The archaeological site of Valle Giumentina, located in an ancient Quaternary lake within the Majella National Park, is one of Italy’s most significant Lower Paleolithic sites. Inhabited since 570,000 years ago, it served as a shelter for Homo erectus, hunter-gatherers who relied on stone tools for hunting large mammals. The site’s lithic industry is characterized by a distinctive technique, known as the “Valle Giumentina facies”, marking a late phase of the Acheulean culture. In 1953, excavations uncovered a sequence of nine stratified layers containing lithic and faunal remains, making it a key reference point for Italian and European prehistory. Since 2012, an Italo-French research team has resumed investigations, utilizing modern archaeological and geological techniques to explore the site’s history further.
Beyond its archaeological significance, Valle Giumentina bears witness to transhumance, a practice that shaped the Majella for millennia. The region is home to numerous dry-stone huts, known as tholoi, an ancient building technique dating back to the Paleolithic and still preserved by local shepherds. These structures, some still in use, are part of the region’s cultural heritage. Within the park, Valle Giumentina hosts the only two-story tholos, standing out among the 500 examples scattered throughout the Majella.
- Address
Parco Nazionale della Majella, Abbateggio, Italy - Web
https://www.parcomajella.it/ - Visiting Hours
Always open - What to see
Paleolithic housing
