Title
Syracuse, The Archaeological Park of the Neapolis of Syracuse
Caption
Syracuse, The Archaeological Park of the Neapolis of Syracuse: the “Grotta del Ninfeo”, built in the second century BC.The grotta is located near the highest part of the little rocky relief, on a rectangular terrace which verges on the Greek theatre and opens at the centre of a stone wall where a closed portico in the form of an "L" was once found. At the entrance there were statues dedicated to the Muses, three of which (dated to the 2nd century BC) are still preserved and are on display at the Museo Archeologico Regionale Paolo Orsi. The fountain is dedicated to the Ancient Greek cult of the nymphs, nature goddesses. The name nymphaeum for a monumental, decorated fountain derives from this. The Syracusan nymphaeum is thought to have been the ancient location of the Mouseion (the sanctuary of the Muses), seat of the artistic guild, where the Syracusan actors gathered before descending into the theatre to put on comedies and tragedies in the time of Epicharmus and Aeschylus.
Parco archeologico della Neapoli, Siracusa (SR), Sicilia - Sicily, Italia - Italy
Date
Jan 04, 2004
Credit line
Ghigo Roli/Photo12
Reference
GHR20A02_399
License type
Rights managed
Available size
85,6Mb (8,6Mb) / 22,4in x 14,9in / 6706 x 4462 (300dpi)