Monte Gallo - Cozzo Portello Caves
Cozzo Portello (160 m) is the southern peak of Monte Gallo; it has a triangular shape with the eastern side that descends with regular contours from Pizzo Impisu (353 m) to the Colonne district. On the southern side, ai
foot of a scarcely elevated cliff, there are some niches and a cave dug by an ancient sea. I report the notes that date back to an inspection in 1960: “worthy of note is only the sheep cave, closed by a wall and a door, which I find well closed but reveals a development of over 5 meters and the presence of lambs. Nothing of archaeological interest ".
In a report by E. Borzatti, of the Italian Institute of Prehistory and Protohistory of Florence, dated October 1968, there are brief notes concerning two "caves" and a small "shelter" without sediment, and "a cave used as a stable . The bottom is closed by a concrete wall which suggests that the cave continues. The floor also appears to be covered with concrete under which there may be some intact sediment ".
Slightly different evaluations are made by Lo Cascio and Mercadante who report three cavities: the cave of Cozzo Portello I, II and III. The largest and most interesting is Portello I, “still used today as a shelter for animals, it has undergone serious alterations in all its parts, as it has been enlarged in several parts and with the base part leveled, to make it habitable. Little remains of its original talus but enough to understand its use since the Upper Palaeolithic, thanks to the presence of flints and achromatic pottery… ". The Authors also give an excerpt from the tablet where the cavities are indicated with the numbers 21,22,23, they report the geographical coordinates which, however, differ from those determined by me, the development of the cave is missing. Of the two minor cavities, however, they only report, "The talus contains ceramic fragments, remains of meal and stone tools from the Paleolithic age, especially burins and scrapers". (Text source: Giovanni Mannino: The Caves of Monte Gallo: in the Archaeological Newsletter Superintendence of Palermo 15/2016)
In-depth documents:
Giovanni Mannino: The Caves of Monte Gallo: in the Archaeological News Superintendence of Palermo 15/2016
download the document: G_Mannino_The_Grotte_of_Monte_Gallo_Notiz
Card insertion: Ignazio Caloggero
Photos: Giovanni Mannino: The Caves of Monte Gallo: in the Archaeological News Superintendence of Palermo 15/2016
Information contributions: Ignazio Caloggero Web
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