Claudia Speciale | Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social

Call for Papers by Claudia Speciale

#420 EAA conference 2023 Belfast, 30 aug-2 sept The Central Mediterranean represented a key area ... more #420 EAA conference 2023
Belfast, 30 aug-2 sept
The Central Mediterranean represented a key area within the vast and unprecedented exchange network that defines the Mediterranean in the second part of the 2nd mill BC and that apparently ended around 1200 BC. It was recently argued that the 1200 BC was a turning point for many European societies and that the climatic event recorded in this period (3.2 Ka BP) in various parts of Europe triggered important socio-economic changes. In particular, the decades around this year corresponded to a period of dramatic shifts in the Central/North Mediterranean (e.g. abandonment and reorganization of settlement, new forms of social organization), supposedly influenced by environmental change/stress. For instance, a complex range of ecological, economic and social factors has been evoked for the disappearance of the North Italian Terramare Culture or settlements of the Po Plain. However, many other regions deserve the same attention and the hypothesis of an environmental ‘crisis’ in this area still needs more robust evidence.
To what extent/ the 3.2 Ka BP event – if so – impact on the Central Mediterranean Late Bronze Age communities? Is it possible to detect adaptive responses (social, economic) to environmental changes at regional or lower level? Is it possible to detect short catastrophic events (e.g. frequent flooding, droughts)? Could have changes been induced or amplified by the widespread anthropogenic modifications on the ecosystems documented from around this period, through unsustainable practices (e.g. replacement of species, extensive agriculture, fire activity?).
In this session we address these questions with a multi-proxy approach (including, but not limited to, geo-archaeological, GIS-based and statistical, paleo-ecological, demographic) in order to compare archaeological evidence, landscape and environmental changes occurred around 1200 BC with possible shifts in the settlement forms and patterns or economic strategies. Different scale of analysis (site-based, cluster of sites, regional) are very welcomed.
Keywords:
Late Bronze Age, Central Mediterranean, 1200 BC ‘crisis’, Environmental and Cultural Change, Landscape, Climate and Society

INQUA - July 2023 Rome

During the Quaternary, some vertebrates lived on a variety of islands, from large to small, close... more During the Quaternary, some vertebrates lived on a variety of islands, from large to small, close to and
far from the mainland. Their ancestors arrived at these islands mainly via chance dispersal, swimming across wide
or narrow water barriers, rafting on floating vegetation, drifting with the aid of currents, or crossing over on
discontinuous, temporarily emerged terrestrial bridges. The presence of two intriguing endemic hominin species
on Flores (Homo floresiensis) and the Philippine islands (Homo luzonensis) rekindled the interest in the question of
the first over-sea colonization of islands by humans, which some evidence dates back to the Middle Pleistocene on
some Aegean islands during sea level lowstands. Available evidence suggests that the first seafarers colonized
Sahul and Australia around 48 ka BP, and the time of the first navigation in the Mediterranean offers further
chance for the debate. To provide some answers and investigate whether the unique characteristics of islands and
their fauna influenced the mode and rate of human peopling and successful settlement, it is suitable to develop an
integrated study, combining data from seemingly distant disciplines (e.g., palaeogeography, climatology,
archaeology, archaeobotany and oceanography). Calculating relative (eustatic, isostatic, and tectonic) sea level
changes is crucial for understanding both the possible connections with the continent and the distance from the
continent over time.

Islands in archaeology were traditionally analysed in terms of isolation and connectivity through... more Islands in archaeology were traditionally analysed in terms of isolation and connectivity through time as well as how these phenomena affected the structuration of specific cultures and social structures. Such approaches have now declined because they could not easily deal with the diversity and variability that island worlds present to us. These include: the level(s) of geographical constraints, their size and/or availability of primary resources, with human colonization creating even greater complexities. Examples of the latter involve peculiar processes of adaption, long-term lack of contacts, specific agro-pastoral systems and management of limited resources. Bio-molecular archaeology and the third science revolution are now opening new horizons in the analysis of islanders’ human-environmental diachronic relationships. At times, they have challenged previous concepts, interpretation, and established archaeological theories. In this session, we will deal with, not only the role of remote/limited islands as possible nodes of network, but also their bridging roles in cultural or biological bottle-neck processes and the challenges that human colonization (or re-colonization) faced. We will also discuss concepts of isolation and connectivity in relation to archaeological contexts or materials, landscape and insular identity and how contemporary trends in archaeological research can support original interpretations. Papers regarding all geographical contexts and chronological spans are welcome.

The central Mediterranean has been a crossroad of cultures since prehistoric times. A system of l... more The central Mediterranean has been a crossroad of cultures since prehistoric times. A system of larger islands, such as Sicily and Malta, surrounded by smaller isles and archipelagos, created an ideal land/seascape where people could move and share their material culture. However, far from creating a homogeneous cultural entity, Sicily and the islands around followed different trajectories of development. In the last years, the application of analytical methods (i.e. landscape archaeology, bioarchaeology, geochemical analyses, ...) shed lights on patterns of human-landscape interactions, knowledge transfer, diet change, and people movements, which however remained limited to some spot-areas unbalancing our perspective of the wider region. This roundtable aims at providing a discussion on the current status of the interdisciplinary studies on Sicily and how to move forward to the advancement of our knowledge of its cultural landscape from prehistoric times to recent times. The discussion will be encouraged around these main topics: interdisciplinary studies over time (historiography); new approaches and techniques (methodology); knowledge advancement (research); specialisation and knowledge gaps (academic formation). While focused on chronologically and geographically, this roundtable can provide insights for researchers working on other regions for the broadness of the subjects discussed. The discussion will be guided by the presentations of three key speakers, who have extensive experience in the field of material culture studies, landscape analysis, and digital archaeology, and who will introduce some of the topics listed. We welcome short presentations by early-stage researchers working on material culture, digital, landscape, and experimental archaeology in Sicily.

