The astronomically oriented megaliths of the Monte Jato Area (Sicily) : the “Campanaru”, the “Perciata” and the Eneolithic / Early Bronze Age worship site of Pizzo Pietralunga
Part of : Mediterranean archaeology & archaeometry : international journal ; Vol.14, No.1, 2014, pages 155-165
Issue:
Pages:
155-165
Abstract:
An imposing megalith is visible from many kilometres of distance near the top of the hill named Monte Arcivocalotto (Sicily). It is made by a single sandstone slab, shaped in triangular form with a large circular hole pierced at the centre. It is known to local people as U Campanaru (“The Bell Tower”) and it was considered as a magic place until recently. The megalith is oriented toward the sunrise of the winter solstice, when the Sun rises at the hole centre, becoming visible from a very large distance. At a few kilometres, on the top of another hill, significantly named “Cozzo Perciata” (“Hill of the pierced one”) a similar megalith was standing until to a few decades ago. It is presently collapsed, probably by a lighting, but the remains clearly show that it is oriented toward the summer solstice sunrise. Both megaliths have to be considered in the framework of the Eneolithic / Early Bronze Age worship centre of Pizzo Pietralunga, located halfway between Monte Arcivocalotto and Cozzo Perciata.
Subject:
Subject (LC):
Keywords:
Bronze Age, Sicily, Megalithism, Archaeoastronomy
References (1):
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