A landscape study in the territory of the south-central Sicily and the case study of Purtedda du Tauro (Caltanissetta, Sicily)

• Grant number: 16/25824-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: March 07, 2017
• End date: May 06, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Archeology
• Principal Investigator: Maria Beatriz Borba Florenzano
• Grantee: Viviana Lo Monaco
• Supervisor: Aurelio Burgio
• Host Institution: Museu de Arqueologia e Etnologia (MAE). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Università degli Studi di Palermo (UNIPA), Italy
• Associated to the scholarship: 15/03580-3 - Interaction networks between Greeks and non-greeks: the frontier fruria in the hinterland of Greek Sicily, BP.DD

Abstract

This project is a part of our PhD Program Research: "Interaction Networks between Greeks and non Greeks: the Phrouria of the Greek Sicily's Hinterland". The purpose of this inquiry is to investigate the forms, functions and continuity of fruition of centers that had been focal points of contact between Greeks and non-Greeks in the border territories of the Chora and the world of Sikania: the Phrouria. Scientific literature indicates, with the term Phrourion (φρούριον, ου), a fortification able to protect city and its territory. The centers called Phrouria usually are found in border areas characterized by transits of various kinds. The purpose of this study is to understand better, through observation, analysis and systematization of material data and eventually literary sources, the network of Phrouria in south-central Sicily, and the interaction between Greeks and non-Greeks in the system of the Greek Chora, between the centuries 7th and 4th b.C. The considered data consists mainly of architectural and urban remains and the distribution of monetary findings.Considering the lack of literary evidence about this territory, the observation and the study of material culture and landscape is the main tool to make our inferences. In order to create a model, we need to pay special attention to the spatial organization of this part of territory and to its changes during the Greek period. For this reason, it is crucial to not to just study the place as a whole, but also a portion of land in the case study where the collection and processing of data can be done in situ with the appropriate method and tools. We also intend to access to the most updated bibliography to support our field work. (AU)