASILIO SAN PROCOPIO

EVENTS CALENDAR

- 2010 National Journalistic Award Will take place in the Church of the Apostles Saint Peter and Paul in Monopoli (BA) 5th Edition of journalistic award ceremony regarding the topic: “Cave Settlement Habitat: Cultural and Environmental Resource. -Cave Crypt of the Holy Spirit in Monopoli. Will be a completed project on renovation and valorisation of the crypt carried out by the Borough of Monopoli and Fondazione San Domenico with the contribution of Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Puglia (monetary fund). - 3rd Convention: Presentation of the acts Presentation of the acts of the 3rd International Convention on cave settlements: “From the cave habitat to the organization of the settlements of Apulian territory” (Dates and Locatons to be confirmed) *The dates of the events will be confirmed

CONTACT US

Fondazione San Domenico Contrada Cerasina c/o Masseria San Domenico 72010 Savelletri di Fasano (Brindisi) Telephone number: +39 080 4827993 Fax: +39 080 4827987 E-mail: info@fondazionesandomenico.com President: Mrs. Marisa Lisi Melpignano Director: Mr. Giuseppe Giacovazzo Operational Director: Mr. Ettore Dazzara Administrative Office: Mr. Augusto Lisi Telephone number: +39 080 4827993 Fax: +39 080 4827987 E-mail: info@fondazionesandomenico.com Communication Consultant: Mrs. Paola Cacianti