Italy's Palaeolithic inheritance

Few know that in the countryside Isernia of resides a veritable wealth of Palaeolithic remains, enough to retell an important stage in the origins of humankind. Reliable sources indicate that at this place the Homo Erectus of European type, appropriately named Homo Aeserniensis, man of Isernia, appears for the first time. Isernia is the region of Molise's second-largest city.

The La Pineta excavation site is a fascinating destination for anyone who wishes to learn more about the history of humankind, our evolution and the ancient habits of our long-gone forefathers. The permanent exposition on display at the Museum of Santa Maria delle Monache is a point of great interest for archaeological experts and curious onlookers alike. It houses ancient tools and fossils, as well as numerous other artefacts that have survived the incessant passing of the millennia.

Walking through the countryside, Isernia's presents a rustic environment, almost bucolic, where nature is the undisputed protagonist. The small inhabited villages are surrounded by woods so dense to seem almost hidden and all around, the gush of water in streams is a characteristic soundtrack.

With abundant water flows, historical sources attest that the ancient Samnite tribe first settled near these streams in Isernia. Still, it was the able Roman plumbers who built one of Italy's oldest aqueducts right under present-day Isernia. The very word Isernia appears to stem from a linguistic connection with water.