Le attività dell Missione Archeologica dell'Università di Chieti in Libia (2009-2014)

The Archaeological Mission of Chieti University in Libya between 2009 and 2012 has worked in several areas of the chora of Cyrene, with survey, excavations and mapping. This paper is presenting the main projects of the last period, such as the excavations and study of Lamluda village (El Gubba), the intense survey season in the area of the Katiba at Shahat and the preliminary study of a rocky cult area probably dedicated to Dyonisus, in the area of Baggara at Cyrene. Among the numerous rural centres, largely and regularly widespread in the chora of Cyrene, Lamluda represents the most peculiar, because of its urban organization, highly productive vocation and location at the crossing point of the main road system, as well as of the ancient limes. The project has been, and it is, possible thanks to a strict collaboration with the DoA of Shahat, which has been directly involved as partner in the research, with a mixed Italo-Libyan team working in the field. The area of the Katiba at Shahat, which has been surveyed and mapped in December 2011, has always been an important section of the eastern necropolis of Cyrene, but very few peoples could see which remains were inside the military camp. The monuments mainly consists of Temple tombs dating to the Hellenistic and Roman periods, some Roman mausoleum, a very monumental circular tomb on high podium, two possible late-roman/byzantine fortified farms, several monumental original limestone quarries, which were then transformed into rocky courtyard tombs and several smaller sarcophagi and other not identifiable remains, together with sections of the ancient road system. Among the most interesting results of the survey of the rocky sanctuaries, it is important here to mention the find of a possible open air cult area dedicated certainly to Dionysus, as the find a rocky high relief statue of this god could attest. It is certainly a unique example of rupestrian sculpture in Cyrene and it could be one of the best preserved example in the Greek world. It consists of a natural size bearded Dionysus, wearing a strait chiton, according to an archaic iconography of this god. Moreover, two appendixes at the end of this contribution are presenting the results of the excavations and restorations in Tomb C at Ain Hofra (by E. di Valerio) and the preliminary report of the Catalogue of the coins from Cyrene (by M.C. Mancini).