The results presented mainly derive from the protection activities carried out by the Archaeolog... more The results presented mainly derive from the protection activities carried out by the Archaeological Section of the Soprintendenza of Palermo over the last four years, thanks to the regulations on Preventive Archaeology and emergency investigations, in addition to the research activities carried out in agreement with Italian and foreign Universities and Research Institutions, Municipalities and Cultural Associations
The investigations of the last decade have documented in Piazza Indipendenza, an area to the west... more The investigations of the last decade have documented in Piazza Indipendenza, an area to the west of the ancient city where the Punic necropolis was located, the presence of some water wells, most likely realized in Islamic age, which intercept in the subsoil ancient funerary chambers. Apart from the general characteristics of the numerous medieval pits found in the urban area, as peculiar signs of the residential reality, we will discuss the hypothesis that also the pits of Piazza Indipendenza can represent, together with other elements, the main evidence of the real extension of the medieval city to the West.
in Un viaje entre el Oriente y el Occidente del Mediterráneo A Journey between East and West in ... more in Un viaje entre el Oriente y el Occidente del Mediterráneo A Journey between East and West in the Mediterranean SEBASTIÁN CELESTINO PÉREZ ESTHER RODRÍGUEZ GONZÁLEZ
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
Since the late Middle Ages, the highly urbanized area that was once at the heart of the Punic and... more Since the late Middle Ages, the highly urbanized area that was once at the heart of the Punic and Roman city, began a slow but inexorable process of abandonment and progressive defunctionalization, until it became, under the rule of the Spanish, a parade ground and today a large green area. Recent archaeological excavations have brought to light stratigraphic contexts pertinent to butti and drains of medieval age, useful not only for the investigation of aspects and details of material life, but also for the knowledge of the urban transformations of the area.
Castrorao Barba A; Miccichè R; Pisciotta F; Speciale C; Aleo Nero C; Marino, P; Bazan G 2023, T... more Castrorao Barba A; Miccichè R; Pisciotta F; Speciale C; Aleo Nero C; Marino, P; Bazan G 2023, The Rural Settlement of Contrada Castro (Sicily) between Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages. In Archaeology of the Mediterranean during Late Antiquity and the Middle Age, ed. Castrorao Barba, Angelo; Tanasi, Davide; Miccichè, Roberto (eds.), University Press of Florida: Gainesville, FL., pp. 240-265.
La Sicilia e il Mediterraneo dal Tardoantico al Medioevo. Prospettive di ricerca tra archeologia e storia, 2022
Le ricerche della Soprintendenza BB.CC.AA. di Palermo degli ultimi anni sono quasi sempre scaturi... more Le ricerche della Soprintendenza BB.CC.AA. di Palermo degli ultimi anni sono quasi sempre scaturite da interventi di urgenza nell’ambito di lavori pubblici e privati. In particolare, viene sempre più confermato che la città islamica ebbe un notevole allargamento rispetto all’antica Panormos e si estese su ampi spazi, a Nord e Sud, oltre i limiti naturali segnati dal corso dei torrenti Papireto e Kemonia, che fin dal momento della fondazione fenicia avevano costituito i confini dell’abitato.
The paper aims at analyzing the location and the range of production of the coroplasts\u2019 work... more The paper aims at analyzing the location and the range of production of the coroplasts\u2019 workshops in ancient Akragas. While the amounts of figurines and reliefs belonging to several distinctive types, which were discovered during the excavations made in the ancient town especially in the sanctuaries, testify the success of the local workshops, a category of objects, the molds for figurines and relief decorations, is more revealing about the manufacturing districts and the repertoire at disposal of the craftsmen. Roughly 130 molds have been found till now at Agrigento. While some rather scattered pieces are not a proof of the presence of a workshop on the same spot (Porta I, \u2018Punic Quarter\u2019 near Porta II, \u2018Hellenistic-Roman Quarter\u2019 and S. Nicola district, surroundings of the temples of Concordia and Hercules), and/or need a more nuanced interpretation (area S/SE of the Olympieion), in the area immediately S of the \u2018Sanctuary of the Chthonian Deities\u2019, just before the city wall, the activity of an important workshop serving the near sanctuaries is well documented. Here the majority of the molds discovered show the evolution of the coroplastic art during 6th-4th centuries B.C. in relationship with the local votive practices
The Harvesting Memories project aims to investigate the historical landscape dynamics in an inner... more The Harvesting Memories project aims to investigate the historical landscape dynamics in an inner area of the Sicani Mountains district in Western Sicily (Contrada Castro, Corleone-Palermo). The interdisciplinary approach of the project allowed us to combine and integrate methods from different disciplines such as historical ecology, landscape archaeology, archaeobotany and GIS-based spatial analysis. In this paper some results have been summarized. The comparison between land mosaic change during the last 60 years, the relationship between site catchment area and land suitability and the correlation between archaeobotanical and phytosociological data. This approach underlined the relevance of the historical ecology for understanding landscape trajectories and planning strategy of suitable development of rural areas.
The Soprintendenza BB.CC.AA. of Palermo carried out in Piazza Bologni an excavation in trench in ... more The Soprintendenza BB.CC.AA. of Palermo carried out in Piazza Bologni an excavation in trench in the western area of the square. It was important to investigate a key sector of the city, located near Corso Vittorio Emanuele, the road axis which, since ancient times, has been the most important street for the urban development of Palermo. With regard to the Archaic period, the excavation made it possible to document the frequentation since the first half of the 6th century BC; from a context of the Hellenistic period there is a valuable ivory applique, depicting a zoomachia. In the Hellenistic age also is attested a metallurgical activity, documented by an accumulation of iron slag; from the same context, many pottery fragments, including Punic amphorae and black painted pottery, as well as a fragment of arula impressed with the known scene of the struggle between griffins and horse.
