Buildings archaeology at the Conventazzo in Sicily
The so-called Conventazzo is located in Santo Pietro (community of Torrenova) on the north coast of Sicily (Italy). The name of the site, Santo Pietro, is probably derived from the Norman monastery of San Pietro di Deca, which probably has its roots in Late Antiquity. The only one still above ground standing building of the complex is the so-called Conventazzo (= abandoned convent).
The monument is a central building with an inside round and outside octogonal layout. Various phases and numerous structural changes can be observed.
Within a cooperation with Prof. Ewald Kislinger, Department of Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies of the University of Vienna,the Conventazzo was subject matter to architectural history studies. In the course of the project a detailed architectural survey and structural analysis have been made.
Totally in this interdisciplinary project archaeological methods, buildings archaeology and methods of art history are applied. During archaeological excavations on the monastery grounds other buildings have been found, among them straight southeast of the Conventazzo a church.