Hypogeum of San Bartolomeo
The hypogeum was discovered in 1874 by prof. Francesco Saverio Cavallari, first superintendent of antiquities in Sicily, and is considered one of the most important early Christian catacombs.
There are traces of human settlements already from the Copper Age belonging to the Culture of Diana (about 3500 BC) and to the Culture of San Cono-Piano Notaro (up to 2300 BC). Subsequent settlements date back to the Bronze Age, belonging to the Naro-Partanna Culture (2200-1500 BC), which also included a rock necropolis, which was destroyed by mining in modern times.
From the XNUMXth century, the hypogeum area was used as a quarry for the extraction of tuff: this was the primary cause of the destruction of the necropolis. During the Second World War it was used as a refuge for displaced people; in the sixties and seventies it was used as a factory for shelling shrimp, and finally an attempt was made to transform it into a pizzeria. Today the area is part of the Giardino dell'Emiro botanical garden.
Source: wikipedia
Photo: web
Card insertion: Ignazio Caloggero
Information contributions: Web, Region of Sicily
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