Ewa Moździoch, The coins from excavations of site Altavilla Milicia in Sicily
Since 2015, a research team of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences led by Professor Sławomir Moździoch and Professor Tadeusz Baranowski, in collaboration with Soprintendenza per i Beni Culturali e Ambientali di Palermo, conducted archaeological research at the ruins of the Norman period church of Santa Maria di Campogrosso (also San Michele del Golfo), in Altavilla Milicia, near Palermo, Sicily.
The oldest survived document concerning the church of Santa Maria di Campogrosso dates back to 1134. It refers to the area donated to the Basilian abbey by King of Sicily, Roger II. This area was located to the west of the San Michele River as far as to Misilmeri locality. To date, only two sources have survived, in which the question is raised when the church was built and by whom.[1] In the 16th century a Dominican Tomaso Fazello reported in his work De rebus Siculis[2] that the church was built on the initiative of Count Roger, after defeating the Saracens but before the capture of Palermo, thus between 1068-1072.[3] Almost 100 years later, a historian Rocco Pirri reported that the founder was Roger's brother, Robert Guiscard.[4] Unfortunately, both authors refer to a document that has not survived to this day. In the second half of the 13th century, when Sicily was ruled by the Angevins, the Basilian monasteries began to decline. This crisis also touched the monastery of Santa Maria di Campogrosso. In 1284, whole movable and immobile property of the abbey was taken over by the Archbishop of Palermo.[5] In 1542 the royal visitator Francesco Vento issued a document in which he proposed to demolish the church or to reconstruct it.[6] The reason was that for a long time the church served as a shelter for robbers and corsairs. More than 20 years later another visitation took place. Visitator Francesco del Pozzo found that the church was in a state of ruin and had long since ceased to function. For this reason, he proposed, as the previous visitator, the church's demolition or rebuilding, but the latter would have involved considerable costs.[7] This is probably why it was decided to desecrate the church and to demolish it.
In the 1960s, at the church of Santa Maria di Campogrosso were carried out works by architects who, while analysing architectural details, tried to determine the chronology of the church. The publication of the results of this research published, amongst others, Professor of art history and architect Vladimir Zorić.[8] He compared the stone mason’s marks of the church with the marks in the Cathedral of Cefalú, which were published in the work of an English scientist George Hubbard.[9] By demonstrating this analogy, it was possible to establish that the church of Santa Maria di Campogrosso was built during the Norman period, in the 12th century. Another researcher who carried out architectural analysis was Mario Guiotto. He put forward the hypothesis of the later origin of the church. According to him, it would be built in the 13th century.[10]
During excavation work were found 7 coins in small denominations, minted of bronze or billon, i.e. base silver. The oldest of coins is dated to the first half of the 12th century, while the youngest to the first half of the 15th century. The coins were obtained as a result of the exploration of trenches (I; II; IV), which were situated at the wall of southern apse of the church, in the area of the cemetery, and in trench (VII), which was situated beyond its range, as well as a result of cleaning the chancel (IV). These are occasional finds, coming from cultural layers.[11]
The earliest coins were found in trench VI, in the grave of an infant buried south of the church wall under two roof tiles. This is a medieval variety of the alla cappuccina grave.[12] On the baby's breast were deposited two denari from the 12th century originating from the Continent.
The first denaro, so-called enriciano (Inv. No. 108/16w), (Plate I, 1.2) was minted in Lucca, as indicated by the letters of the city name on the reverse. On the obverse there is the letter H, which is the monogram of the name Henry. Around it should be an inscription, IMPERATOR, preceded by an initial cross, but the state of coin preservation does not allow to read the legend. The denaro was minted of base silver, and its shape resembles more a square than a round coin. By analogy, it was possible to date the coin to 1125-1180. A small hole in the coin indicates that it was converted into a pendant.
Another denaro (Inv. No. 108/16w), from this grave, was minted in France, in the mint of Provins, in Champagne. This is the denaro of Theobald II, the ruler of Champagne in 1125-1152. On the obverse, on the rim, his name can be read, which was preceded by an initial cross. The name is also accompanied by the title of the Count - COMES, where S was written in the opposite direction. In the field, in linear circle is presented a cross with arms widened at their ends. Between the arms of the cross there are two pellets in the 1st and 4th quarters. On the reverse, in the outer circle the mint name was minted - PROVINS. It was one of the most important early medieval cities through which the largest trade routes ran. In the centre, in linear circle is presented a comb, above which there are letters oYo, which were once ODO monogram. The old pattern underwent a transformation on later coins. Like the previous denaro, this coin was converted into a pendant.
