Ok--one more post about the indigenous people of Sicily, way before the Arabs and pasta arrived. The Sicels (Sikels) gave their name to Sicily and probably arrived from the Italian mainland about 1200 BCE. They settled primarily the eastern end of the island from Messina south beyond Mt. Etna. They had peaceful contact with the Sicanians to the west, and the Sicels eventually integrated them into their own society. About 800 BCE when the Greeks arrived, the Sicels had a well established, highly developed society. It took several centuries for the Sicels to amalgamate with their Greek neighbors. Their language, called Siculan, shared features of othe Italic tongues (especially the Iatoli of nearby Calabria) and at least some characteristics of what eventually became Latin. One of the Sicels' last great leaders, Ducetius, tried to join their various federations to liberate themselves from Greek influence about 446 BCE, but the Greek Syracusans eventually triumphed. After founding the city of Cale Acte on the northern coast (now the province of Messina), Ducetius died about 440 BCE.

Ancient Times in Sicily

Sicily has always been at the center of trade, politics, and rivalries among the various Mediterranean peoples and dynasties. Its central location in the Mediterranean sea makes it valuable to hold and control, and the Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Normans, Arabs, and others have all been there. But who was there first? Humans were present on the island at least as early as 10,000 BCE in the early Pleistocene era. There were 3 groups of indigenous people on the island: the Elymians, the Sicanians and the Sicels. Of course, the island gets its name from the Sicels, but they were the last to arrive. The Elymi were on the western part of the island, the Sicani in the central part and the Sicels in the east. Archaeology has dated cave paintings in coastal areas of the island as far back as 8000 BCE. Pottery shards from 5200 BCE and copper tools from 3000 BCE suggest a relatively advanced population and the influence of outside groups that may have come from trade or migration. Thucydides stated that the Elymians came from Troy, the Sicanians from Iberia, and the Sicels from mainland Italy. Although repeated by other historians, this belief can hardly be confirmed. The Sicanians were a unique people lacking clearly defined links to the Indo-European cultures of Italy, Greece, and the eastern Mediterranean. They apparently did not have a written language until they adopted the Phoenician alphabet. The name of this group derives from the type of chalcedony stone called "sica" from which they made tools. I will explain more about these 3 groups of natives next time. It is fascinating to think of the evolution of societies that lead up to the Medieval one we have used as the subject of our novels.