The Santoni

The Santoni are located not far from Palazzolo, on the provincial road to Noto, where you will come across Via dei Santoni on the left; following it you come to the entrance “The most complete and vast complex of figures to Magna Mater cult which the ancient world even left us… The Santoni is in fact the greatest sanctuary to date uncovered, dedicated to the cult of goddess Cibeles, the great mother of the gods” (Bernabò Brea). The site – 30 meters long – hosts 12 big relieves, 10 of them reproducing the same female figure seated in full prospect, the other 2 reproducing more complex scenes with many figures. The female figure portrayed is Cibeles, oriental goddess of fertility, whose cult, coming from Phrygia, was initially introduced in Greece and then in Rome with the name of Magna Mater or Ceres.