Holiday in Sicily        27th June - 4th July 2013

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Sunday 30th June - Visit to Villa del Casale dei Saraceni in Piazza Armerina

This very famous Roman villa was built in the first quarter of the 4th century AD. The owner is not known for certain but it must have been someone with great wealth, possibly someone who had a an important position, a Consul or a Prefect. There are many mosaics, all of a high quality.  The villa was destroyed when the Normans were engaged in conquering the island from the resident Saracens. Subsequently, the villa was covered by an avalanche of debris from Monte Mangone and this protected the villa from further damage.  Excavation, albeit for treasure, started in 1812. In 1881 the City of Piazza Armerina entrusted an engineer, Pappadorlo to dig  scientifically. Excavation has continued spasmodically ever since.

   Plan of Villa     Yellow - public areas, ambulatory, peristyle, courtyard.

Greens - triclinium, oval peristyle,; dark blue - kitchen and other public rooms; ochre - basilica; pink - baths area.

Elaine in front of remains of Aqueduct to villa;  Baths area - stoke holes, Tepidarium, Frigidarium, Vestibule floor;   Palaestra.

Peristyle; detail of Peristyle floor; trapzoidal vestibule next to peristyle;  hall of the small hunt;  floor detail near peristyle with edging showing use of perspective.

Room of the Small Hunt; Room of the Fishing Cupids; ditto;  ditto; ambulatory of the Great Hunt.

ambulatory of the Great Hunt - four scenes; 

Room with the ten girls in bikinis - 4 details - notice in 4th the earlier floor partially exposed in the corner.

ambulatory of the Great Hunt; ditto  semi circular atrium; ditto.

vestibule of the small circus; ditto;  cubicle of the musicians and actors; 

Semi circular atrium;  cubicle of the child hunters;  ditto

Dieta of Arione (large living room) two scenes from.                                                                [Top of Page]