Archaeologists have discovered a rich haul of objects during a dig at a coastal Bronze Age village on the Sicilian island of Ustica.
Terracotta slabs used as hearths, cups with raised handles, bowls, dishes, pots and storage jars are among the most significant finds made this summer at I Faraglioni, a Middle Bronze Age citadel dating to between 1400 and 1200 BC.
The village, which is surrounded by a large defensive wall, is made up of huts and pens built with blocks of lava stone along metre-wide roads.
Archaeologists began digging at the site in 1974 and have been astonished to find a wealth of well-preserved household tools.
Experts say the village was suddenly abandoned between 1250 and 1200 BC and have hypothesised that a natural disaster may have forced villagers to leave their homes in a hurry, leaving their belongings behind.
Villagers survived by farming but may also have been involved in sea trading, they say.
