Incisioni e pittogrammi rupestri nella preistoria della Sicilia: analisi iconografica e archeometria.

The prehistoric rock shelters of San Giovanni district are located a few kilometres south of the modern village of Sambuca di Sicilia (Agrigento). The site is known for its numerous schematic incisions, including vertical lines and geometric symbols, dating back to the Upper Palaeolithic period. Shelter A boasts over 400 linear incisions, while shelter B features a rock painting. The engravings at San Giovanni are part of a broader Mediterranean phenomenon of schematic incisions from the same era. The exact purpose and meaning of these engravings remain unknown. The relationship between the incisions and the painting in shelter B, possibly from the Neolithic age, is still unclear. Recent interdisciplinary research efforts at the ‘Ripari San Giovanni’ have included detailed surveys using photography, photogrammetry to study the morphometric characteristics of the engravings and paintings in relation to the landscape. Additionally, a chemical-physical characterization program involving Raman spectrometry, proteomic, and gas chromatographic analyses is being conducted to identify the pigments used and potentially date them.