Multispectral analysis of miniature nuragic bronze flasks

Miniaturized bronze flasks represent a small portion of a wide metallurgical production that flourished in Sardinia (Italy) between the Final Bronze Age (FBA) and the Early Iron Age (EIA). They replicate a well-known and symbolic type of object, the pilgrims’ flask, common in all Europe and Mediterranean basin, and have but few archaeological parallels. For these reasons, their characterization can be considered important from an archaeological perspective. Three flasks, preserved at the Antiquarium Arborense museum (Oristano), were analyzed by X-Ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (XRF) and Raman spectroscopy, integrated by multispectral images. The samples, coming from illegal excavations, posed two problems: establishing their authenticity and investigating the alloy composition of such particular objects. All specimens presented a widespread degradation in the outer surface: XRF and Raman spectroscopy indicated the presence of copper oxides, calcium and copper carbonates deposits. The abscence of Zn, a clear marker of forgeries, was not detected by XRF. In two of the flasks, an unusual Sn content above 20%, was detected. For FBA and EIA, especially regarding southern Europe, Sn was extremely rare, and was possibly used with caution. Further results are presented herein

A multi analytical characterization of a small bronze figurine from Gran Carro site (Bolsena Lake, Italy)

This paper presents the results of an archaeometric analysis carried out on an early Iron Age anthropomorphic figurine discovered in the area of the Gran Carro on Bolsena Lake (Latium, Italy) site, currently interpreted as a place of worship. This statuette is considered a unicum, both because of the context in which it was found and because of its stylistic characteristics similar to those of bronzes from the Nuragic civilization (Sardinia, Italy). Its discovery and the data obtained from this work provide further evidence in support of numerous previous studies suggesting the presence of trade and direct exchanges between Sardinia and southern Etruria. The research was performed through some non-destructive investigations such as Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) combined with Monte Carlo Simulation (MC) and micro-invasive investigations such as Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled by Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM–EDS) and by Electron Probe Micro-Analysis (EPMA), metallography and lead isotope analyses (LIA), performed on a selected micro-fragment. The combination of non-destructive techniques (EDXRF-MCS) for the characterization of the artefact allowed us to obtain data similar to those obtained with micro-invasive surveys, further demonstrating the effectiveness of the method. The results indicate that the statuette is made of a bronze alloy and that the copper metal was extracted from Sardinian deposits

Schede

Si riportano le schede dettagliate dei monumenti archeologici del territorio del comune di Sedilo, attribuibili ad un ampio arco cronologico che va dal Neolitico recente all'Età medievale

Cap de Forma (Minorca): la navigazione nel Mediterraneo occidentale dall'età del Bronzo all'età del Ferro: nota preliminare

Nel II Congresso Internazionale di Studi Fenici e Punici, venne presentata una comunicazione sui problemi degli insediamenti litoranei nell'Isola di Minorca, nel loro contesto insulare ed in relazione ad altri simili impianti costieri di Maiorca e delle Pitius. Da quel momento è stato avviato un progetto di studio dei siti archeologici dei siti archeologici delle Isole Baleari, in particolare degli insediamenti costieri, e l'attività sul campo si è concentrata nella ripulitura e nell'inizio del rilevamento grafico delle strutture di Cap de Forma, Maó (2-9 settembre 1991)

THE NUAGIC PEOPLE: THEIR SETTLEMENTS, ECONOMIC ACTIVITES AND USE OF THE LAND. SARDINIA ITALY

ABSTRACT. In the Middle Bronze Age and the Recent Bronze Age, about 9000 single towered corridors and tholos nuraghe were constructed. The greatest density of corridor nuraghe occurs in central Sardinia on basalt plateaus. These nuraghe are not found in valley bottoms or on plains. The tholos nuraghe were built everywhere including valley bottoms, although they were more common on basalt plateaus and in areas of volcanic rock. Analysis of the relationship between the monuments and the settled areas allows one to state that the presence of nuraghe was mainly determined by the environmental resources and the possible economic exploitation of the area, rather any defensive consideration. The strategy employed to use the land profitably involved using a wide range of bronze and stone tools and animal power. This human impact may have caused a significant degradation of the environment, which occurred primarily in the final stages of Nuragic civilisation

Variazioni ambientali oloceniche nella costa occidentale della Sardegna: evidenze pedostratigrafiche e geoarcheologiche

Pedostratigraphic and geoarchaeological surveys of Funtana Meiga (Sinis) sections have been carried out with the aim to reconstruct environmental and climatic changes in central western costal of Sardinia (Italy) during Late Pelistocene and Holocene. Stratigraphic evidences, micromorphology and 14C data, indicate that the relatively stable land surfaces associated with significant soil formation (e.g. bioturbation, weathering, leaching and clay translocation processes) occurred during the Bronze Age, as well as instability phases, erosion, aeolian and colluvial accumulation in the Punic and Roman perio

Il paesaggio costiero della Penisola del Sinis tra preistoria e storia: aspetti archeologici e ambientali

Studio geo-archeologico sull'area del Golfo di oristano, con particolare riferimento alle variazioni della linea di riva