A 12 hours trip by coachA 12 hours trip by coach

Friday Friday 12 February 201012 February 2010from 7.30 a.m. from 7.30 a.m. to 7.30 p.m.to 7.30 p.m.

Part OnePart One

SELINUNTESELINUNTEA Greek colony in SicilyA Greek colony in Sicily

Why have we decided to Why have we decided to take you to Selinunte ?take you to Selinunte ?

• Because Italian civilization mainly descends Because Italian civilization mainly descends from Greek and from Roman civilizations…from Greek and from Roman civilizations…

• … … and Selinunte was a Greek colony , the and Selinunte was a Greek colony , the most Occidental outpost of Greece in the most Occidental outpost of Greece in the Mediterranean Sea.Mediterranean Sea.

• Moreover, because a trip to Selinunte is a Moreover, because a trip to Selinunte is a trip through the time, not only through the trip through the time, not only through the spacespace … …

Selinunte was founded on the Selinunte was founded on the South coast of Sicily… South coast of Sicily…

Selinunte was founded around Selinunte was founded around the year the year 650 B.C.650 B.C.

How did they choose, in How did they choose, in those times, a place to build those times, a place to build a new town?a new town?

• a town needs a town needs waterwater (to drink and to (to drink and to clean) clean)

• a town needs a a town needs a defencedefence (from enemies) (from enemies)• a town needs a town needs ways of communicationways of communication

(for commerce, trade, market, business)(for commerce, trade, market, business)

That is why…That is why…

• ……Rome, Paris, London, Berlin were Rome, Paris, London, Berlin were founded founded alongalong a rivera river, or even , or even inin a rivera river, , on small islands placed in the middle of on small islands placed in the middle of the river…the river…

Selinunte was built on the Selinunte was built on the south coast of Sicily,…south coast of Sicily,…

• ..on a hill placed ..on a hill placed between two rivers : between two rivers : the Modione (or the Modione (or Selinus) and the Selinus) and the Cottone: actually today Cottone: actually today they are nearly dry, but they are nearly dry, but 2.650 years ago they 2.650 years ago they carried much water carried much water and so were navigable and so were navigable by the small crafts by the small crafts (boats) of the time.(boats) of the time.

Regarding commerce..Regarding commerce..

• Regarding Regarding commerce, the commerce, the goods generally goods generally traded were : traded were : cereals, olive oil, cereals, olive oil, wine, and so on. The wine, and so on. The goods were carried goods were carried in different kinds of in different kinds of vasesvases made of argil, made of argil, terracottaterracotta

Liquids were generally put in long Liquids were generally put in long vases with a narrow mouth and a vases with a narrow mouth and a pointed basepointed base : :

• the mouth was narrow the mouth was narrow so that a little plug so that a little plug could close the vases; could close the vases; and the base was and the base was sharp so that the sharp so that the vases could be sunk in vases could be sunk in the sand placed on the sand placed on the bottom of the the bottom of the boat, so that they boat, so that they could not move during could not move during the voyage.the voyage.

Selinunte had two dangerous Selinunte had two dangerous competitors : competitors : SegestaSegesta and and HimeraHimera....

The rivals were The rivals were SegestaSegesta (founded (founded by by ElimiElimi) and ) and HimeraHimera, another town , another town

with with GreekGreek origins :origins :

that is why - strangely enough - that is why - strangely enough - Selinunte was allied with Selinunte was allied with

Carthage, which had not a Greek Carthage, which had not a Greek origin: but you know, business is origin: but you know, business is

business…business…

Nevertheless…Nevertheless…

……The end of the story is that The end of the story is that Selinunte was definitely Selinunte was definitely

destroyed in 409 BC by … …destroyed in 409 BC by … …Carthaginians!Carthaginians!

Now, what shall we see, going to Now, what shall we see, going to the archaeological site of the archaeological site of

Selinunte?Selinunte?

• Not much…but enough. We will see what Not much…but enough. We will see what remains of a remains of a templetemple near the near the acropolisacropolis and visit the acropolis itself (=high town).and visit the acropolis itself (=high town).

ACROPOLISACROPOLIS

•This is the most famous acropolis This is the most famous acropolis in the world: Athen’s Acropolisin the world: Athen’s Acropolis

ACROPOLISACROPOLIS

• In ancient Greece the acropolis was In ancient Greece the acropolis was that part of the city which was built that part of the city which was built on a hill and surrounded with walls on a hill and surrounded with walls for defence; originally it was the seat for defence; originally it was the seat of the king; then, in the of the king; then, in the democraticdemocratic age, it became the religious centre, , it became the religious centre, with temples and meeting places.with temples and meeting places.