Archaeological excavations carried out in the town of Palermo revealed important traces of metall... more Archaeological excavations carried out in the town of Palermo revealed important traces of metallurgical activity related to the Punic Panormos. Five samples of iron slags, recovered during the digging, were characterized by micro-structural, mineralogical and chemical investigations as well as by environmental scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction and X-ray fluorescence. The studied remains are spongy, rust colored, with a plano-convex shape and their textural and mineralogical features suggest they are metallurgical slags produced during smithing process. Wüstite, magnetite, fayalite, kirschsteinite, hedembergite, cristobalite and quartz are the main identified mineral phases, while goethite, lepidocrocite and calcite occur as minor secondary phases. The iron slags show heterogeneous structures such as hammering clues, layering in wustite crystals and presence of calcium-rich minerals which are consistent with a broad variatio...
Le forme dell'acqua. Approvvigionamento, raccolta e smaltimento nella città antica, 2020
Nell’ambito di lavori realizzati dal Comune di Palermo nell’area del Centro Storico, è stato eseg... more Nell’ambito di lavori realizzati dal Comune di Palermo nell’area del Centro Storico, è stato eseguito un intervento di scavo archeologico preventivo a Piazza Bologni, situata nella parte mediana dell’odierno Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, l’asse stradale che sin dall’antichità ha caratterizzato l’impianto urbanistico della città. La piazza si trova, inoltre, nel cuore della Madīnat Balarm islamica, che coincideva con il nucleo della città antica. Il settore nel quale si è operato è situato nella parte occidentale della piazza, in una trincea lunga in totale 80 m ca. e larga in media 2,50 m, compresa tra il Corso Vittorio Emanuele II a nord e il vicolo Panormita a sud. Lo scavo dell’area, fortemente condizionato dalle esigenze di cantiere, è stato realizzato in due momenti diversi, il primo nei mesi di ottobre-novembre del 2011, il secondo tra luglio e agosto del 2012. Per esigenze di scavo, la metà nord dell’area è stata indagata nel 2011, mentre la parte più meridionale è stata esplorata nel 2012. Si sono così individuate evidenze archeologiche comprese tra l’Età Ellenistica e il Medioevo, tra cui contesti di Età Bizantina e varie strutture databili all’Età Islamica. Inoltre, sono stati messi in luce ben otto pozzi, di diverse tipologie e posti a varia distanza l’uno dall’altro.
Within the project 'Harvesting Memories: Ecology and Archaeology of Monti Sicani Landscapes', thi... more Within the project 'Harvesting Memories: Ecology and Archaeology of Monti Sicani Landscapes', this paper aims to reconstruct human-environment interactions in the inland areas of Western Sicily during the Early Middle Ages through a comparative analysis of environmental archaeological data. We analyse carpological and anthracological finds and faunal remains originating from different layers of the rural settlement of Contrada Castro (Corleone, Palermo), excavated in 2017-2019. The site was mainly occupied between the Byzantine and Islamic periods (late 8th to 11th c. AD). The examination of wood charcoal enabled the identification of plant species selected and exploited in the landscape of the site for each main chronological period. The archaeobotanical data indicated a precise, qualitative picture on the historical vegetation of this area, accompanied with the agricultural practices of the communities. The zooarchaeological data added further information on the reconstruction of rural economy and animal exploitation patterns. An integrated comparison of the characteristic landscape and the archaeobotanical and zooarchaeological data presented the dynamics of agricultural strategy, wood exploitation, and management of animal resources of an early medieval rural community in Western Sicily.
Within the project ‘Harvesting Memories: Ecology and Archaeology of Monti Sicani Landscapes’, thi... more Within the project ‘Harvesting Memories: Ecology and Archaeology of Monti Sicani Landscapes’, this paper aims to reconstruct human–environment interactions in the inland areas of Western Sicily during the Early Middle Ages through a comparative analysis of environmental archaeological data. We analyse carpological and anthracological finds and faunal remains originating from different layers of the rural settlement of Contrada Castro (Corleone, Palermo), excavated in 2017–2019. The site was mainly occupied between the Byzantine and Islamic periods (late 8th to 11th c. AD). The examination of wood charcoal enabled the identification of plant species selected and exploited in the landscape of the site for each main chronological period. The archaeobotanical data indicated a precise, qualitative picture on the historical vegetation of this area, accompanied with the agricultural practices of the communities. The zooarchaeological data added further information on the reconstruction of rural economy and animal exploitation patterns. An integrated comparison of the characteristic landscape and the archaeobotanical and zooarchaeological data presented the dynamics of agricultural strategy, wood exploitation, and management of animal resources of an early medieval rural community in Western Sicily.
FOLD&R Fasti On Line Documents & Research, 468, 2020
In Spring 2018, a second archaeological campaign was carried out in the rural site of Contrada Ca... more In Spring 2018, a second archaeological campaign was carried out in the rural site of Contrada Castro (Corleone, Pa-lermo). The main aim was to investigate a building just partially excavated in 2017. The results of this excavation confirmed the sequence, which starts from the late archaic/classical period and then continues with a new settlement from the Byzantine to the Islamic period. Over the collapse layers of some stone structures, not entirely investigated, of the late 6th-5th c. BC a probable area for perinatal burials was created during the 7th-early/mid- 8th c. AD. This marginal cemetery area was replaced by a rectangular building for craft activities for pottery production. In fact, in the first phase of this building two pottery kilns were associated with large amounts of productive wastes. The production activities were relatively brief, and one of the kilns was probably reused as an oven. Radiocarbon dating confirmed the use of this building from the late 8th c. AD to the 9th c. AD when it was apparently abandoned: there are no signs of fire or violent destruction. During the 10thc. AD this building was no longer visible and new wall was built with a completely different orientation. The Islamic occupation, covering the entire 10th and 11th c. AD, was heavily damaged by post-abandonment ac-tivities of spoliation of stone and agro-pastoral practices that occurred during the last century.
