An intact human skeleton from the Paleolithic, which belonged to a Homo Neanderthalensis who lived more than 100,000 years ago, was found in 1993 in the cave of Lamalunga near Altamura. This is an exceptional discovery, not only because of its excellent state of preservation, but because it was possible to perform accurate scientific and paleogenetic analyses, thanks to its DNA.

The man from Altamura died during a hunt, falling into one of the many karst wells in the area. The wounds prevented him from leaving the cave, which became his tomb. The particular underground environment allowed its conservation, and its bones had been incorporated in the calcareous concretions until their discovery.

From 2017 onwards, in the National Museum of Altamura it is possible to observe the perfect reconstruction of the Man from Altamura, thanks to modern digital technologies. The encounter with this natural ancestor of ours is an emotion to which it is impossible to remain indifferent.

Museo Archeologico, Via Santeramo 88.

Dal lunedì al venerdì: 8.30-19.30

Sabato, domenica e festivi, 8.30-13.30.