This paper presents the preliminary results of an archaeometric analysis on 13 loom-weights from some protohistoric and pre-roman settlements of southern Veneto. The artefacts are dated to Final Bronze age and 1st Iron age (Mariconda di Melara, Frattesina, Villamarzana - Rovigo), 6th cent. b.C. (Oppeano - Verona) and 3rd-2nd cent. b.C. (Adria - Rovigo). The oldest artefacts from the Polesine area present an annular shape with sub-rounded or sub-quadrangular sections while those from Adria are bun shaped with a narrower inner hole. As regards the sample from Oppeano, it presents an end-pyramid shape with a small circular hole in the upper side. The minero-petrographic analysis by optical microscopy (OM) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) has been addressed to the compositional characterization of these materials to better understand their technological and functional parameters, as well as to identify possible provenance markers useful to constrain local productions. The study has shown how these loom-weights are produced using mainly local raw materials helpful to create a reference group. The research has put the bases for the setting up of a minero-petrographic database on these type of ceramic class. The analysis could be also extended in future to other previous, contemporaneous as well as Roman sites
