Prefazione

Recent archaeological investigations at the Archaeological Area of Agrigento, led by the Scuola Normale Superiore and supported by local heritage authorities, have shed new light on the construction phases and cultual practices of the Temple D complex. The 2022 excavation campaign, which included a summer school under the EELISA network, focused on two key areas: the altar and the western sector of the sanctuary. At the altar, continued digging uncovered ceramic and metallic materials, including votive offerings, that reveal the altar's classical-era construction phases and provide insights into earlier arcaic cultual activities. Meanwhile, exploration of a calcarenite block wall in the western sector suggests its association with a late-arcaic phase of the sanctuary, characterized by an orientation distinct from the later classical temple but maintained by the altar structure. These findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the site's evolution and religious significance during the transition from arcaic to classical periods.

Magnetto, A. (2024). Preface. Annali Scuola Normale Superiore - Classe Di Lettere E Filosofia, VII–VXI. https://doi.org/10.2422/2464-9201.202302_s10