Sant’Angelo Muxaro (AG)

Sant’Angelo Muxaro (AG)

Sant’Angelo Muxaro is located in the hinterland of Western Sicily and lies on a hill dominating the middle valley of the river Platani. It was the center of the Sicani, Diodoro Siculo identified it with Kamikos fortress, the citadel that Dedalo built for King Kokalos. It is difficult to identify the protohistoric village that probably occupied the area where now stands the modern town, instead it was possible to investigate the necropolis. The necropolis consisting of artificial caves is placed on the west and south sides of the hill, and testifies to the presence of a people in that area around the 9th century. B.C. It is the tomb of Sant’Angelo or the tomb of the Prince that stands out from the other burials for the wealth of the funerary kits and for the architecture of the tomb consists of a large circular chamber, with dome vault of m. 9 in diameter and high m.3.5, with adjoining burial chamber, which is also round. The other tholos tombs recall the particular structure of the Mycenaean tombs, with multiple burials, consisting of indigenous, colonial and Greek vessels dating from the VIII-V sec.

From these graves there are two gold-seal rings of VII-VI centuries BC, now considered Phoenician-Cypriot or indigenous production, and a series of gold cups, one of which with frieze of bulls.