Contrada Commaldo Itinerary: Journey to the catacombs
Hiking itinerary
- Departure: Contrada Commaldo
- Trekking time: 2 h 1st itinerary – 3 h 2nd itinerary (including stops)
- Difficulty: medium-high, suitable for children and adults with trekking experiences and with minimal training
- Length: about 3.0 km – 1st itinerary and 2nd itinerary
- Max altitude: 402 m; Minimum altitude: 218 m; Difference in altitude: 150 m
THE COURSE
The “Commaldo” quarry is a right tributary of the Cava Palombieri torrent, it is a SIC site due to its flora and fauna peculiarities and includes the Commaldo valley. The site has a high naturalistic value, both floristic and vegetational, and which includes a conspicuous percentage of endemics. The route is also an interesting archaeological site, characterized by the presence of two catacombs and a cistern, evidence of a small community, probably agricultural. The first complex has about 20 burials between pit tombs and other arcosolium tombs (4th-6th century). The second complex consists of a large chamber, subsequently modified by the installation of a grinding plant which led to the destruction of the first canopy. A short distance away there is a tank also composed of some silos in the form of holes for the supply of grain connected to the grinding plant. In the area there are further archaeological evidences, always from the late ancient period, with a succession of arcosoli of notable workmanship.
USEFUL INFORMATION AND CONTACTS
Equipment: Clothing suitable for the season: boots, jacket or windbreaker, hat, camera and binoculars.
LOGISTICS INFO OF THE ITINERARY:
- Nuccio Pisana cell.: +39 334.226 6249;
- Pietro Cavallo cell.: +39 366.132 1345
HOW TO GET:
The route develops in the territory of the Municipality of Modica. The starting point of the itinerary is easily reachable along the SP 109 from Modica, Bruno Euronics roundabout, proceed for 3.8 km until the roundabout, take the third exit towards c.da Musebbi. Follow the SP 32 for about 6.9 km, then turn right onto the SP 66 for another 2.0 km up, and then turn left towards c.da Commaldo Superiore and reach the initial trazzera of the route, in the near the farmhouse “The small farm”.
