L’archeometria della ceramica in Italia: storia degli studi, risultati e prospettive della ricerca

This article reviews Italian research in the field of archaeometrical analyses applied to pre- and proto-historic ceramics from the early studies conducted in the second half of the 1950s until the present. We focus specifically on the rela-tions between palaeoethnology and experimental disciplines, on the methodologies applied over the years and on the resulting interpretative models. In Italy in particular a significant diversification of research approaches in this sector is evident only from the 1990s, much later than in other European countries, alongside an increasing interest in this discipline and an awareness of methodological issues. To this end we briefly summarize the results of some archaeometrical studies with some examples grouped by theme, in order to highlight their enormous potential, without proposing a general survey or discussing their implications for historical reconstructions

Archaeometric characterization of prehistoric pottery from Baħrija, Malta

The end of prehistory in the Maltese archipelago is characterized by the production of a problematic class of pottery, until now attested just at the site of Baħrija, on the western coast of Malta. Such a production represents a break with the tradition in terms of repertoire of shapes, style and technology and it has been interpreted as the result of contact between locals and foreign immigrants. The recent overall reappraisal of the unpublished ceramic assemblage collected during the excavations carried out at Baħrija, represents a unique opportunity to focus on the technological aspects of the production, trying to shed light on the issue of the break with the tradition and the impact of external influxes. Petrographic analysis on thin sections and chemical analyses via X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) and laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (LA-ICP-MS) have been carried out to characterize the Baħrija pottery production in order to interpret from a different angle the issue of the possible arrival of newcomers and establishment of a foreign enclave in Malta, which until now has been hypothesized only on the basis of the sudden emergence of the Baħrija pottery

OLD OR NEW WAVES IN CAPO GRAZIANO DECORATIVE STYLES?

Six main decorative styles have been tentatively distinguished in the Early-Middle Bronze age Capo Graziano incised pottery of the Aeolian Islands. This experimental study focuses on the analysis of 68 bowls from the islands of Lipari, Filicudi, Salina and Stromboli and from Milazzo in Sicily. The clas-sification is based on motifs and styles, and integrates typology, technology, composition and decoration in their identification. The styles are linked to production centres showing different spatial and temporal va-riations and appear to reflect different dynamics: the expert “individual” craftsman, the design in fashion, the symbolic code or the fulfilment of specific functions. The evaluation of skill in application and varia-bility in the concept are measured in order to assess the social implications in the production of the pottery. This interim investigation will continue to refine the chronology and to establish the decorative styles in other Aeolian Islands. It is possible that schematic elements in the decorative styles, such as undulating lines and metopes, reflect the maritime and insular environment of the Aeolian Islands

Analisi esplorativa della statuina neolitica di Vicofertile

La statuina neolitica femminile rinvenuta in una sepoltura a Vicofertile risulta prodotta localmente (analoga per composizione alle altre ceramiche dell'area parmense) e plasmata in tre parti successivamente assemblat

Dati archeologici e analisi archeometriche di vasetti tipo “San Martino” rinvenuti in Emilia

Analisi archeometriche petrografiche, mineralogiche e chimiche di ceramiche neolitiche tipo "San Martino" da Vicofertile, Collecchio, Parma via Guido Rossi, Gaione, Razza di Campeine. Le analisi indicano una produzione locale nei diversi siti con materie prime fini e cottura intorno agli 800 gradi

Study of the geomorphological and archaeological aspects of Sintra area (Portugal) as contribution to its tourist appraisal and promotion

