Great celebration in Tripi, ancient Abakainon celebrated

John

By John

A radiant spring day and the evocative backdrop of the Tyrrhenian Sea were the setting for the event celebration of ancient Abakainon. Authorities, representatives of institutions and the scientific community gathered in Campogrande: the prefect of Messina Cosima Di Stani, the chief prosecutor of Barcelona Giuseppe Verzera, the senator Dafne Musolino, the regional councilor Elvira Amata, the vice-rector of the University of Messina Giuseppe Giordano.
After the greetings of the mayor Michele Lemmo, whose enthusiasm for the recent discoveries infected those present, the Superintendent of Cultural Heritage of Messina Mirella Vinci, Giuseppe Natoli, the scientific director of the excavations Maria Ravesi spoke and took stock of the preliminary results. who have seen the imposing stoa and its events brought to light over the centuries, from the golden age of Abakainon to its fall at the hands of the Romans who wanted to punish it for its alliance with Carthage.

This was then followed by the interesting interventions of Professor Daniele Castrizio who clarified on the over one hundred coins, dating from the Carthaginian period to the 6th century AD, discovered during excavation operations which testify to the flourishing economy of the city and trade exchanges with all the Mediterranean countries.
It was then the turn of Professor Dario Piombino-Mascali who revealed the mystery of the burial found in January. Previously, it was the prosecutor Verzera who explained that upon discovery of the skull, the site was immediately “crystallized” to carry out forensic analysis, aimed at excluding the possibility that it was a victim of the white wolfhound. The discovery of Justinian I's pentanummus, however, would rule it out, and the analyzes and disinterment of the skeleton were therefore able to continue. From the analyzes carried out so far it emerges that it must have been a shepherd aged around 20-40 years old who died due to circumstances which are still being studied and on which the results of the radio carbon analysis underway at the University of Belfast will soon be available.

The day ended with a speech by the Honorable Amata on the tourism development prospects that these discoveries could represent for the entire area and a guided tour of the Abakainon agora.