Ascoli Satriano, the griffins and the Getty Museum

I have always been told that Ascoli Satriano hosts an awesome archaeological exhibition, particularly important to find out more about the Daunian civilization.

So, as I am taking Lucia to the rail station in Foggia, this time I can not refrain from visiting Ascoli, located in Subappennino Dauno. Ascoli Satriano is around 15 miles from Foggia.

I am a slow driver, so it takes me almost 45 to cover that distance. A snail is faster than me. However, I am proud of my slowness. 

Jokes apart, driving easily allows me to have a look at the landscape.

Ascoli Satriano is located on a top of three hills.

I park the car and ask a lady where the Museum is. It is just 50 metres further. The luck of living in a small town, everything is so handy.

The Museum is free, and of course I am glad of that.

Unfortunately, the watchperson, an old man, tell me that I am not allowed to take any pictures. Reluctantly, I obey to his request. 

Therefore, the pictures displayed in this post have been retrieved from the internet.

Once in, I quickly look for the precious items of which I have always been told. At the first floor, I enter a dark room and…

Well, I can not describe you the marvel that l felt.

I keep my mouth open for few seconds when I see the polychrome marble of 4^th century BC. 

It is a trapezophoros with the two griffins tearing a deer to pieces.

The incredible thing is that the polychrome griffins are made of a marble mined in Turkey.

This and other precious items such as a Podanipter, have been found in a grave where a royal Daunian was buried.

However, what is even more thrilling is the story behind these precious objects.

This and other stories of looted art in Italy have been narrated by the journalist Fabio Isman. He wrote a book I predatori dell’arte perduta (2009, Skira editions).

Grave robbers dug them out around Ascoli Satriano between 1976 and 1977. 

Then, they sold them to Giacomo Medici, a well known art dealer. He store the pieces in Genève.

Through Robin Symes, the items were sold to MauriceTempelsman, a Belgian-American diamond dealer.

Finally, he sold them to the Getty Museum of Malibu (USA) who paid for the couple of griffins (trapezophoros) 5.5 million dollars. This happened in 1985.

Meantime, due to certain reasons, the truth about the items comes out.

The Italian Ministero dei beni e delle attività culturali begun to deal with American authorities in order to get back the precious objects.

Finally, the items have been returned to Italy on the 1^st August of 2007. In 2010, The Italian Minister approved the return of these amazing items to Ascoli Satriano.

Nowadays, Ascoli Satriano is knowing a rebirth thanks to the Griffins and the local archaeological sites.

After having visited the museum, I walk towards the inner town.

There is an imposing building, strategically built as a Norman atop, which subsequently became the abode of the feudatories of Ascoli. In the 17^th and 18^th centuries, at the behest of the Marulli dukes, it was turned into noble aristocrat residence.

The main dish here is lampascioni, a bitter bulb, with potatoes with extra virgin olive oil, salt, black pepper. Let it cook in the oven for 1 hour. 

Buon appetito and....mind the griffins

Post Scriptum

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