La ripresa degli scavi nel quartiere ellenistico-romano: l’Insula III

The most recent research in the Insula III of the Hellenistic- Roman Quarter of Agrigento has made it possible to propose some new considerations on the general structure of the block and in particular of two of its houses. The first one, Casa III A, provided the basic scheme of the domestic space (so-called pastàs house) and made it possible to define a reliable stratigraphic column – from the medieval to the archaic age – thanks to a trial trench carried out at its interior. The oldest structures and materials found in the trench confirm the frequentation of the housing area in the years immediately following the foundation of the colony. Here, in addition to the oldest structures, we will consider pottery fragments relating to Corinthian and East Greek productions unearthed during the recent excavations and the past investigations carried out during the 50s of the last century. The second house, named III M in continuity with the research started by Ernesto De Miro in this sector of the city, has returned a large quantity of wall paintings and stucco decorations of which a first summary is provided here.