SANT’ANGELO OF LAKE TRAVATO

May 1136. The executioner of Trani, Urso Trabalia, settles a question between Count Robert of Conversano and the inhabitants of Bitetto over the terratico, drawing the boundaries:

“Incipientes ab itinere quod venit a gruta de Musca quod item appellatur stratella et ferit ad viam crucem que venit a Matina et vadit Bitectum. Et antea modicum ferit ad viam. Que venit ab ipsaMatina et pergit Bitectum et sic vadit ipsa Stratella postquam separetur ab ipsa via Bitecti et ferit ad viam que venit a Mellito et vadit Materam et in antea quomodo pergit ipsa Stratella iniungitur ad viam que venit Itecto et vadit ad sanctum Eramum et relicta via ipsa acederunt per semitam unam subtus gruttam sancti Canionis et per ispam semitam venerunt ad lamam Stintini Longi que est inter fines Bitecti et sancti Nicandri et per ipsam lamam descederunt usque crucem sancti Angeli de Lacu travato. Et deinde euntes per lama Gravilionis perrexerunt viam que venit a Gravina
et vadit ad sanctum Eramum et per eadem viam venerunt ad casale sancte Marie que dicitur de episcopo predicti Bitecti ubi vocatur palus de sepibus postea reversi supra Matinam Bitecti per viam unam que ferit ad parietem antiquam descenderunt ad lamam ubi est petra de sabino supra ipsam matinam Bitecti. A reversi sunt postea per muricem epsam et deduxerunt nos usque predicta Stratellam unde inceperunt.”

This is the oldest document known to date that mentions for the first time not only the sanctuary of Sant’Angelo di Lago Travato (sancti Angeli de Lacu travato), but also the monastery of Sanctum Eramum, evidently mentioned as landmarks known to all in the area.
A later document from 1274-1275 records the existence of the monastery of S. Angeli de Lacutrabaccu, ruled by the abbot Fratre Petro.
In addition to testifying to the vitality of the area, these documents clearly highlight the persistence of toponymy and the road network.

TOPONYMY AND LONGOBARD PRESENCE

Known in the Middle Ages as Sant’Angelo of Lake Travato, the toponym of Sant’Angelo reappears in the year 1700 as a State fief of the Terra di Acquaviva.
From the end of the 18th century to the early 20th century, the farm was called Sant’Angelo in Criptis or Sant’Angelo Vecchio: we find traces of this in deeds of sale and in the dispute that, starting in 1819, saw the area disputed between the territories of Santeramo and Cassano and only ended in 1911.
In the surroundings of Sant’Angelo, there are toponyms, the etymology of which refers to a probable Lombard origin. They refer to military and garrison posts in the territory, also in relation to their altitude:

● La Guardiola (from warda: guard post in an elevated place)
● Murgia Sgòlgore (from skulka: observation post)

Other place names of Lombard origin:
● Corte Finocchia (from court: small fortified agricultural settlement)
● Salacornacchia (from sala: house for the patronal residence)

Down to the most explicit:
● Masseria Parco del Longobardo

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