Join me here in October 2020! Enchanting Taormina’s ancient amphitheater was built in phases, starting in the 3rd century BC by the Greek inhabitants of Mount Tauro, who added to the structure significantly in the 2nd century AD. The Romans then added their ingenuity in the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD, transforming it from a…
Tag: ancient greek
The Goddess Demeter To Santa Lucia
Join us for a party for La Festa di Santa Lucia (Saint Lucy)! This 3rd century BCE bust was found in Siracusa at the site of what was the sanctuary of Demeter and Kore (Persephone). Do you know the myth of the goddess Demeter and her maiden daughter? This Sunday, December 8 at Cacio e…
Ancient Sicily That Sings
This lekythos with a woman lute player depicted on it was found in a tomb at Selinunte. Lekythoi (plural) were vases used to store oils for use in the gymnasium or bath or for funerary functions. Note the red-figure. This was an Athenian-style technique specific to the 5th century BCE.
Sharing My Passion With You
“I am well-traveled, and I think that Allison has a gift. She sets herself apart by sharing her passion and experiencing the culture as if for the first time with us. I have already told so many people that it was the most amazing experience! I am planning to attend another trip in the future…
The Power Of The Pomegranate
Pomegranates (melograni in Italian) are in season. Scholars believe that the fruit was brought to Sicily by both the Phoenicians and the Greeks, not only for food, but also for religious reasons. Pomegranate seeds represent fertility, prosperity, abundance, and generosity. And because of the Persephone myth–when the maiden daughter of the goddess Demeter eats the…
Three Regional Styles Of Sicilian Cooking
During our Experience Sicily Stirring Sicily tour from Sept. 19 to 26, co-hosted with Zest! and chef Antonino Elia, we’ll be learning recipes from three different regions of Sicily. One will be local dishes of Agrigento Province with Annalisa of GoSicily cooking experiences. Join us! Contact me for details about a registration special offer! The…
Ancient Restaurant Discovered At Himera, Where We’ll Be Cooking
In yesterday’s La Repubblica Palermo newspaper, an article explained that at the site of the ancient Greek city of Himera, they have discovered the 6th Century B.C.E. remains of a caffetteria-style restaurant. Ovens, stoves, pots, pans, and plates have been excavated. I visited Himera and met the director of the site back in June with…
Helen By Euripides In Sicily
The Siracusa classic theater season is underway! Elena, or Helen, by Euripides opened this past weekend. When we were at the theater in April, they were building the set, which features a pool of water that the actors stand in during the action. How cool!
Sicily And The Myth of Demeter and Kore
The leaf-less trees along my morning walks in the New York City area are a painful reminder that winter’s arrival is imminent. And so, I think of earth’s seasonal cycles, which for centuries were explained by the myth of Demeter and Kore: Hades, the God of the Underworld, abducted the maiden Kore while she was…
Ancient Sicilian Devotion
As we prepare for our annual Feast of Santa Lucia on Sunday, Dec. 9 in NYC at Cacio e Vino (Details and register at https://experiencesicily.com/events/festa-di-santa-lucia/), we must first start long before Lucia’s time, in the 7th century B.C.E. During this ancient Greek era, women devotees prayed to the goddesses Persephone and Demeter for healthful fertility…