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  • Manche della Vozza
  • Cutro, loc. Sant’Anna
  •  
  • Italy
  • Calabria
  • Province of Crotone
  • Isola di Capo Rizzuto

Credits

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  • AIAC_logo logo

Periods

  • No period data has been added yet

Chronology

  • 650 BC - 250 BC

Season

    • The site, situated on the north part of a flat terrace along the S.S. 106 Jonica road in the locality of S. Anna in the territory of Cutro (KR), was noted in the 1970s when finds came to light during agricultural and road building works. In 1980, brief excavations were undertaken by the Archaeological Superintendency of Calabria during which a substructure wall in limestone blocks was identified. Although no intact portions of stratigraphy were found in the vicinity, abundant materials were recovered (in particular choroplastics and architectural terracottas), whose certain votive origin attest the sacred function of the area and suggests the presence of a sanctuary on the summit of the terracing. In 2018, a new intervention by the Superintendency, although limited, was able to identify the substructure wall found in 1980, clear the vegetation, excavate the layers covering it, geo-reference and photograph it. Numerous collapsed blocks from the wall were present in the surrounding area. The investigation confirmed the dating of the site to the archaic and Hellenistic periods, and defined the wall’s construction characteristics. It appeared to be built on the natural clay and presented a hole for water drainage associated with a layer of small and medium gravel behind it. This suggests the wall had a double function, supporting the terrace, and capturing and draining surface water. Further uphill, a dry-stone wall was identified, on a different alignment to the ancient substructure. No dating materials were present, however, bearing in mind that in the aerial photographs taken in 1955-59 for the Cassa per il Mezzogiorno, a dry-stone wall is in the same position, its construction can hypothetically be attributed to the modern era. Lastly, a small trench (2 x 2 m) was opened in order to make a limited investigation of a stratigraphy that was rich in miniature ceramic vessels. This deposit requires further investigation, however, it confirmed the sacred nature of the area.

Bibliography

    • L. La Rocca, 2008, L’area sacra di S. Anna di Cutro nella chora di Crotone: elementi per l’interpretazione del culto in età arcaica, in G. Greco – B. Ferrara (a cura di), Doni agli dei. Il sistema dei doni votivi nei santuari, Atti del Seminario di Studi (Napoli, 21 aprile 2006), Pozzuoli, 207-222.
    • S. Medaglia, 2010, Carta archeologica della Provincia di Crotone, Arcavacata di Rende (CS), 302-306, n. 313.