The Portughese town of Sintra is an UNESCO world heritage site for itscultural and environmental aspects. The town is located 30 km from Lisbon and 15km from the Atlantic Ocean, and is a touristic site in every seasons mainly for itsarchitectural qualities. This work describes the geomorphological and archaeologicalaspects of the town and the surrounding Serra de Sintra in order to give an addedvalue to tourist appraisal and promotion of the area. Serra de Sintra is an ellipticigneous massif 10 km E-W and 5 km N-S, 300-500 m above sea level. The geologicalstructure is complex but it can be simplified as a core of sienites surrounded bygranites intruded in a limestone plateau. The morphogenetic processes, besidecommon landforms such as narrow valleys, scarps and ridges, shaped a variety ofparticular granite morphologies such as round block fields, inselbergs, castle koppies,etc…. The most spectacular ones have been described and classified as geosites in adata-base. The oldest archaeological remains dates to the Mesolithic, but the area hasbeen extensively occupied during the Neolitic/Calcolithic, Bronze and Iron Ages. Inhistorical times Romans, Visigots and Arabs left some interesting architectural andlinguistic marks. All the archaeological sites have been classified according tobibliographic, museal data and field surveys. They are also all included in a data-base.GeoArchaeo-Tourist maps at 1:25,000 and 1.10,000 scales of the Serra de Sintra andSintra town are the information results collected in the geomorphological andcultural data-bases. The maps have been implemented, by means of an ArcGIScomputer programme, integrating geological, geomorphological, archaeological andhistorical aspects with the tourist infrastructures (information points, parking areas,accommodations, panoramic points, etc.) in order to obtain documents readable, simple, clear but scientifically accurate also for non-expert users. This study could besuitably simplified and summarized in a guide book, with enclosed GeoArchaeo-Tourist maps, as a contribution to improve the knowledge and appraisal of the Sintraterritory also for its landscape and archaeological aspects

Improved high-resolution GPR imaging and characterization of prehistoric archaeological features by means of attribute analysis

We propose a novel procedure for the analysis and interpretation of Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR) data from archaeological data and we test the method in challenging conditions at a prehistoric settlement on the Stromboli Island (Italy). The main objective of the proposed procedure is to enhance the GPR capability of identifying and characterizing small-size and geometrically irregular archaeological remains buried beneath rough topographic surface conditions. After the basic GPR processing sequence, including topographic correction using a high-resolution Digital Elevation Model acquired from 3-D Laser Scanner, the procedure encompasses a multi-attribute analysis and iso-attribute surfaces calculation with different volume extraction solutions to emphasize vertical and lateral variations within GPR data cubes. The test was performed in cooperation with the archaeological team to calibrate the results and to provide detailed information about buried targets of potential archaeological interests to plan further excavations. The results gave evidence of localized buried remains and allowed detailed preexcavation planning. The archaeological excavations validated the results obtained from the GPR survey. The research demonstrates that the proposed GPR procedure enhances the ability to identify and characterize archaeological remains with high accuracy even in complex surface and subsurface conditions. Such logistical situation is very common, particularly in prehistoric sites, which are often characterized by discontinuous, small and irregular targets that cannot be identified by standard processing and analysis strategies

San Vincenzo, Isola di Stromboli (Lipari, Prov. Di Messina) - Campagna 2014

Presentazione sintetica dei risultati della campagne di scavo effettuate nel 2014 nel sito archeologico di San Vincenzo a Strombol

Global disparities in surgeons’ workloads, academic engagement and rest periods: the on-calL shIft fOr geNEral SurgeonS (LIONESS) study

: The workload of general surgeons is multifaceted, encompassing not only surgical procedures but also a myriad of other responsibilities. From April to May 2023, we conducted a CHERRIES-compliant internet-based survey analyzing clinical practice, academic engagement, and post-on-call rest. The questionnaire featured six sections with 35 questions. Statistical analysis used Chi-square tests, ANOVA, and logistic regression (SPSS® v. 28). The survey received a total of 1.046 responses (65.4%). Over 78.0% of responders came from Europe, 65.1% came from a general surgery unit; 92.8% of European and 87.5% of North American respondents were involved in research, compared to 71.7% in Africa. Europe led in publishing research studies (6.6 ± 8.6 yearly). Teaching involvement was high in North America (100%) and Africa (91.7%). Surgeons reported an average of 6.7 ± 4.9 on-call shifts per month, with European and North American surgeons experiencing 6.5 ± 4.9 and 7.8 ± 4.1 on-calls monthly, respectively. African surgeons had the highest on-call frequency (8.7 ± 6.1). Post-on-call, only 35.1% of respondents received a day off. Europeans were most likely (40%) to have a day off, while African surgeons were least likely (6.7%). On the adjusted multivariable analysis HDI (Human Development Index) (aOR 1.993) hospital capacity > 400 beds (aOR 2.423), working in a specialty surgery unit (aOR 2.087), and making the on-call in-house (aOR 5.446), significantly predicted the likelihood of having a day off after an on-call shift. Our study revealed critical insights into the disparities in workload, access to research, and professional opportunities for surgeons across different continents, underscored by the HDI