Missione archeologica internazionale “Storia e archeologia del Monte Altesina (Nicosia, Sicilia)”. Report della attività di ricerca 2022 e considerazioni preliminari

The article presents the results and preliminary considerations of multidisciplinary research conducted at the Monte Altesina site (Nicosia) from 2020. In the first two years of research, the international archaeological mission carried out preliminary studies on archaeological material from previous excavations and preliminary documentation. However, it was from 2022 onwards that the archaeological mission intensified its research activities. The preliminary results are significant and include the identification of frequentation in the higher part of the site during the prehistoric period. Additionally, the extent of the site during the Greek period has been understood, covering an area of at least eleven hectares and adapting to the geological configuration of the mountain. Furthermore, a late Byzantine/early Islamic settlement phase has been identified, and occupation in the monastery area has been confirmed, at least in the late Middle Ages. Geophysical prospections have revealed anomalies within three metres of the current ground level. Ethnographic investigations have provided valuable data for studying oral traditions related to the mountain’s antiquities. The research activities have enabled significant progress in the historical and cultural understanding of the site throughout the different millennia. This confirms the importance of the historical-archaeological heritage of Altesina in the context of central Sicily over time.