The Site of an Unidentified Greek Settlement? New Surveys in Coda Volpe on Eastern Sicily Michael Bratell Department of Historical Studies University of Gothenburg Master’s thesis in Archaeology Spring term 2020 Supervisor: Tove Hjørungdal The Site of an Unidentified Greek Settlement? New Surveys in Coda Volpe on Eastern Sicily Abstract Bratell, M. 2020. The Site of an Unidentified Greek Settlement? New Surveys in Coda Volpe on Eastern Sicily. Essay in Archaeology, 30 higher educational credits. Department of Historical Studies, University of Gothenburg, Sweden. This study examines Greek colonisation’s potential for archaeology in relation to Coda Volpe district on eastern Sicily where necropoleis indicate the existence of unidentified both Greek and Roman settlements. Recent initial surveys near the Simeto delta suggests the location of a periphery, without any previous systematic study, prospecting or geophysical survey. As landscapes are discursively constructed along established theories, locating peripheries can yield new dimensions between material and landscape; i.e., topographical reconstruction, analysis of ancient sources and Archaic sites, and after comparison with recent studies such as for identifying poleis using an interdisciplinary, multi-scalar framework for studying living quarters and combining landscape archaeology with micro-archaeology to trace hybridities where biology, geology and geomorphology shape patterns of human activity. As archeologists interact with local culture a creolizerad archaeology has been suggested to help prevent ”simple” solutions to practical archaeological problems. Sicilian Archaeology ’began’ with Paolo Orsi, on Etna’s slopes, in the central mountains and on the coasts. This narrative is broadened by inclusion of a periphery in Coda Volpe, with a re-evaluation of Orsi’s contemporary Carmelo Sciuto Patti’s interpretation on the possible location of Symaetus. Keywords: Archaeology, Archaic Age, Catania, Coda Volpe, Greek Colonization, Micro-archaeology, Periphery, Post-Colonial Theory, Sicily, Survey, Symaetus. Front page: Masseria Coda Volpe, ’Fox Tail Farm,' Coda Volpe district (CT) where a new survey is proposed, surrounded by what appears to be both cyclopean and Archaic limestone walls and reused stones scattered throughout the landscape. Between Lentini and Catania on Eastern Sicily. © Author, november 2018. ii Table of Contents Abbreviations ...........................................................................................................v Figures ......................................................................................................................v Tables .....................................................................................................................vii Plans ......................................................................................................................viii Introduction 1 CHAPTER 1. IDENTIFYING A GREEK SETTLEMENT 4 1.1. Purpose and Research Questions ......................................................................5 1.1.1. Purpose of this Study .................................................................................5 1.1.2. Research Questions ...................................................................................5 1.2. Theoretical Considerations ................................................................................5 1.2.1. Periphery, Micro-archaeology and Actor-Network Theory .......................5 1.2.2. Exotism, Creolization and Social Landscapes ..........................................7 1.2.3. Colonial Hybridity and Transculturation ..................................................8 1.3. Methodological Perspectives ..........................................................................10 1.3.1. Classical and Landscape Archaeology ....................................................10 1.3.2. Historical Archaeology: The Basic Methodological Dialogue ...............11 1.3.3. Methodological Terminology for Coda Volpe .........................................12 1.4. Earlier Research into Greek Colonization .......................................................14 1.4.1. Archaeology in Sicily ...............................................................................14 1.4.2. Archaeology between Catania and Lentini ..............................................16 1.5. Discussion of the Sources ...............................................................................19 1.5.1. Greek and Roman Sources .......................................................................19 1.5.2. Geophysical Survey .................................................................................20 CHAPTER 2. ARCHAIC GREEK WESTWARD COLONIZATION 22 2.1. Historical Overview ........................................................................................22 2.1.1. Chalcis and Eretria .................................................................................22 2.1.2. Pithecusa and Cyme ................................................................................23 2.2. Archaic poleis in Sicily and Magna Graecia ...................................................26 2.2.1. Zancle, Naxos, Leontinoi, Katane and Megara Hyblaea ........................26 2.2.2. Syracuse, Gela, Himera, Selinous and Akragas ......................................28 2.3. Chapter 2: Summary .......................................................................................29 2.3.1. A Chalcidian Colonization Matrix ..........................................................29 2.3.2. Tables .......................................................................................................30 2.3.3. Plans of Archaic Greek Colonies .............................................................32 CHAPTER 3. PRELIMINARY SURVEYS 35 3.1. San Demetrio High ..........................................................................................35 3.2. Brancato and Manganelli (October 2017–January 2018) ...............................37 3.1.1. Purpose of Survey ....................................................................................37 3.2.1. Topographical Unit Index ........................................................................38 3.2. Kärrman, Henry and Bratell (October–November 2018) ................................43 3.2.1. Purpose of Survey ....................................................................................43 iii 3.2.2. Landscape Feature Index ........................................................................44 3.2.3. Figures .....................................................................................................46 CHAPTER 4. MAIN INDICATORS OF A GREEK SETTLEMENT 49 4.1. The current understanding of San Demetrio ...................................................49 4.1.1. Conclusions from the Initial Surveys .......................................................50 4.1.2. Topographical Reconstruction ................................................................50 4.1.3. Population Movements: Bronze - Greek - and Roman Ages ...................54 4.1.4. Further Theoretical Discussion ...............................................................55 4.2. Patterns of Urban and Rural Development .....................................................58 4.2.1. Town Planning and City Walls ................................................................58 4.2.2. Rural Outbranch and Decolonization .....................................................60 4.2.3. Anaktoron ................................................................................................62 4.2.4. Knowledge-scapes in Coda Volpe District ..............................................65 4.3. Planned New Survey in Coda Volpe District ..................................................66 4.3.1. Preliminary results ..................................................................................66 4.3.2. Establishing Contacts with Italian Authorities ........................................71 4.3.3. Suggested Location for a Greek Settlement .............................................72 4.3.4. Proposed Survey and Convenzione .........................................................76 5. CONCLUSION 79 Summary ................................................................................................................81 BIBLIOGRAPHY 83 APPENDIX A 92 APPENDIX B 93 iv Abbreviations AJA American Journal of Archaeology AMMG Atti e Memorie della Societá Magna Grecia ArchStorSic Archivio Storico Siciliano ARD Archaeological Dialogues ASAA Annuario della [Regia] Scuola archeologia di Atene e della missioni italiane in Orientale. ASAtene Annuario della Scuola Archeologica di Atene e delle Missioni italiane in Oriente AttiPal Atti della Accademia di scienze, lettere e arti di Palermo BPI Bullettino di Paletnologia Italiana Bull. Paletn. Ital. Bullettino di Paletnologia Italiana CT Catania Curr. Swedish Archaeol. Current Swedish Archaeology. FGrH F.Jacoby, Die Fragmente der griechischen Historiker (Berlin: Weidmann, 1923-) JHS Journal of Hellenic Studies JRA Journal of Roman Archaeology JRS Journal of Roman Studies MAL Memorie della Classe di Scienze morali e storiche dell’Accademia dei Lincei MEFRA Melanges de I'Ecole frangaise de Rome Mem. Acad. Roy. Belg. Académie royale de Belgique Not.Sc Notizie degli Scavi NSc Notize degli scavi di antichità PBSR Papers of the British School at Rome PP La Parola del Passato RA Revue archéologique Sic.Arch. Sicilia Archeologica SR