The Permanent Seminar on Messapic (SPEM) is an international multidisciplinary group of 18 scholars formed in October 2022 to study the Messapic language in its geographical, historical and archaeological context. The group currently consists of three working tables: 1) language, 2) cults and 3) palaeographic and alphabetical aspects. The aim is to set up a new phase of studies on this fragmentary Indo-European language known to date from around 650 inscriptions, which will increase with the gradual addition of texts from the maritime sanctuary of Grotta Poesia di Roca (Melendugno – LECCE).
SPEM aims to study the Messapian language with a multidisciplinary approach and new heuristic tools.

SPEM organisational support
Michele Bianconi
Marta Capano
Simona Marchesini (coordination)

Group 1. Language
Michele Bianconi (coordination)
Marta Capano
Federica Fumante
Valentina Lunardi
Simona Marchesini
Paolo Poccetti
Paolo Sabattini

Group 2. Cults
Federica Fanizzi
Federica Fumante (coordination)
Marcello Gelone
Alessia Mainelli
Simona Marchesini
Giovanni Mastronuzzi
Paola Palmentola
Giulia Senesi
Luana Tesoro
Michele Vitolo (coordination)

Group 3. Palaeographical aspects and alphabets
Giovanni Boffa
Federica Fanizzi
Federica Fumante
Marcello Gelone (coordination)
Paola Palmentola
Giulia Senesi
Luana Tesoro

Group 4. IT aspects
Giovanni Boffa
Marta Capano
Simona Marchesini (coordination)