Lettura degli elevati e ricostruzione delle fasi bizantine nel sito di Tindari

Abstract

The present study focuses on the analysis of the Byzantine phases of the archaeological site of Tindari,
with particular attention to wall structures and construction techniques. The investigation was conducted through field
surveys and documentation, using GIS tools and advanced technologies such as orthophotogrammetry and digital terrain
models. The analysis focused on the masonry to the southeast of the Basilica and the late Roman houses south of
Insula IV, as well as the late Byzantine tower and the city wall. Archaeological and bibliographical evidence indicates that
these structures were built using reused materials, presumably from the site’s disused buildings, and fit into the defensive
context of the Byzantine period (7th-9th centuries CE), linked to the Arab threat. Difficulties in the study arise from
poor documentation and modern restorations, which have compromised the stratigraphic reading of some structures.
However, topological discrepancies and new investigations allow us to hypothesize the reduction of the urban area in
the Byzantine age, with a strategic role of Tindari for the defense of the northern coast of Sicily.

Keywords: Tindari; byzantine period; defensive wall; late antique houses; spolia (reuse of materials).