Scholars have generally assumed that Selinunte’s position as the westernmost Greek colony in Sicily and its proximity to North Africa favoured this city’s relations with Carthage and the Phoenician and Punic settlements on the island....
moreScholars have generally assumed that Selinunte’s position as the westernmost Greek colony in Sicily and its proximity to North Africa favoured this city’s relations with Carthage and the Phoenician and Punic settlements on the island. Based on the analysis of the Phoenician and Punic pottery from the Institute of Fine Arts–NYU and University of Milan excavations in the main urban sanctuary, this article shows the extent of these trade networks in comparison with the data available from other Greek cities in Sicily and suggests the possible use of some ceramic containers in ritual activities performed in this sacred area. In addition, a few pottery fragments suggest the occasional consumption of wine and food according to Phoenician and Punic practices.