A plan of the archaeological A plan of the archaeological site:site:

We will arrive from North, we’ll We will arrive from North, we’ll get off the bus and walk to the get off the bus and walk to the East HillEast Hill

• On the East Hill we’ll On the East Hill we’ll see the E-temple - see the E-temple - restored nearly 50 restored nearly 50 years ago – and the years ago – and the ruins of the G-temple ruins of the G-temple and of the F-temple; and of the F-temple;

• then we’ll go up to the then we’ll go up to the Acropolis, where we’ll Acropolis, where we’ll see what remains of 5 see what remains of 5 more temples: O – A – more temples: O – A – B – B – CC – D – temples. – D – temples.

The E-temple : dedicated to The E-temple : dedicated to HeraHera

• The E-temple was The E-temple was dedicated to dedicated to Hera-JunoHera-Juno, , a goddess who protected a goddess who protected marriage and childbirth, marriage and childbirth, often represented in the often represented in the act of breastfeeding. The act of breastfeeding. The double name is due to a double name is due to a correspondence between correspondence between Greek and Roman Greek and Roman divinities but we can divinities but we can friendly call her HERA.friendly call her HERA.

A wiew of the A wiew of the E-templeE-temple (Hera temple) (Hera temple)

Structure of a Greek Structure of a Greek temple:temple:

Let’s describe now the Let’s describe now the structure of a Greek temple:structure of a Greek temple:

• The temple was The temple was the house of the the house of the god/goddessgod/goddess and a symbol of his/her and a symbol of his/her power; the temple was NOT a place power; the temple was NOT a place where to practice religious ceremonies: where to practice religious ceremonies: rites were officiated outsiderites were officiated outside, on a altar , on a altar that stood in front of the main that stood in front of the main entrance, which was always oriented entrance, which was always oriented to to EastEast, facing the sunrise., facing the sunrise.

The temple was built on a basement of The temple was built on a basement of stones and it basically consisted of a stones and it basically consisted of a cellcell: the House of the god…: the House of the god…

• Inside the Inside the cellcell was was the the statuestatue of the of the god/goddess; all god/goddess; all around, one or two around, one or two rows of rows of columnscolumns; ; the roof (a wooden the roof (a wooden structure covered structure covered with tiles and with tiles and various various decorations) was a decorations) was a gabled roofgabled roof..

Roof, columns, capitals and Roof, columns, capitals and metopes..metopes..

• The roof was a The roof was a gabled roof;gabled roof;

• Columns were Columns were overcome by overcome by capitals;capitals;

• Metopes decorated Metopes decorated the temple with the temple with images of the images of the mythmyth……

……but …what is a but …what is a mythmyth ? ?

• I want to remind you what a myth is : a I want to remind you what a myth is : a myth is a sort of legendary story whose myth is a sort of legendary story whose characters are generally gods, semi gods characters are generally gods, semi gods and humans; and humans; but abut a myth is not a fairy talemyth is not a fairy tale, , actually it has a cognitive purpose : actually it has a cognitive purpose : myth is myth is in fact an attempt to give an explanation of in fact an attempt to give an explanation of natural phenomenanatural phenomena: it is : it is a pre-scientific a pre-scientific explanation,explanation, of course : for example the of course : for example the myth of Jupiter, described with a myth of Jupiter, described with a thunderbolt in his hand, tries to explain the thunderbolt in his hand, tries to explain the origin of rainstorm…origin of rainstorm…

Metopes from Selinunte…Metopes from Selinunte…

Other images of Selinunte Other images of Selinunte AcropolisAcropolis

After visiting Selinuntewe’ll go back to our coach…

and in 20 minutes we’ll get to a second and in 20 minutes we’ll get to a second Archaeological Site : Archaeological Site :

Le “Cave di Cusa” (=Cusa Pits)Le “Cave di Cusa” (=Cusa Pits)

Part TwoPart Two

CAVE DI CUSACAVE DI CUSACusa PitsCusa Pits

Cusa PitsCusa Pits

Cusa Pits : What for ?Cusa Pits : What for ?

Le Cave di Cusa - Cusa Le Cave di Cusa - Cusa Pits…Pits…

• was the place where they took was the place where they took the the stone for constructingstone for constructing the temples of the temples of Selinunte.Selinunte.

• It’s an enchanting place, because it It’s an enchanting place, because it looks like it was looks like it was left all of a suddenleft all of a sudden, a , a few weeks ago; few weeks ago;

• probably it was left all of a sudden, but probably it was left all of a sudden, but 2.000 years ago…2.000 years ago…

I rocchi di Cusa - Cusa I rocchi di Cusa - Cusa Drums…Drums…

•Here you see Here you see two details of two details of ‘drums’ almost ‘drums’ almost completely completely excavated :excavated :

Two more pictures..Two more pictures..

1.1. ……to give you an to give you an idea of idea of dimensions…dimensions…

2.2. A hole, which A hole, which served for practical served for practical purposes..purposes..

After Cave di Cusa, again on After Cave di Cusa, again on the coach…the coach…

Direction: Direction: MARSALAMARSALA