The results presented mainly derive from the protection activities carried out by the Archaeolog... more The results presented mainly derive from the protection activities carried out by the Archaeological Section of the Soprintendenza of Palermo over the last four years, thanks to the regulations on Preventive Archaeology and emergency investigations, in addition to the research activities carried out in agreement with Italian and foreign Universities and Research Institutions, Municipalities and Cultural Associations
The investigations of the last decade have documented in Piazza Indipendenza, an area to the west... more The investigations of the last decade have documented in Piazza Indipendenza, an area to the west of the ancient city where the Punic necropolis was located, the presence of some water wells, most likely realized in Islamic age, which intercept in the subsoil ancient funerary chambers. Apart from the general characteristics of the numerous medieval pits found in the urban area, as peculiar signs of the residential reality, we will discuss the hypothesis that also the pits of Piazza Indipendenza can represent, together with other elements, the main evidence of the real extension of the medieval city to the West.
in Un viaje entre el Oriente y el Occidente del Mediterráneo A Journey between East and West in ... more in Un viaje entre el Oriente y el Occidente del Mediterráneo A Journey between East and West in the Mediterranean SEBASTIÁN CELESTINO PÉREZ ESTHER RODRÍGUEZ GONZÁLEZ
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
Since the late Middle Ages, the highly urbanized area that was once at the heart of the Punic and... more Since the late Middle Ages, the highly urbanized area that was once at the heart of the Punic and Roman city, began a slow but inexorable process of abandonment and progressive defunctionalization, until it became, under the rule of the Spanish, a parade ground and today a large green area. Recent archaeological excavations have brought to light stratigraphic contexts pertinent to butti and drains of medieval age, useful not only for the investigation of aspects and details of material life, but also for the knowledge of the urban transformations of the area.
Castrorao Barba A; Miccichè R; Pisciotta F; Speciale C; Aleo Nero C; Marino, P; Bazan G 2023, T... more Castrorao Barba A; Miccichè R; Pisciotta F; Speciale C; Aleo Nero C; Marino, P; Bazan G 2023, The Rural Settlement of Contrada Castro (Sicily) between Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages. In Archaeology of the Mediterranean during Late Antiquity and the Middle Age, ed. Castrorao Barba, Angelo; Tanasi, Davide; Miccichè, Roberto (eds.), University Press of Florida: Gainesville, FL., pp. 240-265.
La Sicilia e il Mediterraneo dal Tardoantico al Medioevo. Prospettive di ricerca tra archeologia e storia, 2022
Le ricerche della Soprintendenza BB.CC.AA. di Palermo degli ultimi anni sono quasi sempre scaturi... more Le ricerche della Soprintendenza BB.CC.AA. di Palermo degli ultimi anni sono quasi sempre scaturite da interventi di urgenza nell’ambito di lavori pubblici e privati. In particolare, viene sempre più confermato che la città islamica ebbe un notevole allargamento rispetto all’antica Panormos e si estese su ampi spazi, a Nord e Sud, oltre i limiti naturali segnati dal corso dei torrenti Papireto e Kemonia, che fin dal momento della fondazione fenicia avevano costituito i confini dell’abitato.
The paper aims at analyzing the location and the range of production of the coroplasts\u2019 work... more The paper aims at analyzing the location and the range of production of the coroplasts\u2019 workshops in ancient Akragas. While the amounts of figurines and reliefs belonging to several distinctive types, which were discovered during the excavations made in the ancient town especially in the sanctuaries, testify the success of the local workshops, a category of objects, the molds for figurines and relief decorations, is more revealing about the manufacturing districts and the repertoire at disposal of the craftsmen. Roughly 130 molds have been found till now at Agrigento. While some rather scattered pieces are not a proof of the presence of a workshop on the same spot (Porta I, \u2018Punic Quarter\u2019 near Porta II, \u2018Hellenistic-Roman Quarter\u2019 and S. Nicola district, surroundings of the temples of Concordia and Hercules), and/or need a more nuanced interpretation (area S/SE of the Olympieion), in the area immediately S of the \u2018Sanctuary of the Chthonian Deities\u2019, just before the city wall, the activity of an important workshop serving the near sanctuaries is well documented. Here the majority of the molds discovered show the evolution of the coroplastic art during 6th-4th centuries B.C. in relationship with the local votive practices
The Harvesting Memories project aims to investigate the historical landscape dynamics in an inner... more The Harvesting Memories project aims to investigate the historical landscape dynamics in an inner area of the Sicani Mountains district in Western Sicily (Contrada Castro, Corleone-Palermo). The interdisciplinary approach of the project allowed us to combine and integrate methods from different disciplines such as historical ecology, landscape archaeology, archaeobotany and GIS-based spatial analysis. In this paper some results have been summarized. The comparison between land mosaic change during the last 60 years, the relationship between site catchment area and land suitability and the correlation between archaeobotanical and phytosociological data. This approach underlined the relevance of the historical ecology for understanding landscape trajectories and planning strategy of suitable development of rural areas.
The Soprintendenza BB.CC.AA. of Palermo carried out in Piazza Bologni an excavation in trench in ... more The Soprintendenza BB.CC.AA. of Palermo carried out in Piazza Bologni an excavation in trench in the western area of the square. It was important to investigate a key sector of the city, located near Corso Vittorio Emanuele, the road axis which, since ancient times, has been the most important street for the urban development of Palermo. With regard to the Archaic period, the excavation made it possible to document the frequentation since the first half of the 6th century BC; from a context of the Hellenistic period there is a valuable ivory applique, depicting a zoomachia. In the Hellenistic age also is attested a metallurgical activity, documented by an accumulation of iron slag; from the same context, many pottery fragments, including Punic amphorae and black painted pottery, as well as a fragment of arula impressed with the known scene of the struggle between griffins and horse.
Archaeological excavations carried out in the town of Palermo revealed important traces of metall... more Archaeological excavations carried out in the town of Palermo revealed important traces of metallurgical activity related to the Punic Panormos. Five samples of iron slags, recovered during the digging, were characterized by micro-structural, mineralogical and chemical investigations as well as by environmental scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction and X-ray fluorescence. The studied remains are spongy, rust colored, with a plano-convex shape and their textural and mineralogical features suggest they are metallurgical slags produced during smithing process. Wüstite, magnetite, fayalite, kirschsteinite, hedembergite, cristobalite and quartz are the main identified mineral phases, while goethite, lepidocrocite and calcite occur as minor secondary phases. The iron slags show heterogeneous structures such as hammering clues, layering in wustite crystals and presence of calcium-rich minerals which are consistent with a broad variatio...
