Musealization and opening to the public of the Catacombs of Villagrazia di Carini

As part of the close and active collaboration established between the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology, the Archdiocese of Monreale and the Chair of Christian and Medieval Archaeology at the University of Palermo, ArcheOfficina has been working on the musealization and public enjoyment of one of the most important late antique sites in western Sicily. The Society oversaw the drafting of the project, which included the construction of a standardized electrical system with LED lighting, a system of metal walkways to improve the visitor route inside the monument, and appropriate bilingual museum panels. Covering more than 5,000 square meters, the Villagrazia di Carini catacomb, brought back to life thanks to this modern museum layout, promises to be an interesting journey into underground Carini as well as the fifth-century AD Sicily of Roman culture and Christian religion. Archaeologists from the ArcheOfficina company, who are in charge of the archaeological excavations inside the ancient cemetery, are the same guides who take visitors inside the underground trail.

St. Nicholas Project – Archaeological Field School

Progetto San Nicola is a program of research, knowledge and enhancement of the archaeological site located in c.da San Nicola in Carini (PA) and its territory. The project sees the collaboration of ArcheOfficina, the Soprintendenza dei BB.CC.AA of Palermo under whose scientific direction the work is being carried out, and the municipality of Carini. The research excavation is aimed at university students doing their internship training hours here and high school students as part of the school-to-work alternation projects. The field activity sees archaeologists involve the participants in archaeological research in all its phases: from stratigraphic excavation to documentation to the study of archaeological finds. The mission of the project is not only to reconstruct the history of ancient Hyccara, but also to enhance it and make it known to all those who are not in the field. In fact, the first to be involved is precisely the territory of Carini, within which the archaeological site falls, through open days at the archaeological site aimed at everyone, especially schoolchildren. Indeed, the purpose of the project is to raise the community’s awareness of the history of its past, shortening the distance between us and antiquity. This is why the St. Nicholas Project is a case of Public Archaeology, understood as archaeology shared and participated in by the whole community. The site, north of the present town, as clued first by surface reconnaissance and then by archaeological assays carried out in 1997 and 2005 by the Superintendence BB.CC.AA. of Palermo, covers a chronological span from the late Roman period to the. Known since before 1873, when the famous mosaic that has since been known by the appellation “Mosaic Galati” was discovered by Giuseppe De Spuches, prince of Galati, the Late Antique settlement can be interpreted as a vicus, characterized by Roman villas decorated with mosaics, overlooking the Via Valeria. Connected to this settlement is the large catacomb complex of Villagrazia di Carini, the largest in western Sicily, a tangible sign of an active and flourishing rural diocese dating back to the 4th century. For years now, ArcheOfficina has been carrying out archaeological investigations under the scientific direction of the Superintendence of BB.CC.AA. of Palermo during which the remains of a Late Roman and Byzantine dwelling, numerous ceramic artifacts, and mosaic floors came to light.