Object of the present work is the archaeological and archaeometric study of glass fragments coming from the archaeological site of S. Andrea, in the Biotope “Loppio Lake” (Mori, Trento, Northern Italy), where the Museo Civico di Rovereto - Archaeological Department has been carrying out excavations since 1998. Aims are to investigate possible relationships between chemical composition and type and/or production techniques; to identify analogies with coeval glass from the Mediterranean area; to better contextualise the various phases of the site, and to extend the database on Italian Medieval glass. The research carried out so far unearthed the remains of a Medieval church (Sector C) surrounded by a late antique/early Medieval fortified settlement (Sectors A and B), characterized by a sequence of different building phases. Many finds belonging to weaponry and soldiers equipment suggest that this site, very strategically located along the ancient route going from the Adige Valley to the North Garda Lake, was settled for military reasons and lodged soldiers with their families. So far, it seems possible to identify an Osthrogoth/Byzantine phase, followed by a Lombard phase. A Carolingian presence is also documented in the site. Archaeometric study, carried out on a selection of glass fragments from Sectors A and C, shows that all samples are silica-soda-lime in composition. Natron was used as flux for the Early Medieval samples and soda ash for the Late Medieval ones. Compositional groups were identified, consistent with the major compositional groups identified in the western Mediterranean during the first millennium AD. In this context, two rough ellipsoidal glass “cakes”, about 8 cm large, with a concave-convex profile and with chemical compositions similar to Medieval wood ash glasses are unusual and puzzling. Although the function of these cakes are still unclear, their finding may suggest contacts between the Loppio area and the North European one.
Glass from Loppio (Trento, Northern Italy): an archaeological and archaeometric study.
SILVESTRI, ALBERTA;
2015
Abstract
Object of the present work is the archaeological and archaeometric study of glass fragments coming from the archaeological site of S. Andrea, in the Biotope “Loppio Lake” (Mori, Trento, Northern Italy), where the Museo Civico di Rovereto - Archaeological Department has been carrying out excavations since 1998. Aims are to investigate possible relationships between chemical composition and type and/or production techniques; to identify analogies with coeval glass from the Mediterranean area; to better contextualise the various phases of the site, and to extend the database on Italian Medieval glass. The research carried out so far unearthed the remains of a Medieval church (Sector C) surrounded by a late antique/early Medieval fortified settlement (Sectors A and B), characterized by a sequence of different building phases. Many finds belonging to weaponry and soldiers equipment suggest that this site, very strategically located along the ancient route going from the Adige Valley to the North Garda Lake, was settled for military reasons and lodged soldiers with their families. So far, it seems possible to identify an Osthrogoth/Byzantine phase, followed by a Lombard phase. A Carolingian presence is also documented in the site. Archaeometric study, carried out on a selection of glass fragments from Sectors A and C, shows that all samples are silica-soda-lime in composition. Natron was used as flux for the Early Medieval samples and soda ash for the Late Medieval ones. Compositional groups were identified, consistent with the major compositional groups identified in the western Mediterranean during the first millennium AD. In this context, two rough ellipsoidal glass “cakes”, about 8 cm large, with a concave-convex profile and with chemical compositions similar to Medieval wood ash glasses are unusual and puzzling. Although the function of these cakes are still unclear, their finding may suggest contacts between the Loppio area and the North European one.
Pubblicazioni consigliate
I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
