Editing Matera (section)

=== Cisterns and water collection ===
[[File:FONTANA FERDINANDEA 2.jpg|thumb|upright=0.6|Ferdinandea Fountain]]
Matera was built above a deep ravine called Gravina of Matera that divides the territory into two areas. Matera was built such that it is hidden, but made it difficult to provide a water supply to its inhabitants. Early dwellers invested tremendous energy in building [[cistern]]s and systems of water channels.

The largest cistern has been found under Piazza Vittorio Veneto, the Palombaro Lungo that was built in 1832.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.divento.com/en/parks-and-gardens/21825-piazza-vittorio-veneto-matera.html?search_query=Matera&results=17|title=Piazza Vittorio Veneto|website=Divento.com|access-date=11 February 2021}}</ref> With its solid pillars carved from the rock and a vault height of more than fifteen metres, it is a veritable water cathedral, which is navigable by boat. Like other cisterns in the town, it collected rainwater that was filtered and flowed in a controlled way to the Sassi.

There were also a large number of little superficial canals that fed pools and hanging gardens. Moreover, many bell-shaped cisterns in dug houses were filled up by seepage. Later, when the population increased, many of these cisterns were turned into houses and other kinds of water-harvesting systems were realised.

Some of these more recent facilities have the shape of houses submerged in the earth.<ref>{{cite book|last=Museo Laboratorio della Civiltà Contadina ONLUS|date=2014|orig-year=1st. Pub. 2007|title=Water-harvesting systems of Matera, from Neolithic to the first half of XX century|url=http://museolaboratorio.it/en/shop/water-harvesting-systems/|location=Matera|isbn=978-1500611569}}</ref>