Sicily has more history than it is entitled to. Again, if you are at all interested, read the Norwich book I alluded to (and linked to) earlier. If geography is destiny, Sicily has it in spades.
The Valle dei Templi (Valley of the Temples) is an area just outside of Agrigento where several Greek temples have been discovered. It is about a three hour drive from Syracuse, less had there not been traffic. I have never driven over so many long, long bridges nor through so many tunnels. I can't imagine the civil engineering work that had to be done to link this island together.
(As an aside, one of the interesting points made in Norwich's book is that the coastal cities in Sicily had more in common with mainland Italy than inland Sicily. It was easier to get to, and interior Sicily didn't even have the wheel because of the lack of roads.)
Here is an example of of the bridges:
Doreen and I are always looking for the perfect little hilltop village. Its name is Beuste de Gasse if in France, Busto de Gasso if in Italy. I think we found it here in Sicily:
The first thing you see when you arrive at the temple site is this ancient olive tree. It is supposedly as old as the temples. Who am I to say?
The temples are really some to see:
There have been renovations here starting in the 18th century, but I think by and large they are pretty good. Some of the guide books complain that they put the wrong capitals on the wrong columns, but not that I noticed.
As you can see, the place is not crawling with tourists. There was a good enough crowd there, but nothing that you felt was overwhelming:
We had plenty of time and space for self portraits. (Let me vent for a moment. Selfie sticks? Really? Ok. That was enough)
I have all the photos labeled as to which temple is what. Click through, and I think you will see. Suffice it to say you have Hera, Hercules, Temple of Concord and some minor columns
These are tombs. Some are early Christian tombs. This Expedition seems to have become the Expedition of the Tombs.
These statues were discovered in 1995! Goes to show you that if you go into Archaeology, it isn't all small walls.
Temples are better than small walls.
This is the Temple of Concord.
They stuck Icarus in front of it. There was a British woman we overheard talking about how appalled she was that he had a penis.
Notice the dental molding in the frieze.
Here are your small walls. They had some poor archaeological kids excavating some of the sites like this. With toothbrushes.
They rediscovered some goat breeds as well. Good for cheese, I understand.
Temple of Hercules.
The scale cannot be captured on images.
Even a panoramic
I have always liked these jumbles of artifacts.
Especially when you can touch them! This one still has stucco on it. Think about that.
The U shaped groves were used to hoist the stones into place.
This guy was harvesting almonds across the way. I am sure they used the same techniques 2000 years ago. Put down a cloth, then beat the tree and the nuts fall on the cloth. Collect the cloth and the almonds.
The agora in front of the on-sire museum
Great view from the museum
This is what made the museum worthwhile. The "Giant" had been just lying down on site, but them moved him to the museum. He, and all his compatriots had been decorations of one of the temples. Doreen is there for scale.
Three more Giant heads. They were all different, apparently.
Here is a model showing where they were:
Also, the temples were covered with Terra Cotta decorations. Some of these survived as well:
And some marble statues. Not much marble nearby, so these came from a long way away.
And, of course, tombs
and tomb decorations..
and more tombs.
It was a spectacular site.
and a great day.
The Valle dei Templi (Valley of the Temples) is an area just outside of Agrigento where several Greek temples have been discovered. It is about a three hour drive from Syracuse, less had there not been traffic. I have never driven over so many long, long bridges nor through so many tunnels. I can't imagine the civil engineering work that had to be done to link this island together.
(As an aside, one of the interesting points made in Norwich's book is that the coastal cities in Sicily had more in common with mainland Italy than inland Sicily. It was easier to get to, and interior Sicily didn't even have the wheel because of the lack of roads.)
Here is an example of of the bridges:
We did have to drive by Mount Etna (Aetna) on the way there. It was pretty hazy, but it was smoking. One thing that never ceases to amaze me is when I see things for real that I has only read about in the past Etna is one of those.
Doreen and I are always looking for the perfect little hilltop village. Its name is Beuste de Gasse if in France, Busto de Gasso if in Italy. I think we found it here in Sicily:
The temples are really some to see:
There have been renovations here starting in the 18th century, but I think by and large they are pretty good. Some of the guide books complain that they put the wrong capitals on the wrong columns, but not that I noticed.
As you can see, the place is not crawling with tourists. There was a good enough crowd there, but nothing that you felt was overwhelming:
I have all the photos labeled as to which temple is what. Click through, and I think you will see. Suffice it to say you have Hera, Hercules, Temple of Concord and some minor columns
These are tombs. Some are early Christian tombs. This Expedition seems to have become the Expedition of the Tombs.
These statues were discovered in 1995! Goes to show you that if you go into Archaeology, it isn't all small walls.
Temples are better than small walls.
This is the Temple of Concord.
They stuck Icarus in front of it. There was a British woman we overheard talking about how appalled she was that he had a penis.
Notice the dental molding in the frieze.
Here are your small walls. They had some poor archaeological kids excavating some of the sites like this. With toothbrushes.
They rediscovered some goat breeds as well. Good for cheese, I understand.
Temple of Hercules.
The scale cannot be captured on images.
I have always liked these jumbles of artifacts.
Especially when you can touch them! This one still has stucco on it. Think about that.
The U shaped groves were used to hoist the stones into place.
This guy was harvesting almonds across the way. I am sure they used the same techniques 2000 years ago. Put down a cloth, then beat the tree and the nuts fall on the cloth. Collect the cloth and the almonds.
The agora in front of the on-sire museum
This is what made the museum worthwhile. The "Giant" had been just lying down on site, but them moved him to the museum. He, and all his compatriots had been decorations of one of the temples. Doreen is there for scale.
Three more Giant heads. They were all different, apparently.
Here is a model showing where they were:
Also, the temples were covered with Terra Cotta decorations. Some of these survived as well:
It was a spectacular site.
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