Squillace

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Squillace is an ancient seaside town and comune, in the Province of Catanzaro in the southern Italian region of Calabria, Italy, facing the Gulf of Squillace. As of 2007 Squillace had an estimated population of 3,451. ^[1]

[edit] The name

The name derives from the ancient city of Scylletium, the principal ruins of which are located in the nearby comune of Borgia.

Squillace is also a Calabrian surname as well as a title (e.g. Leopoldo de Gregorio, Marquis of Esquilache).

[edit] Situation and history

Squillace is situated on the east coast of Calabria (ancient Bruttium), situated on the shores of an extensive bay, to which it gave its name, the Gulf of Squillace (Italian: Golfo di Squillace), which indents the coast of Calabria on the east as deeply as that of the Gulf of Saint Eufemia (Italian: Golfo di Sant'Eufemia) does on the west, so that they leave but a comparatively narrow isthmus between them.

Some of the territory of Squillace was occupied by Scylletium, the history of which, largely constitutes the ancient history of Squillace.

The modern town is known today as one of Italy's most important archeological sites as well as a popular resort.

Production of highly prized terra cotta has been an important part the local economy for centuries; Cassiodorus' writings make several mentions of it. Squillace is the home of the pignatari style of ceramic artistry. The name is derived from the Italian word pignata, an earthenware container used for cooking beans over an open fire.

[edit] References

Coordinates: 38°47′N 16°31′E