A miniature Pompeii may be hiding beneath the temples in the Selinunte Archaeological Park in Sicily, according to archaeologists, geologists and geomorphologists working at the site.
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| Aerial view of Selinute [Credit: AIGeo Press Office via ANSA] |
Geologists from the University of Camerino, using a thermal imaging camera mounted on a drone, found thermal anomalies traceable to important structures that were buried around 2,700 years ago, stretching from "Temple M" downwards towards the port, said geoarchaeologist Fabio Pallotta, a consultant to the University of Camerino and the Selinunte Archaeological Park.
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| Aerial view of Selinute [Credit: AIGeo Press Office via ANSA] |
"It was likely a succession of temples and tubs full of clear spring water that flowed towards the African sea offering precious refreshment to travelers at the border," Pallotta said.
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| Thermal image of Selinute [Credit: AIGeo Press Office via ANSA] |
"From these thermal images, everyone can see how the heat gradient delineates perfect geometric designs in the area surrounding the ruins of Temple M, which is now located along the right-hand shore of the Selino River, but originally came forth in all of its beauty from the far west promontory of the enchanting lagoon," he said.
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| Thermal image of Selinute [Credit: AIGeo Press Office via ANSA] |
Thus far, fourteen flights have been undertaken by a hexacopter, a six-armed drone, which revealed temperatures of both living and chemically inactive materials.
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| LIDAR scan of Selinute [Credit: AIGeo Press Office via ANSA] |
Selinunte Archaeological Park Director Enrico Caruso said the discovery will allow the park to find better solutions for protecting the heritage of Selinunte, one of Europe's largest archaeological parks.
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Cylindrical altar in terracotta III century BC from the the casa del sacello (sacred house)
in the north FF1 block [Credit: AIGeo Press Office via ANSA] |
"There are still many structures to investigate," Caruso said. "We need to understand the geological structure of the area and why the Selinuntites chose it for their settlement. The city is certainly much larger than its modern-day counterpart," he said.
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Cylindrical altar in terracotta III century BC from the the casa del sacello (sacred house)
in the north FF1 block [Credit: AIGeo Press Office via ANSA] |
While giving a tour of the area to members of the Italian and international press, Caruso also announced other discoveries from the site.
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Catapult balls related to the Roman siege of the First Punic War, 250 BC
[Credit: AIGeo Press Office via ANSA] |
"In Selinunte we have found pipes built by the Greeks that provided homes with running water, new domestic areas devoted to religion such as cylindrical altars, and the most ancient depiction in the entire Greek world of Hekate, a figure of pre-Indo-European origin who was depicted in Greek mythology. Hekate reigned over evil demons, the night, and the moon," he said.
Source: ANSA [January 18, 2018]
