ANTICHI ITINERARI DI PELLEGRINAGGIO AL SANTUARIO DI SAN MICHELE SUL GARGANO

Ancient Pilgrimage Routes to the Sanctuary of Saint Michael on the Gargano. This paper presents a selection of ancient pilgrimage routes followed by pilgrims who crossed Apulia and visited the Micaelic sanctuary on the Gargano. Active as early as the fifth century, the sanctuary is frequently mentioned in various Itineraria due to its strategic location on a high mountain overlooking the port of Siponto – a key point of connection between East and West – as well as for its extraordinary renown and the uninterrupted continuity of its cult. The Itineraria examined here are particularly valuable not only for their descriptions of the routes, but also for the wealth of information they provide on cultic, religious, and social practices in the regions traversed. They include accounts of ceremonies, festivals, and local traditions, and occasionally offer insights into economic activities such as agriculture, craftsmanship, and local trade. In addition, they contain details on the hospitality offered to travelers – inns, taverns, and other accommodations – as well as information on the region’s climate and seasonal travel conditions. These additional elements make the Itineraria not only practical travel guides, but also rich documentary sources for reconstructing everyday life and the natural environment of the Gargano and, more broadly, of Apulia in the distant past.