Coroplastica dal Quartiere Ellenistico-Romano di Agrigento: un atelier-maison nell'Insula III?

This paper presents the data derived from the study of previously unpublished coroplastic materials discovered during excavations of the so-called Insula III of Agrigento’s Hellenistic-Roman Quarter. Beyond the ter- racottas themselves, the results of this analysis requires a reconsideration of the contexts in which they were excavated. In particular, the sheer quantity of coroplastics discovered within a single deposit in a modest room in the so-called “Casa delle Pelte” demands a reevaluation of the function of the Insula III’s northern area. Terracotta fragments with evidence of burn marks and other production markers, such as a mold for the mass production of Tanagra statuettes, suggest the existence of an ergasterion – perhaps a domestic atelier- maison equipped with a small oven, or a kiln in the immediate vicinity of the deposit. As to the purpose of this proposed kiln, while knowledge of the sacred areas within the urban grid of the city is still limited, a local ritual use for these statuettes seems likely. A provisional hypothesis, further contextual analyses of Agrigento’s coroplastic industry should clarify how unusual such an atelier might actually be.