The events over time

A chronological account of the main episodes, events and regulatory measures that are part of the history of the protection and enhancement of the Valley of Temples, reconstructed thanks to the documents and correspondence preserved in the Agrigento State Archive.
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1826Ban on unauthorised excavations

King's decree prohibiting excavations without the sovereign's permission. Excavations are to be carried out according to standards and the Intendants are to supervise.

1834Construction of custodian cottages

Two houses for custodians will be built inside the Valley of the Temples: one to be located near the Temple of Jupiter and the other near the Temple of Concordia and the Temple of Juno. The houses are designed to contain two bedrooms, one for the custodians and one for travelers who will want to stay for refreshments and a room to store the objects found with the excavations.

1834Major archaeological finds during road construction

During the construction of the road from Porta di Ponte to the Girgenti Pier, archaeological finds were uncovered including plinths, mosaics, fragments of architecture, sculpture, lead, mercantile, and medals.

1834Report on the state of preservation of the Valley of Temples monuments

This is a very important document in raising awareness about the importance of the preservation of these monuments, in which the architect Saverio Bentivegna executes, at the Commission's request, a detailed report on the state of all the temples and the interventions he believes are needed including reinforcements, weed and plant extirpations and costs.

1835New excavations at the Temple of Hercules and the Temple of Castor and Pollux

From the excavation reports on the Temple of Hercules and the Temple of Castor and Pollux, we know that there were important finds including a marble statue missing its hands, feet and head, a lion's head.

1838King Ferdinand and the Queen visit the Valley of Temples

The document recounts the visit of King Ferdinand II and the Queen to the Valley of the Temples where the provincial architect Saverio Bentivegna, in describing the Valley of the Temples, makes some interesting observations about the Temple of Jupiter: the true position of the Giants, which according to him were positioned on brackets or fascioni that adorned the Temple; he also claims the existence of an underground near the Temple of Jupiter, covered by the ruins of the temple itself. According to him, thus, as the clearing of the temples Hercules and Castor and Pollux had uncovered some remains with an excavation in this area one could understand how the ancients built the dungeons, the use they made of them and the finding of archaeological artifacts.

1841Five decorated vases with red figures are found to be donated to the King

Finding of 5 vases, historiated with red figures on a black background by Domenico Cardillo, Gerlando Alletto and Giovanni Gentile, before the Commission, excavating in Cardillo's fund they admit to unauthorized excavations with the intent of finding objects they would like to bring to Naples, in order to offer them to the King and receive a reward in return.

1844New ministerial rules are introduced for excavation

New ministerial act setting out rules to be followed for excavations.

1858Reports of damage to the Temple of Hercules

Custodian Raffaello Politi reports damage to the Temple of Hercules during the construction of the road leading to the Temple of Concord.

1859Report of a fire in the Temple of Concorde

On the night of July 15, 1859 around 4 a.m. janitor Pasquale Rizzo Pinna notices a fire burning in the Temple of Concord. The next morning he notes the damage: a column blackened slightly by smoke.

1863Valley of Temples restoration works

The Minister asked the Prefect, as chairman of the Commission of Antiquities and Fine Arts of Girgenti, to arrange for restorations on various temples, listing the damage that was reported: in the Temple of Jupiter Olympian a caryatid has fallen; the Temple of Concord no longer has its steps; the remains of the Temple of Jupiter Polyieus are in a complete state of disrepair; and the travelers' cottage has a broken door and window.

1864An important tessellated mosaic is uncovered

Within a two-volume Bulletin of the Commission of Antiquities and Fine Arts in Sicily, news and descriptions are given regarding excavations, finds and discoveries. In this case, for Agrigento, reference is made to the discovery of a "tessellated mosaic," discovered in 1857 near the Chapel of Falarides, which the administration of the time, not knowing what to do, decided to cover up.

1865Regulation governing the excavation of antiquities

Ministerial circular on how to regularly conduct excavations of antiquities. Special reference is introduced to necropolises and the artifacts that may be found in them.

1865First demarcation of the area covered by the Valley of Temples

The Director of Antiquities of Sicily Saverio Cavallari informs the Prefect chairman of the Commission of Antiquities of Girgenti that he has finished placing 13 pillars with the initials MP, public monuments, to mark the boundary of land belonging to the public domain.

1865Illicit activities take place within the Phalaris Oratory

The Custodian of the Antiquities of Girgenti, Pasquale Rizzo Penna informs the Prefect, that the chapel of Falarides is occupied by a cobbler who has used the monument as a room in which to carry out his craft in which, moreover, he has placed a kitchen through the use of which he has blackened the inside of the roof. The custodian therefore calls on the Prefect to put in place every action aimed at protecting the monument.

