Ceilings in medieval defensive buildings in Sicily. The case study of the painted ceiling of the XIV century Ventimiglia's Castle in Castelbuono (Palermo): comparisons between regional and European examples

Medieval defensive structures, often include wooden floors of notable interest, both for their carpentry techniques and for the figurative decorations they occasionally display. These elements offer valuable insights into the technological and visual culture of the period. In Sicily, several medieval wooden ceilings survive in both civil and military architecture, including in the Chiaramonte and Aiutamicristo Palaces (Palermo), the castles of Carini and Roccella, and Corvaja Palace in Taormina. Scholarship on these structures remains limited. Broader research, both geographically and chronologically is still lacking. Structural elements such as corbels similar to those in the Chiaramonte ceiling can be found in the 15th-century Aiutamicristo Palace, while the 14th-century Castle of Roccella displays uniquely crafted supports. The ceiling analyzed in this study, surveyed using digital photogrammetry, is located in the Ventimiglia Castle in Castelbuono (Palermo), built by one of the island’s leading 14th-century noble families. This paper presents a detailed case study of this example, examining its symbolic decoration and construction techniques, and situates it within broader comparisons to coeval Sicilian and European examples, highlighting shared cultural and architectural traditions.