A city in Italy inhabited since paleolithic times, Matera is located in the Basilicata region of Italy in the driest and historically the poorest area of mainland Italy. Often referred to as “la Città Sotterranea” — or “The Subterranean City,” the oldest parts of the city are carved directly into the calcareous rock hill, with homes, businesses and even churches consisting of caves sculpted out of the rocky hillside.

The land around Matera is fairly inhospitable, consisting of dry and rugged landscapes with little-to-no access to water, and receiving little rainfall throughout the year. This rugged landscape and the fact that it is located on a sheer rock cliff above a deep ravine made it a refuge for the poorer peasants to protect themselves from invading armies and those looking to conquer and plunder. The fact that this dry region offered very few trees for making lumber was likely the…