1865Reports of sheep found grazing in the grounds of the Temple of Jupiter

The custodian of the monuments, Pasquale Rizzo Pinna, informed the Prefect of Antiquities of Girgenti that he had caught shepherd Giovanni Cipolla in the act while grazing sheep on the grounds of the Temple of Jupiter Olympian. The custodian forbade the shepherd from bringing the sheep back to the site, believing the beasts to be harmful to the site and a nuisance to any travelers who might come to the site to admire the monuments.

1866Order to transfer finds to the Museum of Palermo

Minister of Public Education Naples enjoins the Prefect of Girgenti to transfer to the Archaeological Museum of Palermo a Greek inscription found during excavations carried out in Girgenti. The Prefect allegedly contravened the Regulations of the Commission itself, approved by Royal Decree May 3, 1863, which stipulated that all objects found during excavations carried out in the Provinces of Palermo, Trapani, Girgenti and Caltanissetta were to be delivered to the Palermo Museum. In closing the missive, the minister extended the transfer obligation to all objects found and to be found during subsequent excavations.

1869Theft of a headless bronze statue from the Temple of Ceres and Prosperpine

Complaint filed by Pancucci Michele, principal custodian of Agrigentine antiquities, about the theft of a headless bronze statue probably representing Proserpine, found in Agrigento in the Bonamorone estate owned by Cavaliere Vincenzo Giambertone, near the Temple of Ceres and Proserpine, and illicitly taken to Calabria, in Martirana, by a certain Burgo Basile, laborer.

1871Restoration work carried out on the Temple of Concorde

Minister Correnti advises that the General Commission of Antiquities of Sicily has approved the proposal of the Girgenti Commission to restore the temple of Concord, to continue excavations in the lands of Caicus and to enclose with walls, at the expense of Caicus himself, the ancient house discovered.

1871Regulation governing finds of ancient artefacts

The Provincial Commission of Antiquities and Fine Arts enunciates the procedures to be followed in case of finds of artifacts. In the case of finds it is necessary to notify the mayor within three days of the discovery, who will forward the notification to the prefect and the Commission, and that no finds may be exported without special permission from the same Commission.

1871Ruins come to light during excavation for the Porto Empedocle – Agrigento rail track

A list is made with a description of all the objects found during the excavation of the railway line from Porto Empedocle to Agriento, which are deposited at the municipal museum. It is pointed out that some objects were damaged during the excavation work by workers, as guards are not always able to guard all the areas affected by the excavations.

1872Removal of the prickly pears from the Temple of Vulcan

The mayor of Girgenti informs the prefect that Alfonso Mirotta's removal of the opuntia plants that infested the temple of Vulcan, as stipulated in the ordinance of June 11, 1867, has been carried out.

1873Report of possible damage to the catacombs and sepulchres beside the Temple of Hercules

Custodian Michele Pancucci reports to the commission of Antiquities and Fine Arts that work is being carried out in the "Porcelli Fund," adjacent to the Temple of Hercules, owned by Mr. Gerlando Montana, which is damaging the catacombs with Greek tombs there. The custodian then intimates the commission to promptly intervene to stop the work. This complaint is then sent by the prefect of Girgenti to the inspector of public safety on January 31, 1873.

1873Regulations on how casts should be taken from works of art

Regulations on Casts of Works of Art, which states in Art. 1 that in order to make a cast, permission must be sought from the Ministry of Education, in Art. 2 that the local Conservative Commission must ensure that the object will not receive any damage from the making of the cast, in Art. 3 that if the operations are found to be dangerous or the performer not recognized to be up to the mark, the making of the mold will be prevented, in Art. 4 that before the cast, an accurate description of the original object must be made under the supervision of the government, in Art. 5 that all expenses for the operation are to be borne by the applicant, in Art. 6 that the government will select a proof of the object will be kept in a museum of casts in Rome and subsequent casts will be made on them, in Art. 7 that in order to obtain a reproduction from the molds applicants will have to pay a price to be determined, and in Art. 8 that if the mold deteriorates the government may have a new cast made from the originals.

1875Discovery of the Fragapane cave

Director of Antiquities of Sicily Francesco Saverio Cavallari went to Girgenti to report on the discovery of an underground environment at the "Fragapane" cave, and there in his presence a sarcophagus with bones and a coin was discovered.

1876Regulation on how monuments and works of art should be photographed

Ministerial in which the manner in which public monuments and objects in museums and galleries may be photographed is regulated. Photographers must issue two copies of the photographed objects and monuments, one of which will remain in the place where the original is located and the other will be forwarded to the Ministry of Education.

