Percorsi micaelici, vie di pastori e pellegrini. Strumenti di conoscenza e strategie di conservazione integrata.

The contribution begins with a survey of the network of sites dedicated to the Archangel Michael in the middle and upper Aniene valley, then extends its investigation to southern Lazio and, finally, to the Samnite region. This inquiry aims to determine whether the network formed by these sites is a self-contained regional phenomenon or a replicable model capable of supporting the reconstitution of the Michaelic routes. To do so, the census of cave sites, semi-rock-cut sanctuaries, and sacred edifices has been cross-referenced with Benedictine monastery sites, itinerary sources, and customs records to identify, among the ancient pastoral routes, those that may also have delineated pilgrimage pathways towards Gargano. Given the importance of these sites at a territorial scale, and in light of the European Landscape Convention and the Faro Convention, an integrated conservation strategy is proposed that transcends the preservation of individual artefacts. In this context, the route serves as a catalyst for re-establishing landscape relationships, and the ecomuseum, grounded in the cultural ownership of local communities, is envisioned as a mechanism for valorising and safeguarding both tangible and intangible heritage.