Museo preistorico, Paceco

The Museum is located in the Tower of Ligny, built in 1671 on the order of the viceroy Don Claudio La Moraldo, prince of Ligny. Here prehistoric and protohistoric artifacts are exhibited. It is divided into two sections:

– the prehistoric section on the ground floor presents artifacts found in the province of Trapani

– the marine archaeological section on the first floor, where over 100 objects from the seabeds of the Mediterranean are displayed: amphorae, anchors, utensils from Greek, Roman, and Punic times.

One of the most important archaeological finds is a bronze helmet recovered from the seabed of Trapani. The displayed helmet is a dome type with a tubular apex and has a small visor extending from the dome, similar to helmets currently issued to the armed forces. On the sides, it has two slits, one on each side, with the left one being very narrow, while the right one is round and wide, suggesting a blow received by its owner. On the inside lower sides, there are two plates presumably used for attaching the cheek pieces. The helmet measures 24 cm in height, has a circumference of 70 cm, while the internal diameter is 22 cm in length and 20 cm in width. The tubular apex has an internal hole with a diameter of 2 cm and externally shows double arc engravings. Before restoration, almost half of the surface was covered with encrustations of reef animals. The helmet is dated to the 4th – 3rd century B.C.

It is possible to access the tower’s terrace, from which you can enjoy the splendid panorama stretching from Capo San Vito to Marsala and Mozia, including the city of Trapani, Mount Erice, and the Egadi Islands.