The 12th-century denari from Lucca and Provins arrived in Sicily probably from the second half of the 12th century.[13] Coins from the Continent arrived in Sicily with pilgrims going to the Holy Land.[14] The Lucca and Provins, although they were foreign currency, were used in Sicily and southern Italy in fairs and markets, serving as a local coin until the 13th century.[15] The importance of these coins ceased only with the reform of Frederick II, who as already the Roman emperor introduced a regulation on the circulation of foreign coins and their withdrawal. Under his reign also appears a system of coin renovation. Since then, coins circulation was strictly controlled. The withdrawal of foreign coins is also confirmed by hoards from the second half of the 13th century, which contain relatively small number of them.[16]
The date of inflow and disappearance of the denari of Lucca and Provins in Sicily seems to confirm the C14 dating of skeleton 1 from another infant’s grave bearing No. 2, in which two children were buried, as well as written sources concerning the church of Santa Maria di Campogrosso. The C14 examination showed that one infant, also covered with roof tiles in grave 2, could have been buried between the second half of the 12th century and the end of the 13th century.[17] As we know, in the second half of the 13th century the monastery, which was closely linked to the church in Altavilla Milicia, ceased to function. Presumably, along with the decline of the monastery, the cemetery was no longer used.
In the layers situated directly over the graves, two bronze follari, dating from the reign of the Altavilla family in Sicily, were found. In trench II, in cultural layer created during the church functioning period (phase I), a fraction of William the Bad (Inv. No. 22/16w) was found (Plate I., 1.3), who reigned in 1154-1166. The coin is in a bad state of preservation, which made it impossible to accurately read all the legends. On the obverse, in linear circle there is a two lines Latin legend - REX/.W.. Around there is circular Cufic pseudo-legend. Reverse is partly unreadable due to corrosion. However, the upper fragment of representation of Virgin Mary with Child Jesus, can be noticed.
William I continued his father's, Roger II, minting. He retained the habit of minting bilingual coins - with Latin and Arabic legends. In Arabic the date and the name of the mint were minted.[18] On all known specimens of follari with REX/.W., there is the year 550 AH (1155/6). The absence of a follaro with another date amongst the specimens of this type of coins suggests that the date 550 AH may not have been altered during the reign of William the Bad.[19]
At that time, all of Sicily was supplied by the mint in Messina. They were minted in mass amount, thus the attention was not paid to the quality of coining punches and the accuracy of manufacturing. Apart from the follari with the exact legends and the beautifully made images of Virgin Mary and the Child, in circulation also appeared specimens with barbarized legends and more geometrized representations on the reverse. Such a barbarized follaro is the Altavilla Milicia specimen. Similar coins were found on archaeological sites in Regaleali and Case Vecchie.[20]
Attention should be also pid to the shape of the found coin. It is concave. Such a shape may be a result of an attempt to imitate Byzantine coins. According to M. Salamon, the phenomenon of concave coinage emerged after the Byzantine Empire reduced the value of the golden nomisma in the 11th century, resulting in an increase in the hardness of the metal, and consequently the increase in the coin diameter, which often broke during minting. In order to avoid the break of coin, the concave coins started to be minted. This innovation became so useful that it was more commonly applied.[21] According to L. Travaini, minting the concave coins in the Empire served to distinguish billon coins from copper ones, which at that time had the same dimensions and weight.[22]
Within layer 4, where the follaro of William the Bad was found, also pottery fragments occurred. These were fragments of vessels glazed with green colour and painted brown decoration (vetrina verde e bruno) and glazed with brown colour (vetrina marrone). Both decorations of the vessels are typical of the Norman period (10th-13th century).[23]
Another follaro (Inv. No. 35/15w), (Plate I., 1.4) from the Altavillas times, was attributed to the successor of William the Bad, William the Good (1166-1189). It was found in trench I, which was located at the wall of southern apse, at the bottom of layer 6, which formed during the church functioning. The coin is heavily patinated, which made it impossible to read the obverse. On the reverse there is the three lines Arabic legend: al-malik / Ghulyālim / al-thāni (King / William / the Second). Around there is Arabic legend, but a significant part of it is outside the coin’s flan.
William the Good at the beginning of his reign minted copper coins in traditional manner - with a Latin legend on the obverse and accompanying Arabic legend on the reverse. Both legends contained the title and the ruler’s name. They weighed usually about 2 grams.[24] This type of coin is often found.
Along with the reform of William the Good, appears a new bronze coin weighing 12 grams, with lion's head on the obverse and palm tree on the reverse. Previous bilingual follaro has been replaced by a new type - with lion’s head and Arabic legend - al-malik/ Ghulyālim/ al-thāni (King / William / the Second). The weight remained the same.[25]
In trench VII, beyond of the cemetery range, in layer 1, a denaro (Inv. No. 66/16w), (Plate I., 1.5) of Manfred, the last one of the Hohenstaufen, was found. He reigned in 1258-1264. On the obverse in linear circle there is a monogram of the ruler in the form of a Gothic M, over which is placed small letter Ω. The outer circular legend off flan. On the reverse there are two intersecting crosses in linear circle. On the rim there is inscription REX SICILIE, which was preceded by an initial cross. Manfred's denari had the same value as the previous rulers. Probably only their weight diminished. Manfred's reign denari were characterized by poor minting quality. They were often irregularly shaped.[26] Such a shape also has a coin from trench VII. Manfred's denari with his monogram are often found in Sicily.[27]
In layer 1, which is related to the period of the destruction of the church, i.e. is from the moment of desacralization and partial demolition of the church to modern times, occurred numerous fragments of pottery, bones of small ruminants and architectural remains.
The youngest of coins (Inv. No. 56/16), (Plate I, 1.6) was found during cleaning the chancel. It has no stratigraphic context. It is the denaro of Ferdinand I the Just, who ruled Sicily in 1412-1416. On the obverse, in linear circle, there is a crowned eagle facing to the left. On the rim there is the name of the ruler. Only letters :N:D are visible. On the reverse, the Aragonese coat of arms is located in pearl circle. On the rim only letters LIE and the initial cross are perceptible. The full legend should read: +REX SICILIE.
During cleaning the chancel (trench IV), a coin was also found, which state of preservation and poor quality did not allow to read the legends and to found analogies (Plate I, 1.7).
Despite previous architectural analyses and written sources data, the chronological-functional structure of the church of Santa Maria di Campogrosso is still poorly recognized. The situation may be improved by the analysis of artefacts from excavations. Amongst them the most important are coins, which dating allows to date other objects from the cultural layer. The chronology of four coins generally dated to the second half of the 12th and the first half of the 13th century, combined with their stratigraphical position and the C14 dating of bones from grave 2, an assemblage of pottery dated to the 12th-13th centuries - confirm the hipotheses of researchers, amongst others, V. Zorić - who place the moment of church construction in the period before the mid-12th century.
Catalogue
France, Champagne, Count Theobald II (1125-52), denier, Provins.
Obv. +T[E]BALT COMES (S inverse), cross with two pellets in the 1st and 4th quarters.
Rev. CAS[T]RI P[RVV]INS, comb, with oY[o]? above.
Bi, Capobianchi 2.
Trench VI, grave 7, ID 108/16w, Plate I, 1.1.
Kingdom of Sicily, William I (1154-66), frazione di follaro, Messina (?).
Obv. REX/.W. in linear circle; circular Arabic pseudo-legend.
Rev. unreadable.
ᴁ
Trench II, DSCU 4, ID 22/16w, Plate I, 1.3.
Kingdom of Sicily, William II (1166-89), follaro, Messina.
Obv. unreadable.
Rev. Arabic legend in three lines: al-malik/Ghulyālim/al-thānī (King/William/the Second); outer circular Arabic legend.
ᴁ, Travaini 1994a, no. 179.
Trench I, DSCU 6, ID 35/15w, Plate I, 1.4.
Kingdom of Sicily, Manfred (1258-64), denaro, Messina.
Obv. outer circular legend off flan, in centre, M with Ω above.
Rev. +[REX SIC]ILIE, two crosses intersecting.
Bi, Spahr 1976, no. 215, Travaini 1993a, 98 no. 15.
Trench VII, DSCU 1, ID 66/16w, Plate I, 1.5.
Kingdom of Sicily, Ferdinand I (1412-16), denaro, Messina.
Obv. [ ]N:D:[ ], crowned eagle.
Rev. +[ ]LIE, shield of Aragon.
ᴁ, MIR 224.
Trench IV, DSCU 1, ID 56/16w, Plate I, 1.6.
Italy, (1125-1180), denaro, Lucca.
Obv. monogram H.
Rev. In centre LVCA.
Bi,
Trench VI, grave 7, ID 108/16w, Plate I, 1.2.
Abbreviations
Capobianchi 1896, no. 5 – V. Capobianchi, Il denaro pavese e il suo corso in Italia nel XII secolo, RIN 9, Milano 1896.
MIR 224 – A. Varesi, Monete italiane regionale 4, Pavia 1996.
Spahr 1976, no. 215 - R. Spahr, Le monete siciliane dai bizantini a Carlo I d’Angio, Zürich 1976.
Travaini 1993a, 98 no. 15 – L. Travaini, Hohenstaufen and Angevin denari of Sicily and Southern Italy: their mint attributions, The Numismatic Chronicle 153 (1993), pp. 91-135.
Travaini 1994 – L. Travaini, La monetazione dei normanni in Italia meridionale ed in Sicilia, in I Normanni popolo d’Europa 1030-1200, Roma 1994.
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Augenti A., Il Palatino nel Medioevo: archeologia e topografia (secoli VI-XIII), Roma 1996.
Brancato G., Brancato S., Scammacca V., Un insediamento rurale dell’area palermitana. Altavilla Mìlicia, secoli XII-XIX, Palermo 2011.
Capobianchi V., Il denaro pavese e il suo corso in Italia nel XII secolo, Milano 1896.
Cecchinato R., Sissia A., Vagnini M., I denari „enriciani” di Lucca. Monete di grande successo affascinanti ed ostiche. [Online]. Access protocol: https://www.lamoneta.it/tutorials/article/22-i-denari-enriciani-di-lucca [1 March 2017]
Corpus Nummorum Italicorum, vol. XI, Roma 1929.
Fazello T., De rebus Siculis, decadis secundae, libri septem, Catanae 1749.
Grierson P., Travaini L., Medieval European Coinage, vol. 14, South Italy, Sicily, Sardinia, Cambridge 2009.
Guiotto M., La chiesa di S. Michele in territorio di Altavilla Milicia, [in:] Atti del VII Congresso Nazionale di Storia dell’ Architettura, Palermo 1956.
Hubbard G., Notes on the cathedral church of Cefalú, Sicily, [in:] Archaeologia: or Miscellaneous Tracts relating to Antiquity, vol. 56, 1898.
Kiersnowski R., Wstęp do numizmatyki polskiej wieków średnich, Warszawa 1964.
Moździoch S., Baranowski T., Stanisławski B., Rapporto preliminare della I campagna di scavi archeologici condotii nel sito della Chiesa di Santa Maria di Campogrosso (San Michele del Golfo), [in:] Notiziario Archeologico della Soprintendenza di Palermo, No. 19, Palermo, 2017.
Pirri R., Sicilia sacra disquisitionibus et notitiis illustrata, Panormi 1643.
Rotolo A., Alcune riflessioni sullo stato delle conoscenze sulla ceramica d’età islamica in Sicilia occidentale, Mélanges de l’École française de Rome, vol. 123-3, Roma 2011, pp. 545-560.
Salamon M., Mennictwo bizantyńskie, Kraków 1987.
Spahr R., Le monete siciliane dai Bizantini a Carlo I d’Angio, Graz 1976.
Travaini L., Aspects of the Sicilian Norman copper coinage in the twelfth century, Numismatic Chronicle, No. 151 (1991), pp. 159-174.
Travaini L., Hohenstaufen and Angevin Denari of Sicily and Southern Italy: their Mint Attributions, The Numismatic Chronicle, vol. 153 (1993), pp. 91-135.
Travaini L., La monetazione dei normanni in Italia meridionale ed in Sicilia [in:] I Normanni popolo d’Europa 1030-1200, Roma 1994, pp. 291-293.
Travaini L., Provisini di Champagne nel Regno di Sicilia: problemi di datazione, Revue Numismatique, 1999, pp. 211-229.
Travaini L., Romesinas, provesini, turonenses…: monete straniere in Italia meridionale ed in Sicilia (XI-XV secolo), [in:] Moneta locale, moneta straniera: Italia ed Europa XI-XV secolo. The second Cambrigde Numismatic Symposium: Local coins, Foreign coins: Italy and Europe 11th-15th Centuries, Milano 1999, pp. 113-134.
Travaini L., The monetary reforms of King William II (1166-1189): Oriental and western patterns in Norman Sicilian coinage, Schweizer Münzblätter, vol. 46, No. 184 (1996), pp. 109-123.
Varesi A., Monete Italiane Regionale, vol. 4, Pavia 1996.
Zorić V., Alcuni risultati di una ricerca nella Sicilia Normanna. I marchi dei lapicidi quale mezzo per la datazione dei monumenti e la ricostruzione dei loro cantieri, [in:] Actes du VIe Colloque international de glyptographie de Samoëns : 5-10 juillet 1988, Braine-le Château 1989, pp. 565-602.
[1] A. Mongitore, Bullae, privilegia et instrumenta panormitanae metropolitanae ecclesiae, Palermo 1734, pp. 20-21.
