Discovered at the end of the 19th century by archaeologist Paolo Orsi, the archaeological site of Castelluccio di Noto gave its name to the Early Bronze Age Castelluccio culture, dated between 2200 BC and 1500 BC. Situated on a rocky spur between Noto and Palazzolo Acreide in the province of Syracuse, it is one of the key prehistoric settlements of southeastern Sicily.
What to see
The site preserves the footprint of a fortified acropolis with the remains of circular prehistoric huts and the original village dump identified by Orsi. In the adjacent Cava della Signora cliffs lies a vast necropolis containing more than 200 artificial rock-cut cave tombs. The most prominent among them is the Tomba del Principe, which features a monumental façade sculpted with four mock pillars. Excavations have uncovered axes made of greenstone, basalt, and bronze, along with painted pottery featuring brown lines on yellowish-red backgrounds. Notable artifacts include carved globule bones—prehistoric idols similar to examples found in Malta, Apulia, Greece, and Troy—and two stone tomb doors decorated with carved spirals and fertility symbols. In the 1990s, researchers reconstructed a one-meter-tall egg-shaped jar from 400 terracotta fragments. Tests led by Davide Tanasi of the University of South Florida detected traces of oleic and linoleic acids on the ceramic, revealing the oldest olive oil ever identified in Europe, dated to over 4,000 years ago.
Visiting
At the physical site, visitors can explore the rocky acropolis and view the rock-cut tomb openings along Cava della Signora. To see the physical artifacts excavated from Castelluccio—including the carved stone tomb doors, decorated ceramics, and globule bones—visit the Paolo Orsi Regional Archaeological Museum in Syracuse, where the collection is housed.
Our editors' tip
When examining the Cava della Signora necropolis, take time to study the façade of the Tomba del Principe to appreciate how the four decorative imitation pillars were carved directly into the natural rock face.