Le forme dell'acqua. Approvvigionamento, raccolta e smaltimento nella città antica, 2020
Nell’ambito di lavori realizzati dal Comune di Palermo nell’area del Centro Storico, è stato eseg... more Nell’ambito di lavori realizzati dal Comune di Palermo nell’area del Centro Storico, è stato eseguito un intervento di scavo archeologico preventivo a Piazza Bologni, situata nella parte mediana dell’odierno Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, l’asse stradale che sin dall’antichità ha caratterizzato l’impianto urbanistico della città. La piazza si trova, inoltre, nel cuore della Madīnat Balarm islamica, che coincideva con il nucleo della città antica. Il settore nel quale si è operato è situato nella parte occidentale della piazza, in una trincea lunga in totale 80 m ca. e larga in media 2,50 m, compresa tra il Corso Vittorio Emanuele II a nord e il vicolo Panormita a sud. Lo scavo dell’area, fortemente condizionato dalle esigenze di cantiere, è stato realizzato in due momenti diversi, il primo nei mesi di ottobre-novembre del 2011, il secondo tra luglio e agosto del 2012. Per esigenze di scavo, la metà nord dell’area è stata indagata nel 2011, mentre la parte più meridionale è stata esplorata nel 2012. Si sono così individuate evidenze archeologiche comprese tra l’Età Ellenistica e il Medioevo, tra cui contesti di Età Bizantina e varie strutture databili all’Età Islamica. Inoltre, sono stati messi in luce ben otto pozzi, di diverse tipologie e posti a varia distanza l’uno dall’altro.
Within the project 'Harvesting Memories: Ecology and Archaeology of Monti Sicani Landscapes', thi... more Within the project 'Harvesting Memories: Ecology and Archaeology of Monti Sicani Landscapes', this paper aims to reconstruct human-environment interactions in the inland areas of Western Sicily during the Early Middle Ages through a comparative analysis of environmental archaeological data. We analyse carpological and anthracological finds and faunal remains originating from different layers of the rural settlement of Contrada Castro (Corleone, Palermo), excavated in 2017-2019. The site was mainly occupied between the Byzantine and Islamic periods (late 8th to 11th c. AD). The examination of wood charcoal enabled the identification of plant species selected and exploited in the landscape of the site for each main chronological period. The archaeobotanical data indicated a precise, qualitative picture on the historical vegetation of this area, accompanied with the agricultural practices of the communities. The zooarchaeological data added further information on the reconstruction of rural economy and animal exploitation patterns. An integrated comparison of the characteristic landscape and the archaeobotanical and zooarchaeological data presented the dynamics of agricultural strategy, wood exploitation, and management of animal resources of an early medieval rural community in Western Sicily.
Within the project ‘Harvesting Memories: Ecology and Archaeology of Monti Sicani Landscapes’, thi... more Within the project ‘Harvesting Memories: Ecology and Archaeology of Monti Sicani Landscapes’, this paper aims to reconstruct human–environment interactions in the inland areas of Western Sicily during the Early Middle Ages through a comparative analysis of environmental archaeological data. We analyse carpological and anthracological finds and faunal remains originating from different layers of the rural settlement of Contrada Castro (Corleone, Palermo), excavated in 2017–2019. The site was mainly occupied between the Byzantine and Islamic periods (late 8th to 11th c. AD). The examination of wood charcoal enabled the identification of plant species selected and exploited in the landscape of the site for each main chronological period. The archaeobotanical data indicated a precise, qualitative picture on the historical vegetation of this area, accompanied with the agricultural practices of the communities. The zooarchaeological data added further information on the reconstruction of rural economy and animal exploitation patterns. An integrated comparison of the characteristic landscape and the archaeobotanical and zooarchaeological data presented the dynamics of agricultural strategy, wood exploitation, and management of animal resources of an early medieval rural community in Western Sicily.
FOLD&R Fasti On Line Documents & Research, 468, 2020
In Spring 2018, a second archaeological campaign was carried out in the rural site of Contrada Ca... more In Spring 2018, a second archaeological campaign was carried out in the rural site of Contrada Castro (Corleone, Pa-lermo). The main aim was to investigate a building just partially excavated in 2017. The results of this excavation confirmed the sequence, which starts from the late archaic/classical period and then continues with a new settlement from the Byzantine to the Islamic period. Over the collapse layers of some stone structures, not entirely investigated, of the late 6th-5th c. BC a probable area for perinatal burials was created during the 7th-early/mid- 8th c. AD. This marginal cemetery area was replaced by a rectangular building for craft activities for pottery production. In fact, in the first phase of this building two pottery kilns were associated with large amounts of productive wastes. The production activities were relatively brief, and one of the kilns was probably reused as an oven. Radiocarbon dating confirmed the use of this building from the late 8th c. AD to the 9th c. AD when it was apparently abandoned: there are no signs of fire or violent destruction. During the 10thc. AD this building was no longer visible and new wall was built with a completely different orientation. The Islamic occupation, covering the entire 10th and 11th c. AD, was heavily damaged by post-abandonment ac-tivities of spoliation of stone and agro-pastoral practices that occurred during the last century.
In the long tradition of the Italian Archaeological Soprintendenze, which have always been active... more In the long tradition of the Italian Archaeological Soprintendenze, which have always been active in finding forms of dissemination and information of the results of their research, with this online Archaeological Newsletter, the Soprintendenza of Palermo intends to activate a communication channel through which to publish, in concise form, reports of the excavation activities carried out in the area under its jurisdiction or, more generally, studies of historical-archaeological nature.
This first Volume of these Studies came out from the desire to present in a printed volume the first fifteen articles of the Notiziario, already published online in 2016 on the institutional website of our Department of Cultural Heritage and Sicilian Identity and on Academia.edu.
