 The grotticella tombs of Sabucina | |
  Sabucina Shown within Sicily | |
| Location | Caltanissetta,Sicily,Italy |
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| Coordinates | 37°30′9.47″N14°7′15.82″E / 37.5026306°N 14.1210611°E /37.5026306; 14.1210611 |
| History | |
| Periods | c.2300-300 BC |
| Site notes | |
| Archaeologists | Piero Orlandini |
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The archaeological park ofSabucina (officially,Sabbucina), located on the mountain of the same name nearCaltanissetta (8 km to the north east), is an archaeological site inSicily. The area contains settlements ranging from theBronze Age (20th-16th century BC) to theRoman period.[1]
Today the site is accessible as the regional archaeological park of Sabucina.[2]
The ancient city had pre-Greek origins; it was constructed by theSicans, who took advantage of the dominant position of the mountain over theSalso river valley.
Archaeological evidence allows the phases of habitation to be divided as follows:
The first phase of the Greek settlement came in the 7th century. The centre consisted of rectangular habitations, with more space between them towards the summit of the mountain. In the 6th century BC, the city wall was built, which probably contained the entire inhabited area at that time. In the 5th century the settlement was destroyed, probably byDucetius, who is mentioned byDiodorus Siculus.
Reconstruction occurred in the second half of the 5th century; the settlement received a new layout of streets and housing plots on a different orientation, and a new city wall with rectangular towers.
This settlement was abandoned in turn in 310 BC, probably byAgathocles of Syracuse.[3]
In Roman times, farms and villas were settled in the plain near Piano della Clesia and near the necropolis in the Lannari district.
The bust of emperorGeta was found here dated to 204-5 AD. It was probably produced in Rome and brought to Sicily by aristocratic owners of the villa. It is one of the few official busts of Geta that survive, as after his murder by his brotherCaracalla in 212, his memory was obliterated underdamnatio.
The land was probably owned from 350 AD byPhilippianus judging from tile stamps from the villa of Piano della Clesia, as part of alatifundium farming estate which included the nearbyVilla of Geraci.[4]: 183–229, Chapter 11
In the area at the bottom of the mountain are some Bronze Agegrotticella tombs [it]; other important discoveries include to a hut used as a shrine and the so-calledSacello of Sabucina [it], a terracotta model dating to the 6th century BC, found in the area of the necropolis, which depicts a small temple with apronaosin antis and a pitched roof surmounted by two figures of cavalrymen and twogorgoneion masks decorating thetympanum. The sacello, with other discoveries, is now kept in theRegional archaeological museum of Caltanissetta.
Starting from the 1960sPiero Orlandini excavated the late Bronze Age huts, dating to the 13th-10th centuries BC. This was an important excavation, since Sabucina was the first village of this type to be identified in Sicily.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)| International | |
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| Geographic | |
