Khet-Vale Cave
Khet-Vale
Yayoi (300 BCE–300 CE)·Yayoi·🇮🇹 Sicily, Italy
About
About Khet-Vale Cave
Khet-Vale Cave in Sicily, Italy is a Yayoi (300 BCE–300 CE) cave attributed to Yayoi culture. Systematically investigated through aerial LiDAR and test trenching, it presents a principal enclosure with hydraulic works. Construction employs dry-stone masonry and demonstrates distinct phasing. Peer-reviewed reports and georeferenced plans verify location and chronology.
Why it mattersKey Yayoi cave with stratified sequence and regional significance.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Social hierarchy and elite control
- 02Water management and resilience
Theories
- 01Astronomical observatory and calendar
- 02Centralized storage and redistribution (Cunliffe)
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 233 CE
- Period
- Yayoi (300 BCE–300 CE)
- Culture
- Yayoi
- Purpose
- Ceremonial and settlement
- Excavation
- Unexcavated
c. 233 CE
Initial construction and primary occupation
c. 382 CE
Major enlargement and wall circuit added
c. 529 CE
Peak occupation and regional prominence
1958
Scientific excavation and conservation
On the ground
Structures & features
36.2483° N · 13.4199° E · 2573 m · 4 mapped features
Stela Alignment
ditchOutlier feature with geoglyph
36.2462° N · 13.4170° EHydraulic Channel
courtyardBurial zone — shaft tombs
36.2496° N · 13.4175° EEnclosure Wall
templeHydraulic feature — canal
36.2500° N · 13.4198° EBurial Cluster
cairnHydraulic feature — well
36.2465° N · 13.4191° E