The numerous archaeological remains are of great interest. The first human settlement dates back to the Paleolithic era, important excavations have returned the early Christian village of the Faraglioni with dozens of huts, dating back to the Middle Bronze Age (1450-1250 BC). A vast Roman necropolis with pit and underground tombs is at the Falconiera; remains of Roman farms and a multitude of archaeological finds found in various parts of the island and underwater, visible at the Archaeological Museum. Strategic point for trade and commerce, Ustica saw the Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians and Romans pass by. It was the base of the Saracen raids and only at the time of Ferdinand IV, King of the Two Sicilies, was it decided to build a series of fortifications around the island that would allow the colonists to work peacefully. The Bourbons built two watchtowers, and in 1759 Ferdinand of Bourbon imposed a progressive colonization, creating the conditions for the development of a small and stable community, which today has about 1,300 inhabitants. But Ustica was also a place of deportation: the Bourbons confined political prisoners there, as did the Savoy and the fascists. Antonio Gramsci, Parri, Rosselli and Romita also stayed there. Then in 1961, due to popular uprising, the confinement was abolished and replaced with the most profitable and qualifying tourism.