L’archeologia del culto nelle colonie greche d’Occidente. Breve nota sullo stato degli studi tra vecchie e nuove prospettive di ricerca

Scientific archaeological researches in Italy have been marked by an extended fragmentation, which resulted into several specializations in different sectors (Etruscology, Italic antiquities, Greek and Roman archeology etc.), often preventing a comprehensive understanding of analyzed phenomena. In fact, the Italian peninsula development is indeed distinguished, in all the examined historical phases, by reciprocal influences, interactions and contacts affecting the societal changes as well as by exchanges with external cultures of the Mediterranean space. In this regard, the cult activity acted as the basis to establish the society, transversally spreading ritual practices and materials, providing the framework for hybridizations and assimilations processes and facilitating access to cultural and economic networks. With the aim of investigating cult as a means to reconstruct the social structures and cultural transformations, three main aspects, closely interconnected, have been considered: the ritual performance and the related material productions, such as votive offerings; the organization of the sacred space taking into account the society’s functions and needs; the role played by cult in urban settlements’ establishment.