Aegadian Islands
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A map showing the Aegadian Islands. |
The
Aegadian Islands (
Italian:
Isole Egadi;
Latin:
Aegates Insulae), are a group of small mountainous islands in the
Mediterranean Sea off the northwest coast of
Sicily,
Italy, near the city of
Trapani, with a total area of 37,45 km².
Favignana (
Aegusa), the largest, lies 10 miles south west of
Trapani;
Levanzo (
Phorbantia) 8 miles west; while
Marettimo, the ancient
Iera Nesos, 15 miles west of Trapani, is now reckoned as a part of the group. There are also some minor islands between Favignana and Sicily.
The overall population in 1987 was estimated at about 5,000. The main occupation of the islanders is fishing and this is where the largest
tuna fishery in Sicily can be found.
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A view from Trapani to Favignana and Marettimo. |
There is evidence of
Neolithic and even
Paleolithic paintings in caves on Favigana and on Levanzo.
They are the scene of the
defeat of the
Carthaginian fleet by
C. Lutatius Catulus in
241 BC, which ended the
First Punic War.
They belonged to the Pallavicini family of
Genoa until
1874, when they were bought by
Florio family of
Palermo.
