Originally a Phoenician colony, the island of Motya off the west coast of Sicily, was established in the 8th century BC. A century later it became a dependency of the Carthaginians of North Africa. The Phoenicians transformed the inhospitable island into one of the most affluent cities of its time, naturally defended by the surrounding Stagnone Lagoon as well as high defensive walls. The image shows the sacred Kothon area, an artificial basin that was fed by an underground aquifer. Nearby, is a temple dedicated to the god Baal Addir-Poseidon. Motya became one of the chief strongholds of the Carthaginians for it's proximity to Carthage, the strength of it's defences and its important position along Mediterranean trading routes.