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The Greek domination period
The presence in Bronte of Greeks,
which in Sicily founded groups of colonies more or les from the V° to
the VIII° century B. C, probably goes back to after the Naxos
foundation (735-730 B.C).
Is attested by findings of walls remains,
jars and handmade articles of daily use, bricks and tiles, coins and
sarcophagi in our zones, Piana, Spedalieri, Saragordio,
Spanò, Cardà and Castellaci.
Good part of such territories falls in the ancient "consular
road", placed in the immediate vicinity of the Simeto river and
bordering on the territory of the ancient Adranos.
To such a purpose, the historian brontese Benedetto Radice, (Historical
memories of Bronte) tells us of the finding in Castellaci
of a lead laminated sarcophagus and of other precious metals, sold
then to a goldsmith.
The eventful recovery still remembered today between the our elders in
Bronte with the name of "u tesoru
ra riggina" (the queen's treasure).
Today, in the zone survive the remains of apse walls (a little church
shaped as a Greek cross dedicated to San Nicolò), a very beautiful
portal in lava stone containing a votive little kiosk and the remains
of tombs violated by thieves.
Again the Radice gives directed testimony of another finding
of coins (that the professor Orsi judged as belonging to
epochs of Timoleonte and Agatocle), of small
amphorae, vases of fine clay and oil lamps, of sure Greek
origin.
It happened in the Arciprete district in recent epoch, in
1927, while was going on the laying of the water duct of
Maniace.
Vases and coins sold like hot cakes and unfortunately, no one
prevented the dispersion.
Yet recently, the forest rangers of Bronte’s
detachment, in the context of an operation organised to single out
the tomb raiders that illegally rob archaeological finds, they
found an “Askos a colomba”, a ceramic little container of
ointments, finely decorated, that the archaeologist Francesco
Privitera, come to Bronte to realize the value of the find,
put to the end of the fifth century B. C. |
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Some ancient finds in Bronte’s country, escaped
to destruction and looting are preserved in the Real Capizzi
College. Benedetto Radice writes in his “Hystorical memories
of Bronte” (Page 23) that in 1900 went to London to see again
a «very beautiful bronze bust of emperor or philosopher,
platinum eyes, beard and curly hair» found in his field at
Maggiogrande in 1870.
The Radice annotates that «the bust is
now in the London Museum, in the bronzes hall and, as a
valuable item, is preserved under a crystal bell, where I saw
it in 1900. The director could not tell me who was the man
portrayed» but nothing is said about how the bust finished up
in London. |
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“Askos a colomba”, decorated, little
ceramic container of ointments of the V century B.C. found
in Bronte’s territory in April 2005 |
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