1879Purchase of ten Etruscan vases for the Museum of Agrigento

Minutes of resolution of the Girgenti City Council to purchase a collection of 10 Etruscan vases, for the archaeological museum, from Mrs. Vittoria Colonna (Widow Granet) for the sum of 800 liras. The minutes are signed by Mayor Emanuele Sileci and Aldermen Ernesto Messina, Giuseppe Picone, and Niccolò Ernesto Picone.

1883Coins donated to the Museum

The document relates that British advisor William Gregory donated coins from Akragas for the Girgenti museum. Specifically, the note recounts that on April 17 he visited the Archaeological Museum of Girgenti and during the visit the director informed him of his desire to want to enrich the collections with a collection of coins from the ancient Greek city of Akragas and Roman city of Agrigentum. The councilor then as a sign of interest in the beauty of Agrigentum and the new museum donates a copy of electrolytes from the British Museum that are arranged in chronological order in a small box and sent to the mayor of the city.

1883Report on the state of conservation of all Valley of Temples monuments

Note by Giuseppe Picone outlining the situation of Agrigento's monuments and proposing some solutions regarding excavations and restoration.
He calls for the restoration of the temples of Juno Lacinia and Concordia, which are in very poor condition, the former because the cliff that serves as its base is gradually collapsing, the latter because it is founded over a deep cavern that is breaking and crumbling by the day.
He discourages the plan to build a small house where the Atlas or Caryatid and the remains of the other sculptures can be stored and instead proposes that they remain in place surrounded by an iron gate.
At the temple of Hercules there may be a great many fragments of pottery and sculpture for which further study should be done and that on the Olympian the steps should be cleared; he adds that the land and the rural house encroaching on the remains of the temple of Vulcan should be expropriated.

1883Ban on the demolition, excavation or removal of historic and artistic artefacts

The document contains a circular on abuses carried out by owners who destroy the remnants of ancient buildings on their land to build new ones. Mention is made of Royal Decree No. 233 of May 13, 1822 in effect in southern Italy, in which among the articles it is forbidden to demolish and excavate or move from their sites "all historical objects and monuments and art" that exist, without prior authorization. The circular orders that licensed excavations be supervised so that all data for scientific investigation can be collected and to allow the state the right of first refusal on the objects found in case the owner wants to sell them.

1884Construction of the regional offices of the Ministry of Public Education

Ministerial in which news is given of the establishment of regional offices of the Ministry of Public Education, which will be responsible for the protection of the nation's archaeological and artistic heritage. Archaeological and artistic direction will be given to different officials. The first will be given to the Directorate of the Palermo Museum, where a Practical School of Archaeology will be established. The second to the Special Art Bureau for Restoration, where a Practical School of Architecture will be established.

1884Introduction of the excavation journal

Note listing some rules to be followed during excavations, in particular mentioning the excavation journal, a document in which the date and time, the number of workers, the precise site, the number and description of objects found, and the transcription of epigraphs are to be noted. This journal is then to be sent every weekend to the Directorate General.

1886Regulation on the restoration of national monuments and antiquity excavations

The document contains the R.D. on "Regulations for work by private treaty or in economy in restorations to national monuments and excavations of antiquities," which granted peripheral structures the power to carry out excavations by relying on specialized companies. The decree introduced the criterion of negotiated contracts: the central offices reserved for themselves, the power to approve the programs and allocate the related funds, while the peripheral offices were empowered to delegate executive operations to firms deemed trustworthy. The law required the contract outline to specify the list of work and supplies, their unit price, distinguishing between execution by measure and by body, conditions of execution, terms of completion, terms of payment, and penalties.

1919Directives on the reconstruction of buildings damaged during the war

Circular in which Undersecretary Pompeo Molmenti recommends that reconstructions of churches and buildings, damaged by the war, be carried out in such a way as to conform to the places where they are located, respecting the values of art and history, and that provincial commissions and local art associations check that new monuments erected to commemorate facts or war heroes do not compromise the environment and pre-existing monuments.

1920Investigation on the illicit sale of artefacts removed from excavation sites

Circular transmitting the list of honorary inspectors of monuments and excavations in the province of Girgenti in order that information be gathered on them, as some inspectors have been illegally selling art objects.

1924Request that monuments be safeguarded for the duration of election campaigning

The document contains a circular sent to mayors calling for greater protection of monuments from defacement that may occur during election propaganda periods.

The Parchium Project has been developed thanks to the “National Operational Programme on Culture and Development ERDF 2014-2020” designed to implement the “Knowledge Activities related to the Valley of Temples using archival sources”

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