Santa Lucia Patrona di Siracusa: il suo simulacro, la sua ‘vara’, il suo tesoro

The treasure of Saint Lucia in Syracuse is not only a collection of works of art ofinestimable value, but it testifies a complex interweaving of social, religious andart-historical aspects closely connected to the culture and identity of the whole Sicily.The essay, on the basis of the latest documentary studies and of the data relatingto the recent restoration, updates the scientific research on the simulacrum, the varaand the treasure of precious jewels donated ex voto to Saint Lucia, examining thefigures of silversmiths and goldsmiths linked to their creation and retracing theevents through the inventories and the historical testimonies, with reference to theart-historical context of the time.