Serra di Vaglio archaeological park, Archaeological site in Vaglio Basilicata, Italy

Serra di Vaglio archaeological park is an ancient settlement spread across a high plateau about 1,100 meters above sea level with views of the Basento valley. The ruins include circular houses from early periods and later rectangular structures, showing different phases of human occupation across time.

The site was occupied from the 8th to the 3rd century BC. In the 6th century BC rectangular buildings replaced oval huts along paved roads, and in the 4th century BC a 2.5 km double-curtain wall was built with Greek letters carved on the outer blocks. Nummelos is named on a gate inscription as the magistrate in charge. A fire destroyed the town in the early 3rd century BC.

The remains reveal how inhabitants shifted from round houses to rectangular buildings, showing changes in how people lived and built their homes. Visitors walking through these structures can sense the different ways communities organized their daily lives across centuries.

The excavated areas lie on the slopes of a plateau at about 1,100 m, roughly 15 km east of Potenza, with the Basento valley below. Finds are split between the Museo delle antiche genti di Lucania in Vaglio, opened in 2006, and the national archaeological museum in Potenza, so plan the visit around both collections.

The reconstructed House of Pithoi demonstrates how ancient residents built their homes from mud brick and worked with large storage vessels. This rebuilt structure offers a rare view into the practical building methods and everyday activities of a Lucanian community.