Exploring the Roman Occupation and Abandonment of Salemi, Sicily: The Cistern at Largo Cosenza

Summary

Excavations in Salemi, Sicily have discovered a large, bell-shaped cistern dating from the 1st century BC to the 1st century AD. This feature appears to be contemporaneous with a large mosaic floor identified nearby in 1893. The Roman cistern contained a wide variety of domestic debris attesting both the economic interconnectivity and independence of this site. This paper discusses the use and abandonment of the cistern, contextualizing the site within the broader, western Sicilian region. Initial results of the materials analysis suggests that Roman Salemi participated in several overlapping networks of pottery exchange while also maintaining material independence through the possible manufacture of glass artifacts. Furthermore, the high frequency of tablewares at this site contrasts with the high frequency of processing wares from other sites located in the nearby valleys, suggesting different occupation strategies employed at contemporary sites in the Sicilian hinterland.

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This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 80th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (2015)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage