Giarratana
Giarratana is a town and comune in the province of Ragusa, Sicily, southern Italy. Its name is likely derived from Arabic.[4]
Giarratana | |
|---|---|
| Comune di Giarratana | |
 | |
 Coat of arms | |
Location of Giarratana | |
  Giarratana Location of Giarratana in Italy  Giarratana Giarratana (Sicily) | |
| Coordinates: 37°3′N 14°48′E | |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Sicily |
| Province | Ragusa (RG) |
| Frazioni | Giarratana |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Bartolo Giaquinta |
| Area | |
| • Total | 43.47 km2 (16.78 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 520 m (1,710 ft) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 2,970 |
| • Density | 68/km2 (180/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Giarratanesi |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 97010 |
| Dialing code | 0932 |
| Patron saint | St. Bartholomew the Apostle, |
| Saint day | 24 August |
| Website | Official website |
History
An elaborate late-imperial Roman villa with floor mosaics was found in 1989 near Giarratana in the Orto Mosaico district along the "regia trazzera" road.
Several mosaics not only on the floors but also on walls and various decorations were found. The mosaics have floral references and geometric figures that often intertwine with each other.
It covered an area of about 2000 m2, with at least three building wings arranged around a central garden. The excavation campaigns brought to light the north-eastern sector of the villa consisting of seven rooms, a corridor or peristyle, and the east and west wings, added later and probably never completed.[5]
Artifacts found during the excavations include a marble relief depicting the goddess Aphrodite.
Another villa was discovered a few km further south along the SS 194.
Main sights
- Church of San Bartolomeo, known from 1308 but rebuilt in the late 17th century.
- Remains of Castle of Settimo
- Archaeological site of Casmenae, on the road leading to Palazzolo Acreide.
References
- "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". Italian National Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
- Data from Istat
- All demographics and other statistics from the Italian statistical institute (Istat)
- Paul Theroux (15 Dec 2011). The Pillars of Hercules: A Grand Tour of the Mediterranean. Le Grand Sud to Nice: Penguin UK. ISBN 9780241958810.
...Later I checked with my Arabic-speaking brother Peter and discovered that Giarrat was probably a cognate of Djarad, meaning locust.
- "Orto Mosaico di Giarratana".
