Look Inside The 9,000 Year-Old Caves That STILL Have People Living In Them
LifeBuzz I Travel
Scientists have discovered statues, coins, and ceramics dating back thousands of years.
In the last 9,000 years not much has changed in Sassi di Matera, Italy. This ancient city was home to over 1,000 cave dwellings carved out of the rocky ravine overlooking a large river. The caved houses are believed to be one of the oldest human settlements in the Mediterranean, dating back to the Palaeolithic era. Throughout the millenniums, the caves were continuously inhabited. Although, as early as the 1950's people lived in extreme poverty with no running water, electricity or sewage facility nearby. This prompted the government to evacuate its residents. It was not until 1993 when UNESCO named Matera a World Heritage site that things changed. Today, this cave city has had a makeover with hotels and restaurants catering to tourists visiting from all over the world.
Roberto Taddeo
francescomas
Revol Web
Basilicata Turistica
This ancient city has also appeared in place of biblical locations in Hollywood films like The Passion of Christ, The Nativity Story, and King David.
Roberto Donà
diegofornero
Basilicata Turistica
Sassi di Matera is the oldest ongoing inhabited cave city in the globe.
Wikimedia
Francesco Lastrucci
Matera residents often brag they are the only people in the world who live in the same spot their ancestors did 9,000 years ago.
The limestone caves have stood the test of time.
