Raffadali
| Raffadali | |
|---|---|
| Comune | |
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 Raffadali
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| Coordinates: 37°24′17″N 13°32′2″E / 37.40472°N 13.53389°ECoordinates: 37°24′17″N 13°32′2″E / 37.40472°N 13.53389°E | |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Sicily |
| Province / Metropolitan city | Agrigento (AG) |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Silvio Marcello Cuffaro |
| Area | |
| • Total | 22.2 km2 (8.6 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 420 m (1,380 ft) |
| Population (2005) | |
| • Total | 13,398 |
| • Density | 600/km2 (1,600/sq mi) |
| Demonym(s) | Raffadalesi |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) |
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) |
| Postal code | 92015 |
| Dialing code | 0922 |
Raffadali is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Agrigento in the Italian region Sicily, located about 80 kilometres (50 mi) south of Palermo and about 10 kilometres (6 mi) northwest of Agrigento.
The commune's territory covers an area of around 1.617 hectares and has a population density of 586.12 inhabitants per km². It is a hilly region between the rivers Platani and Salso, located 425 m above sea level.
The physical aspect of the area is characterised by white marl and brown soils and regosols.
The area was classified as seismic zone 2 (medium-high) in the Italian earthquake risk classification system, by Prime Ministerial ordinance 3274 (20/03/2003).
The area's climate is of the Mediterranean type, with an average temperature of 26-28 °C and highs of 30-40 °C in July and August. The Italian government classifies the climate as zone C, 1177 degree days.
The old heart of the city consists of a thick network of narrow streets with traditional stone and plaster houses, accessed exclusively through the first floor by means of steep external stairs. At the centre of this area are the castle and the church. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, the hub of the town has been the via Nazionale, where the municipal buildings, the church, the castle and the library are located. This street is also home to numerous commercial and professional offices.
The territory offers extremely interesting evidence for prehistory. The oldest archaeological discoveries date to the Chalcolithic period (4000 BC), and were discovered in the area called Pietra Rossa, where there is a necropolis containing dozens of skeletons in the fetal position, with large amounts of coarse pottery as grave goods - indicating a population focussed on agriculture and stockraising. Another archaeological site near Raffadali is Cozzo Busonè, located by the SS.118. This necropolis consists of several tombs in an artificial cave; 12 of these were destroyed by quarrying to produce lime. The archaeologist Bianchini was the first to conduct excavations on the site and to discover the existence of the tombs, which range from simple niches for a single individual to entire circular rooms for whole families. The pottery and stone objects are characteristic of the Castelluccio Culture (1800-1400 BC). Among the most significant discoveries are two female figurines, the so-called Venus figurines of Businè. There are also traces of a prehistoric necropolis near Mount Palombara, with some bones cemented inside a thick crystalline structure.
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Wikipedia