Per un'antropologia della scrittura del contesto epigrafico di Grotta Poesia (Roca Vecchia)

Since its discovery in the 1980s, the sea cave Grotta Poesia in southern Apulia has aroused great interest among specialists of the ancient world. In this essay, the author attempts to identify the disciplinary tools necessary for a comprehensive scientific approach to the study of this epigraphic and archaeological monument. Firstly, the comparison with other caves of the ancient world, with special attention to the maritime sanctuaries, in search of analogies and differences in contexts and cults. Secondly, sociological and functional studies of writing, with an extension (third point) to the cognitive and neuroscientific approach to the process of writing. Fourthly, an overview of linguistic theories such as speech act theory or performative speech and writing acts. Finally, the sociographical consideration to identify the Messapic writer of the Grotta in comparison with the Messapic epigraphy known so far. Furthermore, interdisciplinarity is an indispensable prerequisite, without which any attempt to uncover the difficult epigraphic layout of the grotta will fail.