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Medieval Dark Earth in an Active Alluvial Setting from the Uffizi Gallery Complex in Florence, Italy
No full textArchaeological excavations at the Biblioteca Magliabechiana, which is part of
the Uffizi gallery complex in Florence (Tuscany, central Italy), exposed Dark
Earth deposits between alluvial sediments of the nearby Arno River. The term
Dark Earth refers to thick, dark colored, and seemingly homogeneous deposits
occurring in urban settings throughout Europe, broadly dated to the post-
Roman period. The stratigraphic sequence of the Biblioteca Magliabechiana
was investigated by integrating geomorphological, chronological, and archaeological
information with micromorphological and soil analytical data. This
combination of approaches resulted in the identification of an early phase of
Dark Earth formation (7th century A.D.) during which the area was characterized
by the accumulation of manure or night soil in wet peri-fluvial conditions.
After a phase of abandonment, Dark Earth accretion resumed (10th to early
11th century A.D.), at this stage due primarily to the dumping of domestic
waste. Subsequent progressive abandonment of the area was followed by the
deposition of alluvium, probably during the major flood of November 4, 1177.
The present study demonstrates that Dark Earth is the outcome of strong bioturbation
and human reworking acting on anthropogenic deposits and possibly
on alluvial sediments
Lo Scoglietto nel paleo-paesaggio della piana di Grosseto
No full textAbstract
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This chapter discusses the geological and morphological aspects of Monti dell’Uccellina, and the historical evolution of the coastal plain of Grosseto, particularly of the area at the foot of Scoglietto. The mountain chain is com- posed of Mesozoic and Paleogene formations, while the coastal plain was formed more recently (i.e. in the Pleistocene and Holocene).The historical advancement of the coastline brought about a gradual narrowing of the bay below Scoglietto, a phenom-enon already occurring during the Middle Ages and completed before the year 1300 AD. This indenture of the coastline formed a convenient natural harbor in ancient times but due to silting was later abandoned.These observations are consistent with the dissolution of the temple (mid 4th century) and the abandonment of the entire area of Scoglietto in the 6th century. According to the available archaeological data, the coastal strip of land named Tombolo did not favour permanent set-tlement or road building until the second half of the 1st c. AD. In fact, the via Aurelia vetus, constructed around 241BC, followed the ancient lagoon coastline. Consequently, it ran closer to the towns of Rusellae and Vetulonia: a more advanta-geous route from which to control both the Etruscans and their territories.The increasing importance of the harbours/landings network during the first Imperial age spurred the development of the local infrastructure, including a road connecting the harbours, the production and storage site of Lo Spolverino, and the small temple of Scoglietto. It is likely that the whole area was under public ownership by the end of the 1st c. AD. By the early 5th c. it is likely a breakdown of the settlement network occurred since there is no more archaeological data from this area for any subsequent period until the late Middle Ages
Predicting site location through cost surfaces. A case study and a proposal.
No full textPredictive modelling in archaeology is a long-lasting debated topic among scholars, with a consolidated set of tools. This paper introduces a general procedure, which doesn’t require high-level GIS or mathematical skills. It uses cumulative cost surfaces not only to calculate least costpaths, but also to predict settlement location and t oevaluate resource exploitation
Les industries lithiques et osseuses du gisement de La Polledrara di Cecanibbio dans leur contexte géochronologique et biostratigraphique.
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Paleosuperficie esposta, concentrazione di industria litica e stratigrafia nella piana costiera di Maccarese (Roma)
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