Marines and Sailors assist local archeologists in excavation project

Photo By Sgt. Shawn Valosin | Marines with SPMAGTF Crisis Response-Africa pose for a photo with Sicilian locals at Parco Forestale Di Calaforno (Park Forestry of Calaforno), an ancient burial site in Ragusa, Sicily, Dec. 12, 2014 After a request from the lead archeologist to the Naval Air Station Sigonella Community Relations office, 20 Marines and Sailors with SPMAGTF-CR-AF helped excavate cave openings to burial chambers potentially dating back thousands of years, potentially to 2200 BC. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Cpl. Shawn Valosin)  

RAGUSA, ITALY

12.15.2014

Story by 1st Lt. Maida Zheng and Cpl. Shawn Valosin

U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Europe and Africa     

RAGUSA, Italy - After a request from the lead archeologist at the Ancient Greek Archaeology department of the University of Catania to the Naval Air Station Sigonella Public Affairs Office, Marines and Sailors from SPMAGTF Crisis Response-Africa helped excavate cave openings to an ancient burial site in Parco Forestale Di Calaforno (Park Forestry of Calaforno) in Ragusa, Sicily, Dec. 12.

The Parco Forestale Di Calaforno was originally discovered in 1974, but due to lack of resources was not explored. Professor Piertro Militello, from the University of Catania, and his team of students have been excavating the burial site since 2013 and hypothesized that it was a burial site. Once they started exploring they found various skeletons and bones, confirming that it was a cemetery potentially dating back thousands of years, potentially to 2200 BC.
“The site is very important for two reasons; first because a burial site like this one is ancient, it’s unique, this is the only one in Sicily,” said Militello. “Number two is because the burial site is part of a park. A place where you have deer and other animals that are not easy to find in the city, the combination of those two elements make this a unique place.”

Under the supervision of the archeologists, the group of Marines and Sailors spent five hours digging with pickaxes and shovels, carrying rocks, and buckets full of dirt from underground caves. Those in the caves worked crouched over in cramped spaces, relying on flashlights to see their workspace. The service members on the outside formed lines and passed buckets of dirt and rocks from the caves to designated areas where archeological students, Marines, and Sailors examined the contents for additional artifacts.
“It was a great experience getting to work at such a historic place,” said Lance Cpl. Dylan Fosler, a Warren, Ill., native and Marine with SPMAGTF CR-AF. “I was able to be part of a small team of Americans working at one of the oldest burial sites in Sicily … I think that’s pretty awesome.”

Towards the end of the day the group took a break to enjoy a meal put on by the Sigonella Morale Welfare and Recreation department. They also were able to explore the park and see the inner workings of an antique watermill.

Militello said that the plan for Parco Forestale Di Calaforno is to eventually open it for tourism, so families can visit the park and walk through the caverns. He also expressed his thanks to the Marines and Sailors of SPMAGTF CR-AF on behalf of the Archaeological Heritage Office for their hard work.

The Marines and Sailors of SPMAGTF-CR-AF strive to be good shepherds in their local communities, all while conducting theater security cooperation and military-to-military engagements with partner nations in Africa.

• Date Taken: 12.15.2014
• Date Posted: 12.15.2014 09:00
• Story ID: 150295
• Location: RAGUSA, IT
• Hometown: WARREN, IL, US