Ancore litiche presso Cannatello (Agrigento) e connettività marittima

Lithic anchors near Cannatello (AG) and maritime connectivity We report here, for the first time, the discovery of at least 22 lithic anchors near the coast close to the archaeological settlement of Cannatello (AG), active during the Middle and Late Sicilian Bronze Age (ca. 1400-1150 BCE), that is the final phase of the Mediterranean Late Bronze Age. The site has been discussed as a crucial hub of Mediterranean connectivity since the excavations by A. Mosso (1907), during which he identified one fragment of ox-hide ingot. E. De Miro, who excavated the site between 1989 and 2000 (De Miro 1999) interpreted it as an emporium, given the ascertained and abundant frequency of finds originating (at least) from Sardinia, Malta, Crete, the Cyclades, mainland Greece, Cyprus and the Levant, as the most recent typological and archeometric studies are elucidating in detail. In particular, the Nuragic presence is intense, especially in the second settlement phase. The location of the site is anyway challenging: it is not directly on the coast, but located 1.4 km inland, at 50 m asl; nor the sea shore is directly visible. For these reasons, the search for a possible landing spot is a crucial problem, in order to define the role of the site in Mediterranean connectivity. The lithic anchors’ clusters were discovered, and mapped, near the mouth of a major river (the Naro), slightly South of Cannatello, with a coastal morphology hinting at the presence of a small bay immediately northwards. The bay, some islets, a different morphology of the Naro river mouth, and some shoals are recorded in historical maps, such as the one published by Smyth (1823; 1824). The typology of the anchors matches the variability of the oneholed anchors from the LBA Mediterranean and it seems to be partially reflected in the underwater distribution, suggesting a rather primary location. Other river mouth harbors, e.g. from Anatolia, can represent a significant match. Data are encouraging and will be refined by future research (e.g. through petrographic study); if an LBA age will be confirmed, they can contribute significantly to the proper interpretation of the Cannatello site.