Standing in the shadows of Iuppiter Anxur. Terracina and its Sanctuary in the Hellenistic Period. Continuation request

• Applicant: Dr. Paul Scheding
• Subject Area: Classical, Roman, Christian and Islamic Archaeology
• Term: since 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 468966467

The present continuation proposal builds upon the work conducted by LMU Munich in the so-called Sanctuary of Jupiter Anxur in Terracina. One of the key outcomes of the prior excavations is the dating of the monumentalization of Terrace A, known as Campo Trincerato, to the mid-2nd century BCE. Below the investigated trenches of the high Hellenistic construction phase, trapezoidal walls were discovered, constituting an architecturally framed entrance to a grotto, possibly a kind of dromos(?), originating from the early Hellenistic phase of the sanctuary. The objective of this continuation proposal is to expand the excavation at this location, aiming to unearth the presumed space or grotto behind it. This measure will yield, for the first time, reliable data regarding the early Hellenistic usage phases of the sanctuary in the context of the foundation of the colony of Tarracina in 329 BCE. The one-year continuation request establishes an archaeological reference point for the city and the sanctuary. Against the backdrop of the excavation permit set to expire at the end of 2024, this presents a unique opportunity to explore the early Hellenistic sacred landscape of the mountain, thereby providing new insights into the genesis and transformation of the cult site(s).

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Italy
• Cooperation Partners: Dr. Ilaria Bruni; Professor Dr. Enrico Cirelli; Professor Dr. Ortwin Dally