asia: where people lived in caves. and they had no god. anthony: after centuries of neglect, matera s cave communities became, for post-war italy, a symbol of national dysfunction, backwardness, and horrifying living conditions. anthony: i mean, this is an area that was known for briganti. outlaws, bandits. so this was always where, you know, the losers were sent. into the 50s and 60s this was considered an embarrassment and a shame, people lived asia: yeah, because they had no water, yes. anthony: ten kids in a bucket. up to 50% mortality rate among children. anthony: malaria was endemic, the children begging in the street for quinine to prevent it. asia: they were burning fire to keep the animals away as the children were dying. anthony: in the 1950s, the population was forcibly relocated, leaving matera s cave structures abandoned.
anthony: in the 1950s, the population was forcibly relocated, leaving matera s cave structures abandoned. asia: and the way they lived, you know, they were still pagan. anthony: and of course now, it s asia: because of mel gibson and all the christ movies because it looks like jerusalem at the time of christ. and it s strange that, you know, in a place that had no god, that they shot all the christ movies. jesus incorporated brought the money and all of a sudden this became hip. and people wanted to live in the caves and make bed and breakfast and expensive. it s expensive to live in the caves now. anthony: but this is a story of every beautiful place, kind of. it s like, let s move everybody out, and then in come the hipsters and the postcards and the airbnbs. thank god nobody s living here! asia: because people like you. anthony: you re right. asia: you bring and you make it, oh, this looks so wonderful. i want to go see. and then they bring the money in and
and they had no god. anthony: after centuries of neglect, matera s cave communities became, for post-war italy, a symbol of national dysfunction, backwardness, and horrifying living conditions. anthony: i mean, this is an area that was known for briganti. outlaws, bandits. so this was always where, you know, the losers were sent. into the 50s and 60s this was considered an embarrassment and a shame, people lived asia: yeah, because they had no water, yes. anthony: ten kids in a bucket. up to 50% mortality rate among children. anthony: malaria was endemic, the children begging in the street for quinine to prevent it. asia: they were burning fire to keep the animals away as the children were dying. anthony: in the 1950s, the population was forcibly relocated, leaving matera s cave structures abandoned.