Pantalica is one of the most important prehistoric sites in Sicily. The ensemble of customs and traditions of the people who lived there formed the “culture of Pantalica”.
The first settlement of Pantalica dates back to a period of history between the Bronze Age and the early Iron Age, a time of great transformation and experimentation, a veritable laboratory of ideas and discoveries!
In this prehistoric era, the area’s ancient inhabitants already knew the power of fire: some stones when placed near a source of heat would melt, i.e. turn to liquid. When poured into a mould, this liquid metal would take on its shape and finally return to a solid state when cool. Thus began the working of increasingly more precious and resistant metals to create everyday objects such as vases, ornaments and weapons.
Many of these objects were found during archaeological explorations on the site and testify to the presence of refined inhabitants who were highly attentive to elegance and decorum.
Many pieces of pottery have been found made with a tool called a lathe and characterised by a bright red colour. Typical shapes were large pots to hold water, and bottles with a spout, called “teapots”. Similar to the Greek models, they were large rings often decorated with fish figures. In the tombs there were bronze daggers, razors, knives,
fibulae
and jewels.
