The power of ancient stones: Protecting children in Greek Sicily

Claudia Lambrugo

doi:10.1556/068.2020.00030

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Acta Antiqua Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae

Volume/Issue:: Volume 60: Issue 3-4

The power of ancient stones: Protecting children in Greek Sicily

Author:

Claudia Lambrugo

Claudia Lambrugo Dipartimento di Beni Culturali e Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy

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claudia.lambrugo@unimi.it https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3001-8573

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Pages:: 429–443

Online Publication Date:: 26 Nov 2021

Publication Date:: 26 Nov 2021

Article Category:: Research Article

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.1556/068.2020.00030

Keywords:: Greek Sicily; Gela; Castelluccian facies; pebble pendant; necropolis; funerary scenario; premature death

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Abstract

The paper focuses on the occurrence of Castelluccian (Early Bronze Age) pebble pendants in sub-adult tombs found in Greek, but also indigenous sites in Sicily from 8^th century BC onwards. These pebble-shaped pendants are made of various materials, especially alabaster and translucent stones. They are usually unearthed with shells, perhaps to form a single ornament, in close bond with selected people.

The occurrence in archaic infant burials, both in Greek and indigenous contexts, without being documented meanwhile, brings up a challenging issue: we can argue that these items, discovered accidentally in very ancient tombs, were considered to be old and therefore deemed particularly valuable also due to the intrinsic properties of the stones, being shiny and translucent. As a consequence (by drawing inspiration from native women's ancient knowledge?) they were probably conveyed a new meaning and turned into apotropaic amulets in order to protect children from diseases during life, and from perils in afterlife.

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Acta Antiqua Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae

Print ISSN:: 0044-5975

Online ISSN:: 1588-2543

Editorial Board

Tamás DEZSŐ (Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest)
Miklós MARÓTH (Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Avicenna Institute of Middle Eastern Studies)
Gyula MAYER (Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Classical Philology Research Group)
János NAGYILLÉS (University of Szeged)
Lajos Zoltán SIMON (Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest)
Csilla SZEKERES (University of Debrecen)
Kornél SZOVÁK (Pázmány Péter Catholic University)
Zsolt VISY (University of Pécs)

Advisory Board

Michael CRAWFORD (University College London, prof. em.)
Patricia EASTERLING (Newnham College, University of Cambridge, prof. em.)
László HORVÁTH (Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest)
Patricia JOHNSTON (Brandeis University Boston, prof. em.)
Csaba LÁDA (University of Kent)
Herwig MAEHLER
Attilio MASTROCINQUE (University of Verona)
Zsigmond RITOÓK (Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, prof. em.)

László Takács
Acta Antiqua
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E-mail: acta.antiqua.hung@gmail.com

Scopus
Current Contents - Arts and Humanities

2023
Scopus
CiteScore	0.2
CiteScore rank	Q3 (Classics)
SNIP	0.532
Scimago
SJR index	0.111
SJR Q rank	Q3

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Acta Antiqua Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae
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