“NOMINA NUDA TENEMUS”? CONSIDERAZIONI SU FIGURE DIVINE E ICONOGRAFIE A PARTIRE DA ALCUNE TERRECOTTE VOTIVE DELL’AREA SACRA DEL KOTHON A MOZIA

Abstract

This paper considers the terracottas discovered in the Sacred Area of the Kothon at Motya during the excavations of the Sapienza University of Rome expedition to Motya in 2005-2008. The analysis of the finds allows us to investigate the possible correlations between the iconographies of the Greek-type terracottas and the Phoenician deities that were worshipped in this sacred area. On a further level of analysis this study attempts at looking beyond the names of the characters depicted in the terracottas, by offering some remarks on religious phenomena taking place in Motya as a result of the interaction between different cultural traditions