Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Chefs Aruss Lerlerstkull and Atcharaporn Kiatthanawat lean into regional traditions.
Charmgang
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
At Nai Mong Hoi Thod, the oyster omelet is worth waiting for.
Nai Mong Hoi Thod
In this deceptively simple dish, top-quality ingredients are paramount.
Kor Panich
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
4 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
5 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
6 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
7 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Italy Campobello di Mazara Cave of Cusa
AO Edited

Cave of Cusa

The ancient Greeks abandoned this quarry to escape Hannibal's devastating invasion.

Campobello di Mazara, Italy

Added By
Ruggero
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Pieces of columns left abandoned.   Ruggero / Atlas Obscura User
Pieces of columns left abandoned.   Ruggero / Atlas Obscura User
Chisel marks are still visible today.   Ruggero / Atlas Obscura User
The quarry.   Ruggero / Atlas Obscura User
Abandoned blocks of stone.   Ruggero / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

In the year 409 B.C., invading Carthaginian forces led by Hannibal Mago swept into what is now Sicily. Up until the attack, the Cave of Cusa had been an important quarry for 150 years. Most of the buildings in the nearby ancient Greek city of Selinunte were constructed from limestone hewn from these pits. 

Desperate to escape the oncoming devastation, the ancient Greek laborers fled the scene, abandoning their tools and carved stones in the process. Today, visitors to this designated Sicilian Archeological Zone can still see roughly 60 blocks of chiseled limestone left behind. The remnants include whole columns that were never transported to their final destination. 

Related Tags

Archaeology Quarries Stone Ancient

Know Before You Go

A car is essential to reach the quarry.

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Flavors of Italy: Roman Carbonara, Florentine Steak & Venetian Cocktails

Savor local cuisine across Rome, Florence & Venice.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

Ruggero

Published

January 25, 2023

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Cave of Cusa
Via Ugo Bassi, 37
Campobello di Mazara, 91021
Italy
37.619811, 12.722366
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Borgo Amerigo Fazio

Trapani, Italy

miles away

Cretto di Burri

Gibellina Vecchia, Italy

miles away

Il Castello Incantato

Sciacca, Italy

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Italy

Italy

Europe

Places 1,054
Stories 110

Nearby Places

Borgo Amerigo Fazio

Trapani, Italy

miles away

Cretto di Burri

Gibellina Vecchia, Italy

miles away

Il Castello Incantato

Sciacca, Italy

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Italy

Italy

Europe

Places 1,054
Stories 110

Related Places

  • Carn Goedog

    Eglwyswrw, Wales

    Carn Goedog

    This rocky outcrop served as a quarry for some of the bluestones that sit at the center of Stonehenge.

  • Stane Alane Standing Stone

    Lochgilphead, Scotland

    Stane Alane Standing Stone

    A mysterious solitary standing stone from the Neolithic period.

  • Dolmen “Sorgiñetxe” (“witch’s house”)

    Arrizala, Spain

    Dolmen of Sorginetxe

    An ancient stone structure that, according to legend, was built by witches.

  • Stones at the original Nabta Playa site

    Aswan, Egypt

    Nabta Playa Stone Circle

    This North African stone complex is considered to be the oldest astronomical observatory on Earth.

  • The cairn from the entrance opposite the car park

    Kilmartin, Scotland

    Dunchraigaig Cairn and Baluachraig Rock Art

    No other place in Scotland has such a high concentration of prehistoric carved stone surfaces.

  • Esie Stone Figurines

    Esie, Nigeria

    Esie Figurines

    More than 1,000 stone figures were discovered in a small Nigerian town, where they had been sitting for centuries.

  • The cubic altar

    Soriano nel Cimino, Italy

    Selva di Malano

    Ancient, mysterious stone altars are hidden among wild woods in central Italy.

  • Aliki ancient marble quarry.

    Thasos, Greece

    Aliki Ancient Marble Quarry

    The partially submerged ruins of a white marble quarry used in ancient Greece for over 1,200 years.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.