The ancient Greek city of Selinunte was brought to its knees in 409 BCE by the Cartheginians. Although it was reestablished by the victors, it never reached the same beauty or prominence as it had during the Greek era, when this temple, Temple O, was constructed.
Tag: selinunte
Signs Of Rituals For Rebirth In Ancient Sicily
Unless you are a plumber, this may not look so interesting at first. Earlier this month while in Sicily, I returned to the Sanctuary of Demeter Malophoros at Selinunte to understand its placement as related to the Modione River that it flanks and the Mediterranean Sea. I was curious about water placement near and on…
Refresh With Granita On A Hot Day In Sicily
To deal with the hot summer days, we ate a lot of granita during our recent trip to Sicily. This was one of my favorite combinations: lemon granita submerged in fresh-squeezed pomegranate juice. As we prepared to visit the Sanctuary of Demeter Malophoros at Selinunte Archaeological Park, it was perfect. (And apropos considering “Malophoros” means…
Palermo Next Level: Salinas Archeological Museum For Antiquities
Palermo’s Salinas archeological museum hosts many treasures from antiquity. Many of the findings from Selinunte are housed here, including these late-4th/mid-3rd century BCE terracotta statuettes, made in the style of those traditionally made in Tanagra, Greece north of Athens. They were found in a Punic grave site.
The Sanctuary of Demeter Malophoros, Selinunte (Part I)
The ancient Greek community of Selinunte was founded as a sub-colony of Megara Iblea in 651-650 BCE. One of the first sacred sites in the western Sicilian city, which is considered one of the world’s largest archaeological zones, is the Santuario della Malophoros or the Sanctuary of the Fruit Bearer. “Malophoros” implies pomegranates or apples,…
Myths and Mysteries of Sicily: Temple E at Selinunte
Selinunte was a Greek city built on the southwestern coast of Sicily by colonists from the eastern Sicilian Greek outpost of Megara Hyblea. Founded around 651 BCE, it displayed its power by building massive temples dedicated to the gods, like this one pictured, Temple E, which scholars believe was dedicated to Hera. The Doric-style temple…
Sicilian-Style Fiat 500
This Fiat 500, painted by Ceramiche Galfano in the style of a Sicilian cart, can be found outside the Selinunte archaeological park in Castelveltrano. Be sure to leave some extra time to stop by the shop to visit this masterpiece and pick up a few ceramics and other unique artisanal items.
Reaching New Heights In Sicily
I’m on a journey to seek and share joy. Amunì! Let’s go! A photo from May 2019, when I celebrated a joyful day in Selinunte (Photo Credit: Nicholas Gagliano of Studio Uno Photography)
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…
Selinunte In Western Sicily
Considered Europe’s largest archaeological site, Selinunte was a Greek city built on the southwestern coast of Sicily by colonists from the eastern Sicilian Greek outpost of Megara Hyblea. Founded around 651 BC, it displayed its power by building massive temples dedicated to various gods, like this one pictured, Temple E, which scholars believe was dedicated…