[2] T. Fazello, De rebus Siculis, decades duae 1560, [Online]. Access protocol: https://books.google.it/books?id=N8ZQAAAAcAAJ&printsec=frontcover&hl=pl&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false. p. 192.
[3] T. Fazello, De rebus Siculis, decadis secundae, Catanae 1749, ss. 272-273, quotation after: G. Brancato, S. Brancato, V. Scammacca, Un insediamento rurale dell’area palermitana. Altavilla Mìlicia, secoli XII-XIX, Palermo 2011, pp. 14-15.
[4] R. Pirri, Sicilia sacra disquisitionibus et notitiis illustrata, Panormi 1643, p. 211.
[5] A. Mongitore, op. cit., p. 138.
[6] A.S.P. – Conservatoria del registro, No. 1305, f. 11, quotation after: G. Brancato, S. Brancato, V. Scammacca, Un insediamento rurale dell’area palermitana. Altavilla Mìlicia, secoli XII-XIX, Palermo 2011, p. 25.
[7] A.S.P. – Conservatoria del registro, No. 1326, f. 653, quotation after: G. Brancato, S. Brancato, V. Scammacca, Un insediamento rurale dell’area palermitana. Altavilla Mìlicia, secoli XII-XIX, Palermo 2011, p. 27.
[8] V. Zorić, Alcuni risultati di una ricerca nella Sicilia Normanna. I marchi dei lapicidi quale mezzo per la datazione dei monumenti e la ricostruzione dei loro cantieri, [in:] Actes du VIe Colloque international de glyptographie de Samoëns : 5-10 juillet 1988, Braine-le Château 1989, pp. 575-579.
[9] G. Hubbard, Notes on the cathedral church of Cefalú, Sicily, Archaeologia: or Miscellaneous Tracts relating to Antiquity, vol. 56, 1898.
[10] M. Guiotto, La chiesa di S. Michele in territorio di Altavilla Milicia, [in:] Atti del VII Congresso Nazionale di Storia dell’ Architettura, Palermo 1956.
[11] R. Kiersnowski, Wstęp do numizmatyki polskiej wieków średnich, Warszawa 1964, p. 35.
[12] A. Augenti, Il Palatino nel Medioevo: archeologia e topografia (secoli VI-XIII), Roma 1996, pp. 34-36.
[13] L. Travaini, Provisini di Champagne nel Regno di Sicilia: problemi di datazione, in Revue Numismatique, 1999, pp. 211-229
[14] Eadem, Romesinas, provesini, turonenses…: monete straniere in Italia meridionale ed in Sicilia (XI-XV secolo) [in:] Moneta locale, moneta straniera: Italia ed Europa XI-XV secolo. The second Cambrigde Numismatic Symposium: Local coins, Foreign coins: Italy and Europe 11th-15th Centuries, Milano 1999, p. 3.
[15] L. Travaini, Provisini di Champagne…, op. cit., p. 219.
[16] L. Travaini, Provisini di Champagne…, op. cit., p. 211.
[17] S. Moździoch, T. Baranowski, B. Stanisławski, Rapporto preliminare della I campagna…, op. cit., p. 12.
[18] P. Grierson, L. Travaini, Medieval European Coinage, vol. 14, South Italy, Sicily, Sardinia, Cambridge 2009, p. 126.
[19] Ibidem, p. 128.
[20] L. Travaini, Aspects of the Sicilian Norman copper coinage in the twelfth century, Numismatic Chronicle, No. 151 (1991), p. 164.
[21] M. Salamon, Mennictwo bizantyńskie, Kraków 1987, p. 34.
[22] P. Grierson, L. Travaini, op.cit., pp. 108-109.
[23] A. Rotolo, Alcune riflessioni sullo stato delle conoscenze sulla ceramica d’età islamica in Sicilia occidentale, Mélanges de l’École française de Rome, vol. 123-3, Roma 2011, p. 553.
[24] L. Travaini, The monetary reforms of King William II (1166-1189): Oriental and western patterns in Norman Sicilian coinage, Schweizer Münzblätter, vol. 46, No. 184 (1996), p. 120.
[25] L. Travaini, The monetary reforms of King William II (1166-1189): Oriental and western patterns in Norman Sicilian coinage, Schweizer Münzblätter, vol. 46, No. 184 (1996), p. 120.
[26] Eadem, Hohenstaufen and Angevin Denari of Sicily and Southern Italy: their Mint Attributions, The Numismatic Chronicle, vol. 153, 1993, p. 108.
[27] Ibidem, op. cit., p. 109.