ANALISI PRELIMINARE DEL COMPRENSORIO TRA CAPO BRUZZANO E CAPO SPARTIVENTO (RC). - I SITI DI ETÀ ANTICA (PARTE I)

Abstract

In this paper we present the preliminary results of archaeological and topographical surveys conducted since 2005 by a team of Siena University in the above mentioned region. This research project, which aims at producing a schematic archaeological map of the occupation of this area in antiquity, is a development of a previous research
project concerning the contiguous zone of Palizzi (the ancient boundary area between the territories of Rhegion and Lokroi Epizephyrioi).
An interesting development of landscape and human occupation in this coastal part of the ancient Sila silva is shown by the remains of many prehistoric sites, fortified hills, Greek farms, Roman villae, tombs, Byzantine churches, road tracks etc. Here, in the area of the Zephyrion akroterion, near some small protohistorical villages (now documented), the Locrians founded the first colonial settlement in Magna Graecia (afterwards they moved to Esopis hill, where Lokroi Epizephyrioi developed). This first settlement took advantage of good harbours, like Pantano Grande and Pantano Piccolo
(near modern Brancaleone), which were used until the Byzantine period.
[cordiano@unisi.it]