Progetto nEU-Med. Studio sulle produzioni ceramiche locali (VII-X secolo) e loro circolazione nel comprensorio delle Colline Metallifere: primi risultati delle analisi archeometriche

• Published in: Archeologia medievale Vol. 47; p. 217
• Main Authors: Ponta, Elisabetta, Intermite, Davide, Russo, Luisa, nacelli, Cristina, Volpi, Vanessa, Giamello, Marco
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Italian
• Published: Florence Archeologia Medievale 01.01.2020
• Subjects: Archaeology; Ceramics; Clay; Early Middle Ages; Mineralogy; Tuscany Italy; Italy
• ISSN: 0390-0592
• DOI: 10.36153/am47.2020.11

The intense research activity in Medieval Archaeology carried out since the 1980s by the University of Siena has provided a detailed description of a network of well-established settlements in the area of the Colline Metallifere during the Middle Ages. In this framework, the archaeological surveys and the following studies applied to the characterization of the ceramic production in the area made it possible to acquire significant data on the definition of the main ceramic classes produced during that period. In recent years, the interdisciplinary ERC nEU-Med project promoted an in-depth archaeometric investigation of a wide repertory of different ceramic fragments and raw materials from the main clay sources identified in the area of the Colline Metallifere. The investigation was aimed at providing more clues on the exploitation of local raw materials for pottery manufacture during the early Middle Ages (8th -10th centuries), as suggested from previous archaeological studies. The present study briefly introduces the results obtained from the investigation of crude earthenware, with particular attention focused on the characterization of a little studied but very interesting class of small amphorae. The paper is structured as follows: recognition, mapping and sampling of the main clay sources near the main settlements investigated as part of the nEU-Med project; identification of three main areas (Monterotondo Marittimo, Roccastrada, Vetricella - Scarlino Scalo, GR) and selection of a repertory of ceramic fragments from each area on the basis of the well-defined chronological and technical features related to the present study; petrographic and chemical investigation for an in-depth characterization of the micro-textural, mineralogical and chemical features of the clays using optical (OM) and scanning electron (SEM-EDS) microscopes. Further mineralogical investigation using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) were also carried out on clay samples; chemical investigation via portable X-Ray spectrometry on powdered samples of both ceramic and clay samples (<1 g); statistical processing of the chemical data; comparison between the petrographic and chemical results; discussion and conclusions.