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| The town of Santa Margherita di
Belice Tourism in Santa Margherita di Belice |
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The Archaeological Sites Santa Margherita di Belice was founded in 1572 by Antonio Corbera on the ruins of the Arab settlement Menzil-el-Sindi. In its countryside, in contrada Dragonara, some splinters of flint have been found close to some caves, dated back to thousands of years ago. Dating to the Neolithic and Sub-Neolithic period, and evidences of the Sikel civilization, are the bronze and clay artifacts found in some of the caves, now housed in the museums of Agrigento, Palermo and Siracusa. The researches carried in this area have brought to light many findings dating to different periods and people living here: Phoenicians, Cretans, Greeks, Carthaginians, Selinuntinis, Romans, Barbarians, Byzantines and Arabs.
Photo © Municipality of Santa Margherita di Belice
Of Berber origin is a small tower called Specula which once was probably the minaret of a Muslim community who settled there after 827 and built the Menzil-el-Sindi village. In contrada Madonna di Trapani and in the surroundings, barns, water mills, tombs and pottery belonging to the Berber community have been found. To the Arab period belong also some structures included in the court-yard of the Filangeri-Cutò Palace, once part of the old defensive plan of the village. |
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