The island has witnessed travel, trade, civilisation. Each wall tells a story of the settlements of past peoples. Discover the archaeological site of the Village of Mursia.
Pantelleria is home to six major archaeological sites. Five of them form a fascinating itinerary, popular with island explorers. But today we take you to one of the oldest: the Mursia Village and the Sesi Necropolis, on the island’s northwestern coast.
Mursia Village
An archaeological balcony over the Mediterranean
We’re in the heart of the Bronze Age, between 1800 and 1450 BCE. On this clifftop plateau overlooking the sea, around 300 people lived in a unique settlement, a community whose origins remain unknown. The village occupied a strategic position: overlooking two small coves, protected by cliffs to the west and a massive dry-stone fortification to the east, known as the Muro Alto.
This 200-meter-long, 9-meter-high wall was more than just a defense: it was a declaration of strength, identity, and prestige. Across the terraces—now carpeted in wild herbs—you can trace the remains of huts, cisterns, ovens, and everyday life. They farmed, raised animals, and traded. Pantelleria was a crossroads, visible from over 100 km away—a vital point for navigators between Africa and Sicily. Mursia was its beating heart.
The Sesi Necropolis
Megalithic architecture, eternal memory
Just a short distance from the village lies one of the Mediterranean’s most fascinating necropolises: the Sesi Necropolis. Over 60 monumental tumuli, unique to Pantelleria, were built using dry-stacked stone. The word “sesi” is local dialect for a heap of stones—but here they become extraordinary funerary structures, evidence of a mysterious and sophisticated civilization.
The largest is the Sese Grande, elliptical in shape, with twelve chambers and four visible sarcophagi. It speaks of ritual, hierarchy, and the spirituality of a people who left their mark in stone.
Pantelleria is history, culture, tradition. These are just two of the archaeological sites that tell the story of ancient civilizations that once called the island home.
To discover more about Pantelleria’s culture, read: The dammuso: discover the origins of Pantelleria’s traditional stone houses
Content created with contributions from archaeologist Alessandra Magrì and Peppe D'Aietti