Sicily’s Head Of Hades

Until Sunday, August 8, this magnificent “Head of Hades,” also known as Barbablù will be in a special short exhibition at the Museo Archeologico Regionale “Antonino Salinas” – Palermo. The head, which is normally housed in the Museum at Aidone in Enna Province, was brought to Palermo briefly in order to promote the Barbablù Fest,…

52 Reasons to Love Sicily | #24. The Mother Goddess’ Presence is Everywhere

Demeter, the goddess of the grain, female fertilization, and the harvest, who is the mother of Persephone, represents the great matriarch in ancient Greek mythology. Her power to cultivate the bounties on the Earth’s surface for us are illustrated significantly during the myth of Demeter and Kore/Persephone. Before the Christian era, the Eleusinian Mysteries (as…

The Punic Goddess Tanit In Sicily

After the ancient southwestern Sicilian city of Selinunte was pillaged by Carthaginian (i.e., Punic) forces between 409 and 406 BCE, the Greek city became Punic for a time. The Carthaginians built a new town, recycling the materials and reclaiming temples from the magnificent Greek community that preceded it. Throughout today’s archaeological site, some ruins of…

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.