Publication details
CATACOMBS AND THEIR SETTLEMENTS IN SOUTH-EASTERN SICILY (LATE ANTIQUITY TO THE EARLY MIDDLE AGES). THE EXCAVATIONS AT SCORRIONE, MODICA
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| Year of publication | 2023 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
| Citation | |
| Description | In the province of Ragusa, South-Eastern Sicily, are known hundreds of graves distributed in a myriad of catacombs, all hollowed out in the ubiquitous calcareous rock-faces and outcrops of the region. From an archaeological and historical viewpoint, a peculiarity of this region is the massive presence of catacombs in rural (as opposed to urban) districts. One of the most significant ones, as for its size and archaeological potential, is in Scorrione, near Modica. Starting from 2020, yearly archaeological campaigns have revealed a consistent stratigraphic sequence for the foundation and use of the funerary chambers, and their later abandonment. The campaigns also led to the discovery and recording of various architectural structures carved or set on the natural rock walls, as well as fragments of painted mortar and plaster and well-preserved graves with their deposits, mostly dating to the 5th and 6th century AD. This allowed a far better understanding of the techniques used for excavating the funerary chambers, the original organisation and visual appearance of the catacombs, and the rituals which were performed in the site. |