Welcome/Willkommen!

Hello and welcome. Hope you enjoy the images I have posted. Please do not reproduce them without my permission. Most are available as note/greeting cards or as prints/enlargements. Thank you for visiting my site and your comments.
Many have asked about the Header image above, which I named 'Eerie Genny'. It was originally shot with film [taken on the shore of the Genesee River near the Univ. of Rochester]. During the darkroom development, I flashed a light above the tray. The process, known as 'solarization', produces eerie, ghostlike effects; some have mistaken this image as an infra-red photo. Some 35+ years later, I scanned and digitized the print, and did a little modern day editing, and, voila.
« I confirm the subscription of this blog to the Paperblog service under the username shattman ».

Thursday, April 5, 2018

Sicily 7: Enna and Villa Casale (Piazza Armerina) [Sky Watch Friday]

Our next destination was Enna, a mountain town that is the highest [3,054 ft] provincial capital in Italy. The town’s exceptional location affords wonderful views of the surrounding landscape.



Our stay in Enna was brief, as our main objective was to visit the Villa Casale, a 3rd-4th century AD Roman estate discovered in the late 19th century. It is one of the most fascinating attractions in all of Sicily. The magnificent floor mosaics in the complex of rooms were uncovered in the 1950s under a thick layer of mud [resulting from a 12th century flood], which kept them well preserved through over the years. Most notable are the mosaics in the Hall of Female Gymnasts, where the bikini clad [yes, bikinis in Roman times] gymnasts are depicted. The athlete placing a crown on her head was the winner of her event.



Other scenes depicting gods, wild animals, hunting or even love-making adorn the walls and floors.






No comments: