Established in 1911, by the will of Senator Domenico Ridola who donated his important archaeological collections to the State, the museum presents the significant archaeological evidence found in the area of Matera. In the exhibition spaces, the artifacts follow a chronological and topographical order. In the prehistoric section, the most significant findings concern the fortified villages of the Neolithic age, which testify, starting from the 6th millennium BC, to the introduction of agriculture and consequently the development of stable settlements, following models defined in the Eastern Mediterranean. For the more recent phases of prehistory and for the 6th-4th century BC phase, the most interesting documentation is related to Timmari, a site a short distance from Matera. From this center come, among other things, some funerary sets from the 4th century BC characterized by bronze armor and monumental red-figure vases and numerous votive statuettes, of exquisite workmanship, found in a sacred area.