Pantelleria History

History of Pantelleria island

The centrality of its position in the Mediterranean Sea between Sicily and Africa has greatly influenced the complexities and radical changes of Pantelleria's long history since it was first

settled in late prehistoric times. The volcanic nature has instead determined its economic bases up to the buildup of tourism in the present. Alike other small islands in the Mediterranean, Pantelleria was first visited in Late Mesolithic times, during the 6^th millennium BC, when significant developments in marine watercraft made possible offshore fishing expeditions and seafaring navigation.
The abundance of obsidian, mainly outcropping along its southern shores, draw to the island the first settlers in Neolithic times. This black, shiny volcanic glass was the base resource for the making of tools indespensable to the earliest farmers around the whole Mediterranean. From its sharp concoid flakes were produced the ideal blades for sickles and other tools to cut plants. Unfortunately, only scanty, isolated remains survive in Pantelleria of these earliest periods, buried under later deposits. Significant improvements of farming and stock-breeding during the 4^th and 3^rd millennia BC created the conditions for a permanent and affluent occupation of all Mediteranean islands. The fertile volcanic soils covering the island became the main source of wealth of Pantelleria. Along with them obsidian continued to provide the material for all cutting tools, while vacuolar basalt was quarried to be used and exported for querns and millstones. By 1800 BC most of the

island was occupied by groups of farmers akin to the Early Bronze Age Sicilian cultures. Their most interesting remains are still visible in the Mursia area: massive defensive walls, foundations of old houses, overlooked by dozens of megalithic cairn burials, locally called 'Sesi'. The site remained occupied for most of the 2^nd millennium BC.Sometime during the 9th century BC the island became part of the Phoenician trade network transecting the whole of the Mediterranean from Lebanon to the Atlantic. Slowly with the growth of Carthage as the main city and market of the Central Mediterranean, Pantelleria became more closely related to Africa and the Semite world. Its first name as known from coins was Yrnm, and later was changed into Cossyra. A fortified Acropolis was built along the first line of hills, overlooking the harbour whose remains are still visible at San Marco. The aridity of climate was contrasted by efficient irrigation systems with thousands of cisterns and watering channels built in many parts of the islands to capture, store and trasport the waters. The close relation to Carthage

was the beginning of the island's golden age, and it lasted till its destruction by the Arabs in 698 AD and the conflict between Christians and Muslims that has divided the Mediterranean to the present. The people of Pantelleria planted grapes, wheat and many other crops for subsistence and trade. Agriculture has remained the backbone of the economy. The island was flourishing if towards the end of Punic times from the end of the 3^rd century BC a mint was established, issuing coins with the image of Isis. A small shrine was build in this period by