Investigating the proposed sanctuary near the volcanic Lago di Venere, Pantelleria, Italy, in 2014 and 2015

The longue durée of human activity on the island of Pantelleria represents an important locus of ancient cultural interaction in the Strait of Sicily. This narrow channel in the central Mediterranean has played a major and continuous role in human relations between Italy, Sicily and North Africa since the Neolithic period. A previous project in the Lago di Venere area (1998-2002) interpreted the site as a Punic and Roman sanctuary (Audino & Cerasetti 2004; Cerasetti 2006). Our project complements this and other archaeological investigations of the island's classical past, including the ongoing excavations on the Acropolis, near the main harbour, which have revealed the remains of the island's Punic and Roman centre (Schäfer et al. 2015). The BUAPP investigates key issues including: the long-term relationship between the Punic and Roman cultures at the Lago di Venere site, situated at a considerable distance from the main areas of cultural interaction around the Acropolis and harbour; the function of the site, be it sacred or profane; and the role of the volcanic crater-lake in the development of the site and the wider environment.