This volume consists of a series of archaeological scientific articles by colleagues who have had... more This volume consists of a series of archaeological scientific articles by colleagues who have had the opportunity to share their work with Stefano Vassallo, being able, in this way, to appreciate the professional and, even more, human qualities with which he has carried out his work in his more than thirty-year career.
“Storie (di) Ceramiche” è una giornata di studi dedicata alla memoria di Graziella Berti, studios... more “Storie (di) Ceramiche” è una giornata di studi dedicata alla memoria di Graziella Berti, studiosa di ceramica medievale e figura importante per gli studi storici sulla Pisa medievale e moderna, venuta a mancare l’11 Giugno del 2013. Questa occasione, giunta alla sua seconda edizione, vuole ricordarla nella maniera che lei stessa avesse apprezzato di più: attraverso i temi a lei cari, l’innovazione della ricerca e le nuove generazioni di studiosi.
La seconda edizione, svoltasi l’11 Giugno 2015, a due anni dalla scomparsa della studiosa, è stata dedicata al tema delle Maioliche “Arcaiche” intendendo in questa maniera rendere omaggio non solo agli studi sulla maiolica arcaica pisana e, più generalmente, toscana (tra i temi più cari a Graziella Berti), ma comprendendo con “arcaiche” tutte quelle maioliche e, più genericamente, quelle ceramiche prodotte e circolanti in Italia tra XII e XV secolo. In questa maniera sono stati presentati alcuni studi di sintesi sulle maioliche arcaiche della Toscana settentrionale che, ripartendo dalle analisi pregresse, hanno riaperto il dibattito sulla conoscenza dei centri di produzione e sulla circolazione di questi manufatti dal Duecento in poi. Inoltre, è stata l’occasione per far conoscere alcune nuove ricerche sull’Italia meridionale che riguardano la produzione e circolazione di manufatti invetriati e smaltati tra XII e XIV secolo.
Notiziario Archeologico Soprintendenza Palermo, poster n. 20, 2017
Archaeological works carried out in Palermo (NW Sicily) by the Archaeological Section of the Sopr... more Archaeological works carried out in Palermo (NW Sicily) by the Archaeological Section of the Soprintendenza BB.CC.AA. of Palermo, between 2011 and 2012, revealed a stratigraphic unit dating back to the Ellenic age and belonging to the Panormos
Phoenician Colony (Aleo Nero et al., 2016). The archaeological site brought to light fragments of potteries - Punic type amphorae - shells remanents, besides iron slags and oxidized strata connected with traces of metallurgical activity.
Notiziario Archeologico Soprintendenza Palermo, poster n. 24, 2018
Nella trincea aperta a piazza Bologni per la realizzazione del nuovo impianto fognario sono stati... more Nella trincea aperta a piazza Bologni per la realizzazione del nuovo impianto fognario sono stati messi in luce ben otto pozzi per la captazione dell’acqua. Le cavità sono state tutte obliterate alle soglie dell’età moderna, quando l’area – già densamente urbanizzata – fu spianata per la realizzazione della piazza. I pozzi, probabilmente realizzati in età islamica, sono di varie tipologie, a sezione sia circolare, sia quadrangolare; di solito sopravvive la parte desinente della cavità, quella scavata nella roccia, ma di uno si è conservata anche la parte costruita.
Notiziario Archeologico Soprintendenza Palermo, poster n. 10, 2014
In the Punic and Roman Ages the area of the present Piazza Bologni occupied the central part of t... more In the Punic and Roman Ages the area of the present Piazza Bologni occupied the central part of the fortified city, lapped, to the North and to the South, by Papireto and Kemonia rivers. The ancient town of Panormos was arranged according a regular planning scheme dating back to the 4th century BC - still partly readable in the current road system – developed on either side of the main road axis from East to West, which coincided approximately with the present Corso Vittorio Emanuele (the Càssaro).
Notiziario Archeologico Soprintendenza Palermo, poster n. 11, 2014
The area of Piazza Marina - that actually looks like a vast plain - has always been of crucial im... more The area of Piazza Marina - that actually looks like a vast plain - has always been of crucial importance for the study of urban topography, especially with regard to the boundaries and extension of the port of Panormos (from the greek "tutto porto"), vital center of the city since the time of the first Phoenician Emporium. There are various hypotheses about morphology and extent of the deep port inlet which hosted, in 480 BC, the Carthaginian ships which were about to launch an attack against Himera and where, nearly a thousand years later (in 535 a.D.), the Byzantine troops of Belisarius landed to conquer the city.
Notiziario Archeologico Soprintendenza Palermo, poster n. 12, 2014
In the Punic and Roman age the area of the present Piazza della Vittoria occupied the upper part ... more In the Punic and Roman age the area of the present Piazza della Vittoria occupied the upper part of ancient Panormos, lapped to the North and to the South by Papireto and Kemonia rivers respectively. The buildings were arranged according a regular town planning scheme which probably dates back to the 4th century BC and which is still readable in the current fabric of the city. The main road axis ran from East to West and coincided approximately with the present Corso Vittorio Emanuele (the Càssaro). Inside Villa Bonanno you can visit two buildings of Roman Age richly decorated by fine mosaic floors. Other remains of Roman houses have been found in the fourteenth century Palazzo Sclafani, barracks today.
Notiziario Archeologico Soprintendenza Palermo, poster n. 13, 2014
Due dei recenti scavi di emergenza nel centro storico di Palermo hanno restituito, tra l’altro, u... more Due dei recenti scavi di emergenza nel centro storico di Palermo hanno restituito, tra l’altro, una documentazione riferibile al periodo che va dalla tarda antichità all’altomedioevo. Come è noto, non è frequente riscontrare a Palermo attestazioni archeologiche di tale epoca, specialmente entro il perimetro della città antica, caratterizzata non solo da una lunga continuità di vita, ma anche dalla intensa urbanizzazione di età islamica. Si anticipano alcuni dati relativi alle indagini condotte nel 2011 nella centralissima Piazza Bologni - lungo il corso Vittorio Emanuele, principale asse viario est ovest fin dall’epoca punica - e nei pressi della Cattedrale, in un edificio, di proprietà della Curia (pal. Artale), che si affaccia sulla Piazza Settangeli. Poiché lo studio dei contesti di scavo è ancora in corso, ci limiteremo a segnalare alcuni dei principali indicatori relativi all’orizzonte cronologico considerato.
