Paper short abstract:

Greek colonists in Sicily (8th-5th century B.C) create a colonial polis society and express identity by transforming the territory. Architecture is a powerful tool for the appropriation of space. Transformed spaces may testify to the re-shaping of a society.

Paper long abstract:

The paper discusses from an archaeological point of view the transformation of space and the creation of identity in the Greek colonial world (Sicily, 8th - 5th century B.C.). The past 2-3 decennia classical archaeologists contemplated the meanings of transformations in territories, public space and architecture (e.g. frontier sanctuaries, formal burial space: MORRIS, I., 1987, Burial and ancient society, Cambridge; DE POLIGNAC, F., 1984, La naissance de la cité grecque, Paris). These processes have been related to the organization of the Greek society in her specific form known as "the polis". In the Greek colonial world transformations are seen as expressions of colonial identity (recently: MARCONI, C., 2007, Temple decoration and cultural identity in the Archaic Greek world, Cambridge). The paper discusses the way in which colonists create a colonial polis society, changing the territory in a process of transformation of "space into place". Architecture, not only as a physical entity, but also as sculptural program, is used for the appropriation of space. At the same time this transformed space expresses and creates colonial society and her identity. This materialization of past society is investigated in 3 Greek colonies in eastern Sicily: Naxos, Leontini and Catane. These 3 colonies have been founded at the end of the 8th century B.C. by the city of Chalkis (on Euboia). Although these 3 colonial cities share their origins, they had a very different appearance. Specific processes of identity creation and bonds of alliances were at work to re-shape earlier, less uniform, origins and organization.