A Greek necropolis from the 7th-6th centuries B.C. discovered in Gela

Important archaeological discovery in Gela, in the Borgo district. Excavations conducted by the Open Fiber company (under the supervision of the Superintendence of Caltanissetta) to equip the area with fiber optics have in fact revealed the existence of a patch of Greek necropolis from the Archaic period (7th-6th century BC). The excavation uncovered a number of burials, in one of which a fine hydria with continuous wave gold decorations was found (thehydria was a water vessel that could also be used as a cinerary urn: in fact, the bones of an infant were found inside it).

Altogether, some 20 ceramic finds have been unearthed, and they are assimilated to the style of Fikellura pottery, a type of production of eastern Greek pottery whose main centers of production were the city of Miletus and the islands of Samos and Rhodes (Fikellura pottery later spread elsewhere). The oldest find among those unearthed is a Protocorinthian foot bowl, datable between 700 and 650 B.C.

The necropolis discovered in Gela may be evidence of one of the earliest settlement nuclei of Greeks who arrived in Sicily from Rhodes and Crete, where they would later found the Sicilian colony: the burials in the Borgo district may therefore be the oldest traces of the settlers.

“Once again,” says the president of the Sicilian Region, Nello Musumeci, “Gela is confirmed as one of the Sicilian places that can tell an important part of our ancient history. Two important archaeological finds, within a short distance of each other, demonstrate the constant commitment to the work of protection carried out by the Department of Cultural Heritage with Director Sergio Alessandro and Superintendent of Caltanissetta Daniela Vullo. It is confirmation of how high attention is kept on the Gelese territory, which I believe to be a precious treasure chest of archaeological evidence. It is my intention to continue the work of valorization in the territory, personally following the developments of these latest findings, taking actions that can provide an opportunity for cultural and social redemption for a territory that has been mortified for too long.”

A Greek necropolis from the 7th-6th centuries B.C. discovered in Gela

Warning: the translation into English of the original Italian article was created using automatic tools. We undertake to review all articles, but we do not guarantee the total absence of inaccuracies in the translation due to the program. You can find the original by clicking on the ITA button. If you find any mistake,please contact us.