Thea Messina

The aim of this paper is to present the preliminary results of the 2012th-2015th archaeological excavations at the Early Bronze Age site of Calicantone, south-eastern Sicily, as it adds new data to our knowledge about the funerary traditions of the Castelluccio culture (ca. 2200-1400 BC). The research conducted on the rock-cut chamber tombs necropolis unveiled an unprecedented plurality of grave forms and types of external decoration within single cemetery, as well as the presence of rock-cut implements facilitating access to diverse tombs. In close vicinity to the upper part of that necropolis a hut of considerable size  (ca.5x10 m) and with a bi-apsidal plan is located, similar to the few other huts known from EBA Sicily (e.g. the building from the eponymous Castelluccio site).
The vast necropolis, located in Cava Ispica gorge, ca. 14 km from Sicily’s south-eastern coast, spreads over rocky terraces and inaccessible steep slopes surrounding a hilltop settlement towering on the western edge of the gorge. It consists of ninety-one chamber tombs clustered in several groups. Each group presents different level of accessibility and external elaboration of tombs’ façades, while the presence of small artificial cavities (tombe incoative, probably of votive purpose) recurs in several sectors of the necropolis. The presence of votive cavities implies that each bigger cluster stated an independent part of the necropolis, devoted to a chosen group/clan or used over a different period of time, whereas the location of particular tombs within the groups could hold the key to a social lecture of the funerary landscape. The largest group of tombs states the necropolis’ monumental façade. Broad repertoire of decorative motives, which include multiple rock-cut frames, pillared courtyards and false-pillared façades accentuates those tombs’ entrances.
A repeatable co-existence of chosen elements within the multileveled cemetery of Calicantone suggests a well organized funerary area with internal structure carefully planned and a system of tombs differentiation articulated by their location and set of external architectonic features.
The soundings in the nearby of the necropolis unveiled traces of a hut,  in use in the final stage of the Sicilian EBA (ca. 1600-1450 BC) and perhaps also in the transitory period to the MBA Thapsos culture (ca. 1400-1250 BC) when it was destroyed in an abrupt event such as an earthquake or a human attack. Until now it is the only known Sicilian building placed on the border of a funerary area and it yielded a large amount of finds, including both cult and luxury objects  and with more mundane ones, such as stone tools and weaving implements. A large amount of pottery has been found (round 80 vases) including small and middle sized vases, and many large clay containers (pithois, dolia). The presence of rock-cut channels and a large rectangular clay basin points to a special or specialized function of the space.
Surprisingly the debris also covered at least 8 individuals (both male and female, adults and young). While some of them were clearly killed by the event that destroyed the hut, one was apparently not a victim of the sudden destruction: the suggestion must be made that this body was placed in the hut before the violent end of the building and was probably being prepared for burial.
Taking into consideration its location and content, the proposed interpretation of the hut of Calicantone is that of a community house used also for funerary activities, including both rituals and the treatment of the body.

Call for Paper per CHAIN (Cultural Heritage Academic Interdisciplinary Network) 2020: 11-12 Febbraio, Università di Catania, Dottorato in Science per il patrimonio e la produzione culturale.

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