ArcheoLogia Data 4/2024

The north-eastern cusp of Sicily is entirely occupied by the Peloritani Mountains; the mountain system is surrounded to the west by Nebrodi Mountains and to the south by Mount Etna. This massif is separated from the Calabrian Apennines by the Strait of Messina, and it is characterized by the large number of peaks, ridges and valleys that distinguish the geomorphology of the territory from the other parts of the island. Both sides of the Peloritani Mountains, indeed, are transversally marked by several watercourses, which were used over time as main communication routes from the coast to the hinterland. The most important river on the east coast of the island is the Alcantara, which has been exploited since prehistoric times to reach the Tyrrhenian side of the island through the Zavianni and San Paolo torrents. From the northern slopes of the Peloritani Mountains originate also the Mazzarrà and Patrì torrents, two streams which over the centuries have contributed to the formation of the road network from the hinterland to the coast. These valleys, used since the Iron Age to facilitate the connection between the Ionian and the Tyrrhenian coast, are flanked by numerous hills which were occupied for their strategic position from the prehistoric age to the late medieval age. These itineraries have also been used over time by armies and their leader as quicker paths during the wars, and are still used for the seasonal migration of flocks and herds from mountains to coastal areas.