The Art Newspaper

Italian-US team discover evidence of Sicily’s oldest temple

Archaeologists find early temple beneath the one at Selinunte

By Silvia Mazza. Web only
Published online: 25 July 2012

Excavations at Temple R in Selinunte

A team of researchers and archaeologists from the Parco Archeologico di Selinunte, near Trapani in western Sicily, and the Institute of Fine Arts at New York University (NYU), have discovered what they believe to be the oldest temple structure on the island.

The team, led by Clemente Marconi, the professor of the history of Greek art and archaeology at the Institute of Fine Arts who is the director of excavations at Selinunte, found the evidence of an early temple beneath the floors of a later one, known as Temple R. The team first identified parts of the wall and floors of the early temple in June. In July they made a break-through when they discovered the remains of a large central colonnade. Scattered around the colonnade were ceramic fragments that have now been dated to between 650BC to 625BC.

Caterina Greco, the director of the archaeological park, calls this find “exceptional". Greco also praises what she calls “a new synergy—with funds from NYU and co-ordination from our staff—that symbolises a modern model of management for the park.”

Ceramic fragments found scattered on the floor of the temple were dated between 650 BC to 625 BC