Huge necropolis unearthed in Sicily [ Himera , 6th-5th c BC ]

ANSA.it ^ | November 11, 2008 | unattributed

[SunkenCiv]

Archaeologists working at the ancient Greek city of Himera in northern Sicily have uncovered what they now believe to be the largest Greek necropolis on the island... Hundreds of graves have already been uncovered but archaeologists believe there are thousands more waiting to be found in the burial ground of the city, which rose to prominence more than 2,500 years ago. "The necropolis is of an extraordinary beauty and notable dimensions," Sicily's regional councillor for culture, Antonello Antinoro, said Tuesday. "Preliminary estimates indicate the presence of around 10,000 tombs, which gives the site a good claim to being one of the most important discoveries of recent years," he said... Most of the graves in the necropolis date from between the sixth and fifth centuries BC, and archaeologists believe that many of the tombs contain the remains of thousands of soldiers, civilians and prisoners who died during two bloody battles that took place in the city. In the 480 BC Battle of Himera, a massive army from Carthage, in modern-day Tunisia, suffered a dismal defeat as it tried to help the city's ousted leader, Terillus, reclaim his throne from Theron, the ruler of modern-day Agrigento.

[SunkenCiv]

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[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

“Ancient babies’ beakers discovered along with skeletons”

What are babies’ beakers?

[yarddog]

Interesting. I saw a program a few years back on TV and was surprised how active and important Sicily was in ancient times.

[JoeProBono]

"What are babies’ beakers?"

[Publius]

Sicily was the crossroads of Europe and is one of the most conquered pieces of real estate on the planet.

[ZULU]

Wonder if they dug up any ancient Sicilian mobsters?

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

You bad:)

[SunkenCiv]

Fredo.

[BipolarBob]

Fredo had it coming.

[BlueStateBlues]

Photo: “. . .and here a worker is pictured as he discovers 35 absentee ballots supporting Al Franken.”

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

Chicago voters?

[Rocco DiPippo]

Wow! I recently bought a place very close to the town where the necropolis is being unearthed. The name of the town it’s happening in is Termini Immerese, which is a name partly derived from its ancient Greek one, Himera. Sicily is an arachaeological treasure trove — Greek and Roman ruins are everywhere, many of them are spectacular. Google “Segesta,” “Selunente,” and the biggest mind blower of them all, the mosaics in the Roman villa at “Piazza Amerina.” Can’t wait to go see this find.

[Rocco DiPippo]

In Piazza Amerina, Sicily, about an hour from where the necropolis is being unearthed: 200BC?

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks! I’ve seen photos of Segesta, they had it goin’ on...

[Fred Nerks]

Segesta's claim to fame is its unfinished Doric temple, which is one of Europe's best preserved ancient monuments. At first sight, it looks like a normal temple, but the cella is missing, there are no metopes, and the columns are unfluted. This strongly suggests that the sanctuary has never been finished. As the architect appears to have been a Greek and the project appears to date to the years after the first Athenian intervention in Sicily (in 427-424), it may well be that the project was abandoned when Athens tried to conquer all of Sicily (415-413) and Segesta's pro-Athenian stance was no longer appreciated.