Le armi dal complesso sacro di contrada Gaggera a Selinunte: alcuni dati preliminari

Abstract

The review of bronze finds from the excavations carried out in the contrada Gaggera sanctuaries from 1888 until 1925 as well as in the sixties and seventies of the last century, and the reading of old excavation notebooks have allowed the identification of a huge number of unpublished weapons. This evidence has also been considered in relation to what has been published by Ettore Gabrici in the 1927 edition of the Malophoros sanctuary. The study better clarifies the finding context of these materials (from the sanctuary of Demeter Malophoros or from the sacred area of Zeus Meilichios) and provides an overview of the different types of weapons. The most recurring objects turn out to be arrow-, spear- and javelinheads; some iron blades are also attested. In any case, this type of votive offering is not widespread. Despite the absence of precise contextual data, we try to decipher the meaning of this evidence in the two sacred areas of contrada Gaggera.