On the way between Scicli and Modica you’ll find deep valleys flanked by steep stone cliffs. Among those cliffs, you’ll find caves carved into the rock. During times of bandits and foreign invasions, cave dwelling in southeastern Sicily was common, and as more modern construction techniques entered the scene, the cave became part of one’s home, versus being the entire home. Yesterday’s post of Modica Bassa shows you an example of a city built into the side of a cliff and houses built around or on top of caves. As I learned while visiting Modica and Scicli, caves hold a constant cool temperature throughout the year–excellent for preserving food and shielding oneself from extreme temperatures. Additionally, many caves are fed by underground springs and streams that provide a source of fresh water (via a well). From where we sit today in our modern civilization, cave dwelling may seem primitive, but in fact, in past centuries it was a resource-rich homestead.
Living in a basement apt. is somewhat like living in a cave because of the constant temperature – warm in the winter, cool in the summer. But these caves in the photo (I wonder how many livable ones there are – a lot! – with their springs and rock walls are far superior to a manmade “cave!”
I was pretty amazed when our hotel in Modica had one in the hotel! It was pretty neat to experience it and see how innovative the concept was for a few centuries ago!
That is pretty cool – right in the hotel! Girl, you have just TOO MUCH FUN (just kidding, of course!). Now that song by Sheryl Crow is running through my head – All I Wanna Do is Have Some Fun! 🙂
You deserve to hav some fun!! Yes, it was right in the hotel. It was pretty cool (literally and figuratively)! And the well to the underground stream too