Archaeology of Uplands on a Mediterranean Island The Madonie Mountain Range In Sicily

This book presents archaeological research conducted within the Highlands of Sicily. Results of an archaeological survey in the Madonie mountain range, in northern Sicily, supported by a chronological and cultural grid, drawn by the excavation of Vallone Inferno, deal with complex and fascinating problems of uplands and mountainous landscape. Settlement patterns, between the Late Pleistocene and the Medieval era, are investigated through the support of spatial analyses. A diversified use of the mountain is currently attested by this research, according to the different prehistoric and historical times.

This work is innovative for the Mediterranean area, where there are no similar examples of such extensive territorial research in a mountainous context. The research has been focused on particular aspects of ancient peopling: economic and social issues, human-environment interactions and the long term interest in the mountain range.

1 Introduction

1.1 The Madonie mountains: a geographical introduction

1.2 History of previous archaeological research

1.2.1 The researches by Francesco Minà Palumbo and Marquis Antoine De Gregorio

1.2.2 Discovering the antiquity of the human presence on the Madonie Mounts: the “Chiusilla” and “Fico” Caves

1.2.3 Re-discovering the antiquity of the human presence on the Madonie Mountains in the “Vecchiuzzo” Cave

1.2.4 Re-discovering the antiquity of the human presence on the Madonie Mountains in the “Abisso del Vento”: a new inspection

1.3 The archeology of the Madonie in the museums

1.3.1 Museo Minà Palumbo in Castelbuono

1.3.2 Museo Civico Baldassare Romano in Termini Imerese

1.3.3 Museo Antonino Collisani in Petralia Sottana

1.4.1 The coastal ecozones

1.4.2 The mountainous environments

References

2. Methods

2.1. Probabilistic Survey: the sampling design

2.1.1 Stratified samples

2.1.2 Sample areas: a brief description of physical features and natural environment

2.1.3 The systematic survey within sample areas

2.1.4 Prospection by focused inspections: a “targeted survey”

2.2 The archival research

2.2.1 Historic Cartography

2.2.2 Current cartography

2.2.3 Toponymy

2.3 GPS and GIS

2.3.1 GPS and mobile GIS

2.4 The paleoenvironmental reconstruction

2.5 The excavation of a key site – Vallone Inferno

References

3 The Madonie: highlands in Sicily

3.1 Results of the field survey within sample areas

3.2 The Archaeological map

3.2.1 SAMPLE AREA 1 - Carbonara environment (ROE IV)

3.2.1.2 UT 7 - Monte Ferro - lithic scatter

3.2.1.3 UT 8 - Monte Ferro - sporadic

3.2.1.4 UT 25 - Zottafonda fences - open air site and coal places

3.2.2 SAMPLE AREA 2 - Monte dei Cervi (ROE IV)

3.2.2.1 UT 9 - Piano Battaglia – Sporadic finds

3.2.2.2 UT 6 - Monte dei Cervi – Sporadic finds

3.2.2.3 UT 43 - Cozzo Cerasa - lithic scatter next rock shelter

3.2.2.4 UT 39 - Case di Mastro Peppino - open air site

3.2.2.5 UT 30 - Valle Nipitalva - Lithic scatter

3.2.2.6 UT 108 - Valle Nipitalva - Lithic scatter

3.2.2.7 UT 110 - Valle Nipitalva - Lithic scatter

3.2.2.8 UT 104 P.lla Colla, Quacella - open air site

3.2.3 SAMPLE AREA 3 - Isnello valley (ROE II)

3.2.3.1 UT 10 - C.da e casa Mongerrati - potsherd scatter area

3.2.3.2 UT 1 and 2 - C.da San Nicola – potsherds scatter area

3.2.3.3 UT 4 - C.da San Nicola - open air settlement

3.2.3.4 UT 14 - Abisso del Vento at Cozzo Balatelli - ritual and funerary cave contexts

3.2.3.5 UT 15 - C.da Farchio - sporadic lithic scatter

3.2.3.6 UT 12 - Monte Balatelli - Potsherds dispersion area

3.2.3.7 UT 72 - C.da Gallefina - Burial cave

3.2.3.8 UT 16 - C.da Aculeia - natural cave and sporadic lithics

3.2.3.9 UT 11 and 54 - C.da San Giovanni - Potsherds scatter area

3.2.4 SAMPLE AREA 4 – Imera river valley – right bank (ROE II)

3.2.4.1 UT 47 - Vallone Inferno - open air site (rock shelter)

3.2.4.2 UT 53 - C.da Cava - Potsherds scatter area

3.2.4.3 UT 56 - Borgo Eras C - open air site

3.2.4.4 UT 57 - Borgo Eras C - open air site

3.2.4.5 UT 51 - 52 - C.da Cava - sporadic and potsherds scatter area

3.2.4.6 UT 58 - Acqua Cannata - settlement

3.2.4.8 UT 60 - Timpa dei Filici - Rock shelter

3.2.4.9 UT 61 - Portella di Mare - Settlement

3.2.4.10 UT 64 - Portella di Mare – Settlement

3.2.4.11 UT 66 - Il Boschetto - Potsherds scattered area

3.2.5 SAMPLE AREA 5 - S. Venera (ROE III)

3.2.5.1 UT 101 - C.da Salvatore, Costa Giulfaria - Scattered potsherds area

3.2.5.2 UT 102 - C.da Salvatore, Costa Giulfaria - rock shelter

3.2.5.3 UT 103 - C.da Salvatore, Costa Giulfaria – sporadic finds

3.2.5.4 UT 106 and 107 - San Nicola - open air site (settlement)

3.2.6 SAMPLE AREA 6 – P.lla Mandarini and V.ne Canna (ROE III)

3.2.6.1 UT 45 - Vallone Canna - cave

References

4 Targeted survey

4.1 Sample selection

4.1.1 UT 76 – C.da Giancaniglia – Marine terrace

4.1.2 UT 19-20-21-22 – Capraria – Marine terrace (section)

4.1.3 UT 28 – Bommartino – Cave (ritual use/burials)

4.1.4 UT 80 – Rocca del Drago – Site

4.1.5 UT 202 – Rocca San Nicola – Site

4.1.6 UT 200 – Solfara – Alia

4.1.7 UT 40 and 41 – San Focà – Scattered potsherds area

References

5 The GIS platform and the Spatial analyses.

5.1 GIS planning and development

5.1.1 Which route? Hunter-gatherer mobility strategy: a seasonal approach from coast to highlands

5.1.2 Pastoral paths and the herding world: the routes of the shepherds from prehistory to the colonial period

5.1.3 Toward the modern world: from Late Roman to Medieval settlement, discovering the ancient trails

6 Chapter 6

Conclusions and research perspectives

6.1 Late Pleistocene – Early Holocene

6.2 Neolithic herding world and settlement strategies

6.3 Sharing the mountains between III and II millennium B.C.

6.4 “Who are the mountains?”

Between indigenous and Hellenic peopling of the Madonie system

6.5 Late Antiquity and Medieval period.

6.6 Research perspectives

6.7 General considerations about the research project

References