Le aree sacre n. 8 e n. 9 sul crinale di Velia – le ricerche degli anni 2011-2013

The excavation of the Austrian Mission on the central ridge of Velia, conducted during May and July 2013, focused once again on the so-called terrace of Zeus (sacred area n. 8) and the sacred area n. 9 above it concluding thus a three-year research project. In the area of the terrace of Zeus we completed the documentation of the terrace wall by a study of the stairs on the south side. In addition we studied the west side of the terrace in its northern part where the only evidence for the course of the delimitation is given by cuts and some foundation trenches in the natural rock. The existence of two clearly diverging directions seems to confirm that the terrace was rebuilt at least once. In this area we also continued the documentation of the quarry identified here in 2012. Most probably it can be connected to the construction of the fortification walls in the 4th c. BC. The investigations of the sacred area n.9 tried to get better insight into the structure of this vast sanctuary that must have been organized in terraces as well according to the difference of height of more than 3 m between the Western and the Eastern part. However, no clear traces of an internal articulation have been found due to the strong erosion and possible late antique or post antique stone robbery. The excavations of this year brought to light further layers of bricks and tiles in which some well preserved vessels like a ring guttus might be taken as evidence for ritual activities. Three fragments of antefixes, one of them of the well known type of fiore con calice spinoso e corolla compatta confirm the existence of cult buildings. The fragment of a brazier dates this context to the first half of the 2nd c. BC. Of particular interest is also the proof of activities of the first half of the 1st c. AD by the find of a cup Conspectus form 26 as well as the presence of a consistent layer dated to the first half of the 5th c. AD by sigillata africana (forma Hayes 61B; 75/76). Similar phenomena have been found in the sacred area n. 6 in 2006 and make clear that at least the frequentation of the sanctuaries did not come to an end in the Roman period, but until now has not been realized as these strata have mostly been destroyed by earlier excavations