2012

In 2012, the archaeological excavation lasted from 15 of September to 15 of October. The fieldwork has continued to work from the previous season 2011, and is based on the agreement between University of Warsaw and Parco Archeologico di Eloro e della Villa del Tellaro e delle Aree Archeologiche di Noto e dei Comuni Limitrofi. The excavations are led by dr Roksana Chowaniec and dr Lorenzo Guzzardi.

The excavations in 2012 has been possible thanks to the grant of National Science Centre (N N109 104940), as well as grant of Ministry of Science and Higher Education (SPUB 2012). Director of both projects: Dr Roksana Chowaniec.

The fieldwork in two trenches (I and II), opened in 2011, have been continued and, for the scientific reasons, have been extended.

All in all 8 architectural structures have been dicovered in trench I. Some of the walls are fairly irregular and not symmetrical, losing their two faced charakter in place or bearing evidence of rebuilding or secondary adaptation. During the fieldworks, one room, which is a part of a residential complex, was uncovered.

While the excavation different types of finds have been collected, like pottery, oil lamps, coins, daily equipments, etc.

Among the pottery could be mention: ARSW (24.6%); Italian terra sigillata (8.8%); South Gaul terra sigillata (7.0%); black-glazed pottery (approx. 5.3%); jugs (24.6%), bowls (7.0%), lids (3.5%), louterion (1.75%) and amphorae of the Africana II Grande (1.75%) and of late antique types (1.75%) (The pottery, discovered in 2012, was processed and identified by Urszula Wicenciak and Marcina Matera from the Institute of Archaeology of the University of Warsaw).

A large group of artefacts were fragments of glass vessels. Almost 370 diagnostic vessels fragments have been registered. Most of the fragments could be dated to the 4th-6th century AD. The collection contains also a small number of apparently residual glass fragments, dated to the 1st century BC – 3rd century AD.

The pieces of window glass, manufactured in three different techniques, based on casting and blowing, have been also discovered. Although the vessels were found in a fragmentary condition it is possible to identify many of the types (the glass vessels, registered in 2011 and 2012, were identified and elaborated by Renata Kucharczyk from Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology of the University of Warsaw).

In total 90 coins were found during the season 2012, except one silver Republican sestercius, all of them have been made of bronze. The coins could be divided into following groups: Greek coins (4th-3rd century BC), excluding Syracusan issues from 214-212 BC and later, which were assigned to the next group; Republican and Syracusan coins from the time of Roman administration; Early Imperial coins (1st-2nd century AD); coins from the second half of the 3rd century AD; antoninians and imitations; coins issued by Diocletian, under the Tetrarchs and through the death of Constantine in AD 337; 4th century coins, excluding the previous group; Byzantine coins (the coins, registered in 2011 and 2012, were identified and elaborated by Tomasz Więcek from University of Warsaw).