Archaeology

On 28 July, at the castle of Baida (Balata di Baida-Castellammare del Golfo), we presented the preliminary results of the latest excavation campaign in Pizzo Monaco. In the same evening were defined multidisciplinary studies (soil and botanical) included at the research.

On 27 July came to visit us on site of Pizzo Monaco some members of the Association "SiciliAntica-Castellammare del Golfo"

Friday was the Day of Archaeology. 

The MEMOLA project presented the work undertaken at its four study areas by project partners.

• EAP: Maurizio Toscano, MEMOLA project technology manager, works on the finishing touches of the new Activities page of project website. This section collect all actions taken in the last 18 months, organised across the several disciplines involved in our research.
• Vjosa Valley (Albania): CeRPHAAL team, partner of MEMOLA project, working with the mapping and analyzing of the traditional hydraulic systems recorded during the field survey of May- June undertaken in the territory of the Upper Vjosa Valley, where are included the irrigation channels, water-powered mills, reservoirs, water pumping stations, etc. At the same time, we are evaluating the historic and current land use and parcelization based on field and historical data.
• Sierra Nevada (Spain): The University of Granada team, a MEMOLA partner,  is processing the archaeological data revealed during the excavations of “Pago del Jarafi” (Lanteira, Granada-Spain). During the first excavation campaign, which was in October of 2014, we documented a medieval quartier of Lanteira. Four sondages were opened uncovering a big house, four silos and an Islamic cemetery.
• Colli Euganei (Italy): University of Padova team, partner of MEMOLA project, working on historical maps, aerial photography and LIDAR to rebuild the historical landscape of the Colli Euganei hills (Italy) in a GIS platform. In this GIS platform they upload the information from different archaeological fieldwork like the Hydraulic survey back in February, that allowed them to locate numerous water mills and analyse their architectural features. All this information is used to understand the evolution of the Colli Euganei Cultural Landscape.
• Monti di Trapani (Italy): The Day of Archaeology in the MEMOLA study area of Monti di Trapani (Sicily-Italy). The University of Granada, The University of Sheffield and Arqueoandalusí Arquelogía y Patrimonio S.L  are currently working in the excavation of Pizzo Monaco (Custonaci, Trapani).  The University of Palermo is involved with soil sampling for  pedological analysis, while the Escuela Española de Historia y Arqueología en Roma-CSIC is working with the flotation of stratigraphic soils taken at various occupation levels defined during the excavation.  A number of international students, coming mostly from Spain and Italy are participating in the excavation. The first excavation of the MEMOLA project at the site of Pizzo Monaco took place in October and November of 2014 and was authorized by the Soprintendenza ai Beni Culturali e Ambientali di Trapani. During this activity we excavated four cells and the main entrance of a fortified structure, identified as a possible collective granary from Islamic times (10th?-11th centuries). After the results of archaeological excavation and archaeobotanical and environmental analysis, the site was interpreted as a possible collective fortified granary (aghadir) dated in the Islamic period (10th?-11th century).

Last week came to visit us at the excavation of Pizzo Monaco some members of the Association "Save the castle of Baida"

MEMOLA project participates in the Day of Archaeology 2015, promoted among others by the European project NEARCH. The Day of Archaeology aims to provide a window on the daily lives of archaeologists from around the world. The project asks people working, studying or volunteering in the archaeological world to participate recording their day and sharing it on their website to the public. From the MEMOLA project we support this initiative as a way to publicise the work we daily do in the four study area.

The first stage of archaeological ‪excavation‬ at Pizzo Monaco (‪‎Custonaci‬) ends today. We thank all the volunteers and technicians who have contributed in this first phase of the 2015 campaign.

New publication of the ‪Medieval‬ ‪Archaeology‬  group from the‪‎ University of Pad‬ova about the study of the historical ‪landscapes‬ historians. There are contributions of various experts of international prestige and some members of MEMOLA project as Alexandra Chavarría, Gian Pietro Brogiolo, Armando DeGuio or José María Martín Civantos.

We continue the study of ‪Lanteira‬ ‪archaeological‬ ‪pottery‬. The results are allowing us to precise the chronology and interpretation of the various phases documented during the archaeological excavation.‪

Flotation of archaeological soil samples from Lanteira excavation keeps going on. Students in archaeology collaborate in this activity and soon the CSIC, MEMOLA partner, will analyse the recovered seeds in their laboratory in Madrid.

We have begun the archaeological survey in the area of "Marquesado del Zenete" (‪‎Sierra Nevada‬) with our Prehistorians colleagues at the University of Granada. ‪