Public Programs @ the Institute
Series: Annual Selinunte Lecture
Prof. Clemente Marconi (The Institute of Fine Arts, NYU), Director, IFA–NYU and UniMi project in Selinunte, Prof. Andrew Ward (Fairfield University), Field Director, IFA–NYU and UniMi project in Selinunte, Dr. Rosalia Pumo (Institute of Fine Arts–NYU), Co-Director, IFA–NYU and UniMi project in Selinunte, Rebecca Salem (The Institute of Fine Arts–NYU, Alexa Kline (The Institute of Fine Arts–NYU
Wednesday, December 10, 2025 6:30pm
In the summer of 2025, the archaeological project of the Institute of Fine Arts–NYU and the University of Milan, in collaboration with the local Archaeological Park, continued its investigations in the main urban sanctuary on the acropolis. New discoveries were made on nearly every front, and the results of this excavation campaign are particularly important for understanding the evolution of the sacred area and refining our knowledge of the ritual practices in Temple R.
Regarding the broader sacred area, the completion of the excavation at the northwest corner, corresponding to a monumental entrance, revealed an intact stratigraphic sequence spanning the pre-Greek period to the Middle Ages. The most significant finding was a level dating to the earliest years of the Greek foundation, including a large iron spearhead planted in the ground. This discovery demonstrates how the sanctuary’s extension from south to north was defined from the first generation of Selinunte’s existence.
Particularly important discoveries were made in the cella of Temple R, specifically along the western edge of the naos and at the entrance to the adyton—the rear chamber of the cella that housed the cult statue, a feature characteristic of Selinunte’s temples. This year’s excavation allowed for a detailed investigation of the perfectly preserved entrance access to this space in Temple R. The entrance to the adyton included a barrier at the back of the naos, which served to prevent worshippers from entering the room. Finally, the excavation beneath the original floor of the temple brought to light numerous additional votive offerings from the temple’s expansive foundation deposit, including a silver ringlike object found exactly in the center of the entrance to the adyton.
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