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EGADI: TRACES OF THE PAST - www.favignanalidoburrone.it

Prehistory
The man has made an appearance in the Egadi in the Upper Palaeolithic, as evidenced by archaeological finds and graffiti in the caves of the islands.
In that period (10,000 BC), the entire archipelago was one with the Sicilian coast: Levanzo had to be united in Favignana by a narrow bridge of land that jutted from the current Cala Dogana to the area of St. Nicholas.
The oldest prehistoric settlement of Favignana is what traces have been found in the caves of Uccerie near the Stack and the cave of the Well in St. Nicholas area.
Advanced artistic sense of the graffiti of Equidae and that of a deer, carved with chisels of flint on the bare rock, in the cave of the Genovese Levanzo. In the same cave, but certainly of more recent times (Neolithic), are painted pets, tuna.
Shards of flint, obsidian, fragments of worked bone, shells found in Favignana and Egadi in all demonstrate the use of stone for the construction of daggers, arrowheads and household implements. Were unearthed fragments of raw clay, purified and well cooked, colored in black and red paint, evidence of human settlement in the Bronze Age.
Have also been discovered in tombs Torretta type prehistoric petroglyphs and signs in a cave at Cala St. Nicholas.

The Phoenicians
The Phoenician presence in the islands is testified by the traces of a necropolis discovered in the area around St. Nicholas and dated VIII century. B.C. and by the discovery of marine anchor stone oval and a representation in the cave of a ship with invocation to the Phoenician Samek (Isis).

Punic period
In places Calazza in the northeastern part of Favignana have surfaced from the excavations two tombs of the late-Hellenistic, containing two skeletons and a lamp of clay. And yet an entire Hellenistic necropolis in rectangular niches has been identified at the Cala St. Nicholas. In this area, in the cave of the Well, near the cemetery, have been identified Phoenician-Punic inscriptions dating back to the first century. B.C.

Roman period
At Favignana are scant memories of the period of Roman rule. Came to light the mosaics of the Roman imperial origin and a nymph probably used to the ladies room at St. Nicholas.
Marettimo was undoubtedly the seat of a garrison of Rome. In the plateau called Roman houses are the remains of a large building of the I-II cent. B.C. which dominates all the sea to the east of the island.
Caverns already used by Punic add up to the old signs new, typical of the paleo-Christian.
In the South-East of the island of Favignana were unearthed niches of a necropolis of this era. Near the cemetery there, saved in the rock, a small altar with hanging arches: typical Christian burial of the IV-V sec., Although the cave was inhabited previously by the Carthaginians.
At the small museum island you can see the remains of a clay lamp Christian V-VI sec., Punic coins and post-Constantinian, Byzantine glass polychrome.

Arabs
In relation to the ruins that still advancing, it is believed that in the area of the tower had to be a tower manufactured by the Saracens to ensure the island from invasion.
Probably dating from the same era (810 AD) the towers transformed after castles of St. Catherine and St. Leonard in Favignana; Levanzo on lace Tower; Marettimo Punta Troia.

The Normans
Roger II in 1120 with a royal edict established the fortification of Favignana and did turn two of the three towers in Arab fortresses (St. Catherine and St. Leonard). He built also the fortress of St. James and did not care Torretta divisando the island well defended.
A Marettimo, in place of the Saracen tower, the Normans erected the impervious Punta Troia Castle.
Of particular interest is the small church which is located in Marettimo Roman houses in the area of oriental style, datable to the XII-XIII century.

the Spanish
In more than a cave in Favignana were found small shrines, inscriptions and coats of Spaniards.
At St. Nicholas find the emblem of the patrician Moncada carved into the tufa rock. (XVI.)
Under Aragonese rule, Andrea Riccio, Lord of Favignana, rebuilt the fort of St. Catherine (1498). At the top of the right jamb of the door is placed a coat of arms corroded by time which certainly refers to the House of Aragon. Another inscription is in an entire wall of the castle stand the name of the city of Catania and the date 1646. In that year the castle was put in efficiency, because it was feared the landing of the Duke of Guise.