Castello dei Tre Cantoni in Scicli in the light of new excavations. First observations

Abstract

In connection with a research programme concerning the role of the Normans in the formation of the cultural face of medieval Europe, the Research Centre for Late Antique and Early Medieval Studies of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology Polish Academy of Sciences in Wrocław began excavations in Scicli based on a scientific cooperation agreement with Soprintendenza per i Beni Culturali ed Ambientali di Ragusa with the support of local volunteers. The project concerned the castle, known as Castello dei Tre Cantoni (also Castelluccio), occupying the top of the hill of S. Matteo above the town of Scicli (Fig. 1). The time of construction of both castles and their functioning period remains a subject of inquiry for archaeologists, historians, and architectural historians. The research carried out in 2018 produced the first information, documented by systematic excavations, on the chronology of the fortification on the hill of San Matteo. Thanks to them, it was possible to discover a building workshop dating from the second half of the 14th to the first half of the 15th century and confirm the castle wall’s construction (reconstruction?) at the same time. Both the stratigraphy and the 14C dates were obtained to confirm the castle’s functioning from the 2nd half of the 14th century.