Notiziario Archeologico Soprintendenza Palermo, poster n. 16, 2016
L’attività di tutela e l’impegno della Soprintendenza ai Beni Culturali e Ambientali sul fronte d... more L’attività di tutela e l’impegno della Soprintendenza ai Beni Culturali e Ambientali sul fronte dell’archeologia urbana implicano una costante rielaborazione delle conoscenze sulla città antica. Dalla raccolta di vecchi e nuovi dati sulle attività produttive entro e fuori gli spazi urbani nel Medioevo, attestate da specifici indicatori di produzione e talvolta anche da strutture, emerge in via preliminare un quadro distributivo degli impianti nell’ambito dei molteplici settori manifatturieri (ceramica, metalli, vetro, cannamele, etc.).
Notiziario Archeologico Soprintendenza Palermo, poster n. 17, 2016
Nell’ambito dei lavori di riqualificazione urbana del Centro Storico di Palermo da parte dell’Amm... more Nell’ambito dei lavori di riqualificazione urbana del Centro Storico di Palermo da parte dell’Amministrazione comunale, la Soprintendenza ai Beni Culturali e Ambientali ha realizzato – nel 2011 e nel 2012 - uno scavo archeologico in una trincea posta nella parte occidentale di piazza Bologni. L’intervento, fortemente condizionato dalle esigenze di cantiere, ha preceduto la collocazione della nuova condotta fognaria, per la quale è stata realizzata una trincea di m 80 x 2,5 ca. Nella parte più settentrionale dello scavo è stato messo in luce un contesto ben databile tra la fine del IV e la prima metà del III sec. a. C. Lo strato si presentava in più punti di colore rosso intenso o nerastro, ricco di pietrame, di grossi grumi di terra cruda concotta e di frammenti ceramici, che in più casi avevano tracce di combustione; frequenti i prodotti a vernice nera, le ceramiche comuni e le anfore, per la maggior parte di tipo punico. Dal contesto proviene anche un frammento di arula decorata con la tipica raffigurazione punica del grifo che attacca un cavallo. I principali indicatori di produzione erano costituiti dalle numerose scorie ferrose a sezione emisferica (“a calotta”), dall’aspetto spugnoso e di
colore ruggine, che comprendevano numerosi inclusi, come frammenti litici, ceramici o anche piccole conchiglie. È verosimile, pertanto, che in quest’area centrale dell’antico abitato di età punica si svolgessero attività metallurgiche, benché non sia possibile, in mancanza di strutture superstiti, chiarire l’organizzazione spaziale dell’officina.
Studies on Medieval Sicily are currently renewed by research undertaken by different teams from v... more Studies on Medieval Sicily are currently renewed by research undertaken by different teams from various regions of Europe (Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, Austria, Poland). Post-roman Sicily is a sort of palimpsest of Mediterranean dynamics in which continuity, transformation, innovation and resilience were connected to a wider frame of political change: role in the Byzantine State, Islamic conquest, Norman domain and the emergence of Swabian.
The challenge of approaching Medieval Sicily with this proposal is to analyse and interpret the materiality of these many 'transitions' on archaeological records.
This session aims to show the main results of those ongoing archaeological and historical works at medieval suburbia and rural sites of Sicily. It is thus intended to update traditional views regarding the evolution of this territory from Late Antique to the Middle Ages by bringing into consideration new data recovered from archaeological excavations undertaken in several sites across Sicily, new information coming from the review of written accounts and new reflections from contrasting both material and documentary records.
In particular, the session will address the following topics:
- Dynamics of rural settlement patterns.
- Suburbium between countryside and city.
- Landscape of power: churches, monasteries and palaces.
- Material culture and economic trajectories beyond the cities.
This session will be therefore a necessary space of discussion between the different European scholars currently engaged in the study of Medieval Sicily in order to compare data, results, methods and new theories.
Following a first occupation dated to the 6th-5th c. BC, the site was re-occupied between the Byz... more Following a first occupation dated to the 6th-5th c. BC, the site was re-occupied between the Byzantine and Islamic period (7th-11th c. AD). Under the 10th-11th c. AD structures, a large square building has been uncovered, that shows two subsequent phases dated from the mid-8th c. AD to the 9th c. AD. The structures belonging to the first phase of the building have revealed traces of pottery production, as indicated by the recovery of a two chambered kiln as well as the presence of several ceramic wastes.This paper presents the material evidence connected to this recently unearthed building and discusses its implication in terms of craft production in a rural area during the transition from the Byzantine to the early Islamic period. This analysis enables us to reassess the existing chrono-typology for specific ceramic vessels, such as painted amphorae- in particular the ones showing band and sinusoidal decoration-and cooking wares recovered from this building. Moreover, the possibility to study specific pottery types in association with both a sound stratigraphic sequence –the kiln lies under the 10th-11th c. AD structures and new radiocarbon data acquired from several key contexts, provides important insights into the material culture of a rural community living in the inland of Sicily between the 8th and 9th c. AD. In addition, we will also introduce the preliminary outcomes of the geological prospection carried out to identify the raw materials suitable for potting within the area, combined with the petrographic analysis of modern clay samples. Such integrated approach enables us to gain a better understanding on ceramic craft-technology, clay procurement strategies and more broadly the consumption of household pottery in the countryside of western Sicily between the late Byzantine period and the early Islamic age, adding to our knowledge of a crucial as well as “dark” period in the history of Early Medieval Sicily.
