The colours that the ancients used to decorate their magnificent temples could be plant, animal or mineral in origin. Minerals called haematite and cinnabar, or ox blood, were used to produce red. Yellow was extracted from another mineral called limonite, blue from azurite, and green from malachi...

The founders of Akragas were the descendants of the Greek settlers who had founded Gela one century before, a town around 80 km south of Agrigento. This population originated from the Greek islands of Rhodes and Crete, which is why they are referred to as Rhodium-Cretan....

An architectural element typical of Roman and Gothic architecture; they are formed of small drums in carved stone that form an ogive that makes up the structure of a vault, and divides its surface into several parts. Its function is to make the thrusts from the weight of the structure unload onto ...

Horse-drawn chariot races were one of the most anticipated events, but also one of the most dangerous. The charioteers who drove the wagons had to be young, tall and light to manage these vehicles fitted with agile wooden wheels, and avoid slowing them down with their weight. The race involved t...

The Solomonic column is a spiral twisted column already in use in the early Christian period. It is said that the original symbolic model of this element derives from the columns that adorned Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem. Particular importance was attributed to the Solomonic columns in St. Peter's...

In the Garden of Kolymbetra, in addition to the citrus fruits that sweeten the surroundings with their scent, there are thousand-year-old olive trees. These evergreen plants belong to the Oleaceae family and are particularly good at standing the test of time. They even have the ability to rege...

The Latin poet Cicero was particularly impressed by this gloomy place, which he described in the fifth oration of his work In Verrem (Against Verres), as a stone prison with no way out, a place deep and closed in on itself: "You have all heard of the Syracusan stone-quarries. Many of you are acquai...

The term initiates refers to people who are admitted to certain religious practices or cults through an initiation rite. After being initiated, they are admitted to the knowledge of secret rites and practices...

The cella (shrine), in Greek naos, is the heart of a Greek or Roman temple: the innermost room that housed the deity's statue and symbolically represented that god's house. For this reason it was forbidden to enter it except during particular festivities; only a few priests had regular access....

The orchestra is a circular-shaped part of an ancient theatre located at the base of the cavea, between the spectators on the steps and the stage. This space was dedicated to the choir performance. The choir members, called choralists, walked or danced together, commented using song on what was ha...