On Mount Sant’Angelo in Licata, in the province of Agrigento, excavation activities have resumed in the area of the ancient Hellenistic-Roman settlement of Finziade. The project, which brings attention back to one of Sicily’s centers of major historical and archaeological interest, is being conducted by the Archaeological and Landscape Park of the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento in collaboration with the National Research Council-Institute of Cultural Heritage Sciences in Catania.
The excavations, which focus particularly on the so-called House 19, will last until Nov. 21, 2025, and represent an important moment in the study of thelast Greek foundation that arose on the island. The scientific activity is directed by archaeologists Alessio Toscano Raffa and Maria Concetta Parello, while field coordination is entrusted to experts Mariano Morganti, Veronica Russotti and Donata Giglio. General supervision, on the other hand, is in charge of architect Rosario Callea, who ensures the integration of archaeological research and heritage management.
House 19, the subject of the campaign, is a vast dwelling dating back to the 2nd century B.C., later converted into a workshopfor pottery production. Studies and investigations carried out in recent years have already uncovered structures of great significance, including kilns, tanks, cisterns and docks used for processing clay. This is evidence that makes it possible to reconstruct the craft activities that animated the city in the Hellenistic and Roman periods. Some of the structures are still preserved up to three meters in height, offering a particularly clear picture of the construction techniques and production methods of the time. Finziade occupies a prominent position in the history of ancient Sicily. Founded by the Greeks at a later time than other important centers of Magna Graecia, it represents the last evidence of Hellenic colonization on the island. The site has long been the subject of research aimed at clarifying not only its urban organization, but also the economic and cultural relations it had with other Mediterranean centers.
In addition to the scientific component, the campaign includes an important involvement of the territory. Once again this year, in fact, there are volunteers from Gral, the Lycian Archaeological Research Group, which has long supported the specialists in the survey activities. Alongside them are students from Licata’s “Vincenzo Linares” high school, engaged in a training experience that combines didactics and direct knowledge of archaeological heritage. Another distinguishing element of the campaign is the opening of the excavations to visitors. Every day, those who go to Mount Sant’Angelo have the opportunity to closely observe the work of archaeologists and follow the development of the investigations. The possibility of directly witnessing the excavation stages thus allows the public to get closer to a heritage that often remains confined to specialized sites.
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| Excavations resume at ancient Finziade (Agrigento), last Greek foundation in Sicily |
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