Afterlife of hill-top settlements in Sicily between Antiquity and the Middle Ages: the excavation... more Afterlife of hill-top settlements in Sicily between Antiquity and the Middle Ages: the excavation in Contrada Castro (Corleone, Palermo), by Dr. Angelo Castrorao Barba (University of Palermo); Roberto Miccichè (University of Palermo); Filippo Pisciotta (University of Palermo); Giuseppe Bazan (University of Palermo); Carla Aleo Nero (Soprintendenza BB.CC.AA. of Palermo); Stefano Vassallo (Soprintendenza BB.CC.AA. of Palermo); Pasquale Marino (Bona Furtuna LLC); Steve Luczo (Bona Furtuna LLC).
The development of hill-top sites or sites in at locations that are optimal for controlling valleys and defendable is a phenomenon that characterised many parts of Sicily between the archaic and the Hellenistic periods. The discovery of a new site in Contrada Castro (Corleone, Palermo) paves the way for new knowledge of the dynamics of settlement patterns in Sicilian rural landscapes in a long-term perspective. The first period of occupation of the elevated plateau of Contrada Castro is attested by the late archaic period probably related to the presence of a rural community linked to the exploitation of agro-pastoral resources. A shift in settlement pattern with the rise of agglomerated hill-top settlements during the Early Middle Ages is a global phenomenon that is also documented in the Sicilian landscape. The excavation in Contrada Castro, carried out with in the “Harvesting Memories” focused on Ecology and Archaeology of Sicani Mountains landscapes, showed a clear case of re-establishment of an ancient site located in hilly position between Byzantine, Islamic and Norman periods (7th – 12th c. CE). The site of Contrada Castro could reflect the dynamics of a rise in hill-top settlement in changed socio-economic contexts that marked a shift compared to the Roman villa system and the later phase characterised by the emergence of large villages/agro-towns that were probably related to Church estates. The investigation of this new rural site provided insight into longue durée patterns at hilltop rural settlements in Sicily between Antiquity and the Middle Ages.
The “Harvesting Memories” project focuses on the study of long-term landscape and settlement patt... more The “Harvesting Memories” project focuses on the study of long-term landscape and settlement patterns change – in Sicani Mountains rural district (central-western Sicily) – as a result of diachronic interactions between socio-economic human factors and environmental and ecological trends. A new hilltop site has been identified during field survey in Contrada Castro (Corleone, Palermo). The settlement pattern linked to the selection of reliefs and hills as places for controlling rural districts seems to have changed in the Roman age, when it was characterized by intensive occupation of low-lying lands associated with potential agricultural productivity and proximity to road networks. A shift in settlement pattern with the rise of agglomerated hill-top settlements during the Early Middle Ages is a global phenomenon also occurred in Sicily. This paper aims to show the long-term sequence of the excavation (started in spring 2017) in the site of Contrada Castro. The main evidences date back to the Middle Ages with dry-stone structures related to the Islamic and Norman age (9th-12th c. AD) resettling a place already occupied during Byzantine period (infant burial) and also by a Late Archaic/Classical indigenous settlement (6th-5th c. BC). The investigation of this new rural site provided insight into longue durée patterns at hilltop rural settlements in Sicily between Antiquity and the Middle Ages.
Seminario
Anche quest’anno, a due anni dalla sua scomparsa, si vuole ricordare Graziella Berti, ... more Seminario
Anche quest’anno, a due anni dalla sua scomparsa, si vuole ricordare Graziella Berti, figura di rilievo negli studi storici su Pisa ed il Mediterraneo e tra le massime esperte italiane di ceramica medievale e della prima età moderna, attraverso le ricerche di alcuni giovani studiosi che offrono nuovi apporti su linee d’indagine tradizionali.
Non a caso il sottotitolo di quest’anno (Maioliche “Arcaiche”) richiama alla memoria uno temi più cari a Graziella Berti, argomento che proprio negli ultimi anni sta offrendo nuove prospettive di indagine e di conoscenza. Durante la giornata seminariale verrà, quindi, trattato il tema della maiolica arcaica toscana, prima maiolica fabbricata in ambito regionale, partendo dalla più antica (quella pisana) per aprirsi ai centri di produzione minori. Inoltre, sarà offerto uno sguardo più ampio a livello italiano con nuove ricerche che mostrano l’evoluzione degli oggetti smaltati realizzati (la cosiddetta “Protomaiolica”) anche nel Meridione d’Italia.
Si presenteranno, quindi, i risultati provenienti da alcune nuove ricerche che porranno l’accento sulla diversificazione delle fabbriche, sul frazionamento dell’offerta, sui consumi e gli areali distributivi e sulle associazioni ceramiche provenienti dai contesti d’uso. In questa maniera si cercheranno di delineare la società bassomedievale e le realtà artigianali in tutta la loro complessità.
Uno spazio finale dedicato al dibattito consentirà di porre domande e offrirà un momento di confronto ulteriore al fine di approfondire quanto discusso e di creare la base per future ricerche.
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Papers by Carla Aleo Nero
where the Punic necropolis was located, the presence of some water wells, most likely realized in Islamic age, which
intercept in the subsoil ancient funerary chambers. Apart from the general characteristics of the numerous medieval
pits found in the urban area, as peculiar signs of the residential reality, we will discuss the hypothesis that also the pits
of Piazza Indipendenza can represent, together with other elements, the main evidence of the real extension of the
medieval city to the West.
where the Punic necropolis was located, the presence of some water wells, most likely realized in Islamic age, which
intercept in the subsoil ancient funerary chambers. Apart from the general characteristics of the numerous medieval
pits found in the urban area, as peculiar signs of the residential reality, we will discuss the hypothesis that also the pits
of Piazza Indipendenza can represent, together with other elements, the main evidence of the real extension of the
medieval city to the West.
This first Volume of these Studies came out from the desire to present in a printed volume the first fifteen articles of the Notiziario, already published online in 2016 on the institutional website of our Department of Cultural Heritage and Sicilian Identity and on Academia.edu.
Questa occasione, giunta alla sua seconda edizione, vuole ricordarla nella maniera che lei stessa avesse apprezzato di più: attraverso i temi a lei cari, l’innovazione della ricerca e le nuove generazioni di studiosi.
