L'Italo-Americano

www.italoamericano.org 8 THURSDAY, AUGUST 24 2023 L'Italo-Americano T he archaeological d i s c o v e r i e s i n Sicily never cease t o a m a z e , a n d Pantelleria, an i s l a n d b e l o n g i n g t o t h e province of Trapani, is no exception. It continues to unveil spaces of great inter- est to scholars, such as an a r e a o n c e d e s i g n a t e d f o r political assemblies. Capable of holding up to two hundred people, it was situated in the f o r u m o f C o s s y r a - t h e n a m e g i v e n t o i t b y t h e Romans - where political functions were carried out. Previously considered a the- ater, recent excavations have concluded that it was, in fact, a n a s s e m b l y p l a c e w h e r e those whom we would today call municipal counselors and administrators gathered. The excavations lasted twen- ty-four years and were con- ducted by Professor Thomas Schaefer of the University of Tübingen, Germany, along with his students. Schaefer p o i n t s o u t t h a t a l t h o u g h there are five similar struc- tures in Italy, the one on Pantelleria is the best-pre- served. But the island's marvels are not confined to these archaeological digs. Pantelle- ria, the westernmost island of Sicily and Italy, also aston- i s h e d t h e w o r l d i n 2 0 0 3 when three important mar- ble heads from the first cen- tury AD depicting Caesar, Titus, and a woman, Antonia Minor, were found in two cis- terns. The island also boasts a unique underwater muse- um, filled with Punic artifacts a n d a m p h o r a s . F l o a t i n g explanatory signs have been placed near them, and water- proof guides are distributed to divers. About ten years ago, the wreckage of a World War II plane was discovered, and recovery efforts are final- l y u n d e r w a y . R o b e r t o L a Rocca, an official of the Sicil- ian Region's Superintenden- cy of the Sea, states that the engine and wing are the first p i e c e s t h a t m a y f u r t h e r reveal the island's wartime history. There are five archaeo- logical itineraries in what c a n b e c o n s i d e r e d a d i s - persed museum: the sea sur- rounding the island, rich in b o t h P u n i c a n d R o m a n amphoras that once trans- ported wine, oil, and fish, and in shipwrecks, ancient boats that either docked on the island or sought shelter there from the often violent winds. P a n t e l l e r i a ' s s u r p r i s e s don't end there. In the south- e r n p a r t o f t h e i s l a n d , i n Scauri, the southernmost cinema in Italy was estab- lished in 1960. Established initially by the parish of San Gaetano, it has been kept alive for the past thirty years by Giovanni, an accountant at a caper factory. His story echoes the child's in "Cinema P a r a d i s o , " a s h e t o o f r e - quented the movie theater as a kid and has remained pas- sionate about films. Giovan- ni's work is entirely volun- t a r y , a s o t h e r w i s e , t h e finances would not balance. Keeping on going is a chal- lenge and, among the prob- lems, is the island's often w i n d y c o n d i t i o n , c a u s i n g ships to have difficulty dock- ing and films arriving at the last minute. With 238 seats, it's a small venue compared to multiplexes, but being the only cinema on the island, it must endure. In 2014, they faced the challenge of digital- ization: the community gen- erously responded, and even Giorgio Armani, who owns a dammuso in Cala Gadir, contributed to the purchase of a digital projector. Frequently attended by actors and directors, includ- ing Roberto Andò and Angelo Barbagallo, the producer of his last movie "La Stranezza," the Pantelleria cinema is cherished as a stronghold in film programming, a kind of frontier cinema, not only – o r p e r h a p s y e s – f o r i t s enchanting location amidst the sea. Here, the magic of cinema is grander than else- where. The island's cultivation of certain fruits of the earth also possesses a magic of its own. Within its 80 square kilome- ters, the island grows Zibib- bo vine in a bush form, la vite ad alberello, a prac- tice declared a UNESCO her- itage on November 26, 2014, in Paris. The island's winds would not permit traditional vine cultivation, and the Pan- tescan method is the only way for their survival. Anoth- er characteristic cultivation is that of capers, a true brand of Pantelleria with its vari- eties, from cucunci, perfect for salads, to smaller ones, suitable for various culinary uses, particularly in some typical Sicilian dishes such as caponata. Some cotton plants still survive, and many a r o m a t i c s h r u b s r e m a i n . T y p i c a l P a n t e s c a n d i s h e s include tabulì, a variant of couscous, and merghez, a sort of sausage of Maghrebi origin prepared with beef and highly spiced with chili. The i s l a n d ' s g a s t r o n o m y a l s o includes the bacio pantesco, a r i c o t t a - b a s e d s w e e t , and tumma, a fresh cheese u s e d i n b o t h s w e e t a n d savory dishes. Rich in thermal waters and some brackish waters, Pantelleria lacks drinking water sources. Abundant are t h e c a l d a r e l l e , h o t w a t e r springs that reach tempera- tures above 50°celsius. Of volcanic nature and located in the northern part of the island is the Lake of Venus, also known as Venus's mir- r o r . I t i s s i t u a t e d w i t h i n t h e P a n t e l l e r i a I s l a n d National Park, has a maxi- mum depth of 12 meters, and is fed by thermal springs and rainwater. Undoubtedly, it's one of the island's most sug- gestive places. The island's name does not mean "daughter of the wind," from the Arabic bintu- el-riah - although the winds blow constantly - but rather comes from the Greek, which c h a n g e d t h e n a m e f r o m C o s s y r a t o P a t e l l a r í a , Πατελλαρíα, a word derived from patella, a concave dish used for salt production, or perhaps because much pot- tery was produced, as some artifacts attest. During World W a r I I , i n 1 9 4 3 , i t w a s deemed of great strategic importance by the Allies, who heavily bombarded it from sea and air to prepare for troop landings. In 1939, a military airport was built, which was then converted to civilian use after the war's end. The island, with its irregu- lar elliptical shape, counts among its treasures and fea- tures a significant presence of obsidian, a volcanic stone, a precious ally of Pantelleria's economy. TERESA DI FRESCO The waterfront of the harbor in Pantelleria. The island is the southern-most location of Italy (Photo: Elifranssens/Dreamstime) From Cossyra to Pantelleria, via Patelleria A beautiful view of the volcanic Lake of Venus, in Pantelleria (Photo: Emilio Messina/Shutterstock) LIFE PEOPLE PLACES HERITAGE

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