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Archaeological itinerary

The route begins at kilometer 7.136 of State Road 118, where Cozzo Busunè is located, where a necropolis with oven tombs and two chamber tombs with stone and ceramic objects were found. There were also cave burials from the ancient Eneolithic period, where the two Venuses of Busonè, preserved in the Agrigento Regional Archaeological Museum, were found in 1967 following an archaeological excavation campaign.

Continuing on SS 118 northward for 2.7 kilometers and turning right onto Contrada Buagimi is the second point of interest, the archaeological site that occupies the summit area of a 332-m-high hill relief and its southern slope.

Following SS 118 for another 6.7 kilometers, turn right at kilometer 3.126 and continue for another 1.9 kilometers to arrive at Mount Grotticelle. A Roman-Byzantine necropolis, consisting of numerous rock-cut tombs, and some remains of buildings belonging to ancient Erbesso were discovered along its slopes. Here a Roman sarcophagus of considerable archaeological and artistic value and interest was found representing the Rape of Proserpine preserved in Raffadali’s Mother Church.

Proceeding in a southeasterly direction for 3.9 kilometers we arrive at the last point of interest of our archaeological itinerary, at Monte Guastanella.
On the relief is an archaeological site including a necropolis and the remains of an Arab castle. The Arab castle of Guastanella was used by the Muslims as a place of deportation; the bishop of Agrigento Ursone was imprisoned here. Taken away from the Muslims in 1086 by the Altavilla family, by Grand Count Roger in 1095 the hamlet of the same name would be granted to the Montaperto family.[1] Between 1221 and 1232 Frederick II of Swabia returned to Sicily after fighting a war in Germany against Otto IV of Brunswick, fought the Arabs, defeated them and also destroyed the fortress. Few ruins remain of the castle today. On the top of Guastanella Mountain are ancient caves carved into the wall.