The archaeology of the mafia: a material investigation of extortion, justice and reprisal in Palermo, Sicily (1982–2012) created by Gianna Ayala, Matthew Fitzjohn

This article examines the Sicilian mafia and the physical manifestation of the legal responses to criminal activity in Palermo, Sicily between 1982 and 2012, a period marked by increasing criminal violence against the state. We look at the commemoration of key public figures assassinated by the mafia as a way to understand episodes of illegal activity as well as the ways that different people and groups respond to these acts of terrorism. We also examine the archaeological evidence for the resultant new legislation and judicial process, from the courtrooms to evidence in the city streets. We suggest that the wide range of material culture from Palermo affords the opportunity to examine the landscape of the mafia, the temporality of legislation, discourse between acts of criminality and the legal and judicial responses.