La seconda edizione, svoltasi l’11 Giugno 2015, a due anni dalla scomparsa della studiosa, è stata dedicata al tema delle Maioliche “Arcaiche” intendendo in questa maniera rendere omaggio non solo agli studi sulla maiolica arcaica pisana e, più generalmente, toscana (tra i temi più cari a Graziella Berti), ma comprendendo con “arcaiche” tutte quelle maioliche e, più genericamente, quelle ceramiche prodotte e circolanti in Italia tra XII e XV secolo. In questa maniera sono stati presentati alcuni studi di sintesi sulle maioliche arcaiche della Toscana settentrionale che, ripartendo dalle analisi pregresse, hanno riaperto il dibattito sulla conoscenza dei centri di produzione e sulla circolazione di questi manufatti dal Duecento in poi. Inoltre, è stata l’occasione per far conoscere alcune nuove ricerche sull’Italia meridionale che riguardano la produzione e circolazione di manufatti invetriati e smaltati tra XII e XIV secolo.
Phoenician Colony (Aleo Nero et al., 2016). The archaeological site brought to light fragments of potteries - Punic type amphorae - shells remanents, besides iron slags and oxidized strata connected with traces of metallurgical activity.
sulla città antica. Dalla raccolta di vecchi e nuovi dati sulle attività produttive entro e fuori
gli spazi urbani nel Medioevo, attestate da specifici indicatori di produzione e talvolta
anche da strutture, emerge in via preliminare un quadro distributivo degli impianti
nell’ambito dei molteplici settori manifatturieri (ceramica, metalli, vetro, cannamele, etc.).
colore ruggine, che comprendevano numerosi inclusi, come frammenti litici, ceramici o anche piccole conchiglie. È verosimile, pertanto, che in quest’area centrale dell’antico abitato di età punica si svolgessero attività metallurgiche, benché non sia possibile, in mancanza di strutture superstiti, chiarire l’organizzazione spaziale dell’officina.
The challenge of approaching Medieval Sicily with this proposal is to analyse and interpret the materiality of these many 'transitions' on archaeological records.
This session aims to show the main results of those ongoing archaeological and historical works at medieval suburbia and rural sites of Sicily. It is thus intended to update traditional views regarding the evolution of this territory from Late Antique to the Middle Ages by bringing into consideration new data recovered from archaeological excavations undertaken in several sites across Sicily, new information coming from the review of written accounts and new reflections from contrasting both material and documentary records.
In particular, the session will address the following topics:
- Dynamics of rural settlement patterns.
- Suburbium between countryside and city.
- Landscape of power: churches, monasteries and palaces.
- Material culture and economic trajectories beyond the cities.
This session will be therefore a necessary space of discussion between the different European scholars currently engaged in the study of Medieval Sicily in order to compare data, results, methods and new theories.
Dr. Angelo Castrorao Barba (University of Palermo); Roberto Miccichè (University of Palermo); Filippo Pisciotta (University of Palermo); Giuseppe Bazan (University of Palermo); Carla Aleo Nero (Soprintendenza BB.CC.AA. of Palermo); Stefano Vassallo (Soprintendenza BB.CC.AA. of Palermo); Pasquale Marino (Bona Furtuna LLC); Steve Luczo (Bona Furtuna LLC).
The development of hill-top sites or sites in at locations that are optimal for controlling valleys and defendable is a phenomenon that characterised many parts of Sicily between the archaic and the Hellenistic periods. The discovery of a new site in Contrada Castro (Corleone, Palermo) paves the way for new knowledge of the dynamics of settlement patterns in Sicilian rural landscapes in a long-term perspective. The first period of occupation of the elevated plateau of Contrada Castro is attested by the late archaic period probably related to the presence of a rural community linked to the exploitation of agro-pastoral resources. A shift in settlement pattern with the rise of agglomerated hill-top settlements during the Early Middle Ages is a global phenomenon that is also documented in the Sicilian landscape. The excavation in Contrada Castro, carried out with in the “Harvesting Memories” focused on Ecology and Archaeology of Sicani Mountains landscapes, showed a clear case of re-establishment of an ancient site located in hilly position between Byzantine, Islamic and Norman periods (7th – 12th c. CE). The site of Contrada Castro could reflect the dynamics of a rise in hill-top settlement in changed socio-economic contexts that marked a shift compared to the Roman villa system and the later phase characterised by the emergence of large villages/agro-towns that were probably related to Church estates. The investigation of this new rural site provided insight into longue durée patterns at hilltop rural settlements in Sicily between Antiquity and the Middle Ages.
Anche quest’anno, a due anni dalla sua scomparsa, si vuole ricordare Graziella Berti, figura di rilievo negli studi storici su Pisa ed il Mediterraneo e tra le massime esperte italiane di ceramica medievale e della prima età moderna, attraverso le ricerche di alcuni giovani studiosi che offrono nuovi apporti su linee d’indagine tradizionali.
Non a caso il sottotitolo di quest’anno (Maioliche “Arcaiche”) richiama alla memoria uno temi più cari a Graziella Berti, argomento che proprio negli ultimi anni sta offrendo nuove prospettive di indagine e di conoscenza.
Durante la giornata seminariale verrà, quindi, trattato il tema della maiolica arcaica toscana, prima maiolica fabbricata in ambito regionale, partendo dalla più antica (quella pisana) per aprirsi ai centri di produzione minori. Inoltre, sarà offerto uno sguardo più ampio a livello italiano con nuove ricerche che mostrano l’evoluzione degli oggetti smaltati realizzati (la cosiddetta “Protomaiolica”) anche nel Meridione d’Italia.
Si presenteranno, quindi, i risultati provenienti da alcune nuove ricerche che porranno l’accento sulla diversificazione delle fabbriche, sul frazionamento dell’offerta, sui consumi e gli areali distributivi e sulle associazioni ceramiche provenienti dai contesti d’uso. In questa maniera si cercheranno di delineare la società bassomedievale e le realtà artigianali in tutta la loro complessità.
Uno spazio finale dedicato al dibattito consentirà di porre domande e offrirà un momento di confronto ulteriore al fine di approfondire quanto discusso e di creare la base per future ricerche.