Following Writings and Paintings by Carlo Levi to Promote Geology Within the “Matera-Basilicata 2019, European Capital of Culture” Events (Matera, Grassano, Aliano—Southern Italy)

• Published in: Geoheritage 2019-06, Vol.11 (2), p.329-346
• Main Authors: Sabato, Luisa, Tropeano, Marcello, Festa, Vincenzo, Longhitano, Sergio Giuseppe, dell’Olio, Marta
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biogeosciences; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Geology; Historical Geology; Landscape/Regional and Urban Planning; Mineralogy; Original Article; Paleontology; Physical Geography; Tour operators; Tourists; Tours
• ISSN: 1867-2477; 1867-2485
• DOI: 10.1007/s12371-018-0281-4

The prestigious designation as “European Capital of Culture 2019” assigned to the town of Matera (southern Italy) may offer the perfect opportunity to divulge the culture of geology, especially to non-expert audiences. For this purpose, local institutions and tour operators could organise touristic field trips containing thematic tours (historical, literary, archaeological…) coupled with geological information. The present paper proposes a sample itinerary which touches upon three towns, all situated within the province of Matera, and connected to one another not only because they are the setting of Carlo Levi’s political exile in the 1930s, but also because each town lies within one of the three important orogenic elements characterising the geology of southern Italy. These elements are the Apulia Foreland, the Bradanic Trough and the southern Apennines Chain. The proposed itinerary sets off from the town of Matera, located within the Apulia Foreland, continues through the small town of Grassano, located within the Bradanic Trough, and ends in the small town of Aliano, located within the southern Apennines Chain. During his exile, Carlo Levi narrated and described these three places through his paintings and renown book Christ Stopped at Eboli . In his works, Levi captured both the human aspects, as well as the historical and geological ones. The authors of the present paper believe that a selection of Levi’s artworks can be utilised to guide tourists along the journey, illustrating the geology of the area through the eyes (i.e. the paintings) and, above all, the words (i.e. the book) of Carlo Levi. Today, the increased knowledge of Carlo Levi’s works has been made possible also thanks to the constitution of a Literary Park dedicated to the writer/artist.