Il progetto Brains2Islands a Ustica prevede la realizzazione di ricognizioni sul territorio e sag... more Il progetto Brains2Islands a Ustica prevede la realizzazione di ricognizioni sul territorio e saggi di scavo per analizzare le dinamiche uomo-ambiente durante la preistoria. La call è aperta a tutti gli studenti o laureati nel campo dei beni archeologici. Si prevedono attività di ricognizione, scavo, prima analisi e schedatura dei materiali, workshop tematici. Sono coperte dalla missione le spese di vitto e alloggio. Sono richieste l'assicurazione sugli infortuni e scarpe antinfortunistica. Per ulteriori informazioni e invio candidature (entro il 31 marzo) contattate claudia.speciale@ingv.it Brains2Islands project in Ustica involves the archaeological surveys on the territory and trench pits to analyze human-environment dynamics during prehistory. The call is open to all students or graduates in the field of archaeological heritage. It includes survey activities, excavation, first analysis and filing of materials, thematic workshops. Accomodation costs are covered by the mission. Accident insurance and safety shoes are required. For more information and to send your application (by March 31st) please contact claudia.speciale@ingv.it Sezione Archeologica della Soprintendenza per i Beni Culturali e Ambientali di Palermo Sponsor

Primo turno: 23 settembre-4 ottobre; Secondo turno: 7-18 ottobre; First period: 23 sept-4 oct; se... more Primo turno: 23 settembre-4 ottobre; Secondo turno: 7-18 ottobre; First period: 23 sept-4 oct; second period: 7-18 oct
Il progetto Brains2Islands a Ustica prevede la realizzazione di ricognizioni sul territorio e saggi di scavo per analizzare le dinamiche uomo-ambiente durante la preistoria. La call è aperta a tutti gli studenti o laureati nel campo dei beni archeologici. Si prevedono attività di ricognizione, scavo, prima analisi e schedatura dei materiali, workshop tematici. Sono coperte dalla missione le spese di vitto e alloggio. Sono richieste l'assicurazione sugli infortuni e scarpe antinfortunistica. Per ulteriori informazioni e invio candidature (entro il 31 luglio) contattate claudia.speciale@ingv.it

Brains2Islands project in Ustica involves the archaeological surveys on the territory and trench pits to analyze human-environment dynamics during prehistory. The call is open to all students or graduates in the field of archaeological heritage. It includes survey activities, excavation, first analysis and filing of materials, thematic workshops. Accomodation costs are covered by the mission. Accident insurance and safety shoes are required. For more information and to send your application (by July 31st) please contact claudia.speciale@ingv.it

The correct detection of the remains of earthen buildings and structures is often complicated for... more The correct detection of the remains of earthen buildings and structures is often complicated for the archaeologists. In France, for example, their identification on the field is actually a challenge for researchers and it gives problems of scientific policy to the organisms that are in charge of the regulation of the preventive archaeology and the archaeological heritage. The recognition on the field is particularly hard in temperate regions of central and western Europe, especially for the most ancient periods. The comparison between some most evident structures, preserved in arid contexts or in sites such as tells, and latent or bad preserved structures, as in temperate contexts, can help the development of methods, excavation techniques and interpretation of archaeological findings. This session will be an opportunity to compare different experiences on the theme of earthen architecture in European and Middle East Prehistory relating to the identification of these structures on the field, the characterization of techniques (mudbrick, cob, wattle and daub, plasters, floors,...) and their decay. Various kinds of site can be presented, from domestic to funerary contexts. The discussion will be focused on the comprehension and interpretation of the rests of walls, buildings and other earthen structures, the understanding of the nature of mudbrick sediments, the ethnofacies and the formation processes of tells. Different approaches are welcomed (archaeology, geoarchaeology, geochemistry, geophysics,…) to present case studies and specific methodologies from preventive archaeology or long-term research projects. Interdisciplinary papers and posters are encouraged, as well as ethnoarchaeological and experimental studies.

Papers by Claudia Speciale

A personal view of my trip in Galapagos

Notiziario di Preistoria e Protostoria, 2022

In 2020 it was possible to bring to light on Piano dei Cardoni (Ustica) a megalithic funerary str... more In 2020 it was possible to bring to light on Piano dei Cardoni (Ustica) a megalithic funerary structure from the end of the Neolithic, of which the bones found in 2019 represented a last phase of deposition partly compromised by modern plowing. It is a large sepulchral complex, with different phases of funerary use and structural reworking that probably cover the span of at least 500 years (4700-4200 BCE). Nel 2020 è stato possibile mettere in luce su Piano dei Cardoni (Ustica) una struttura funeraria megalitica della fine del Neolitico, della quale le ossa rinvenute nel 2019 rappresentavano un’ultima fase di deposizione in parte compromessa dalle arature moderne. Si tratta di un complesso sepolcrale di grandi dimensioni, con diverse fasi di utilizzo funerario e rimaneggiamento strutturale che probabilmente coprono l’arco di almeno 500 anni (4700-4200 BCE).

Notiziario di Preistoria e Protostoria, 2022

Starting from the research for the Brains2Islands project and the new investigations on the islan... more Starting from the research for the Brains2Islands project and the new investigations on the island to understand the man-environment dynamics in prehistoric times, it was possible to carry out a new survey in the Culunnedda area, to try to give light to the possible presence of other tombs. In addition to positioning the old structures, in December 2020 it was possible to carry out an initial partial cleaning of the thick stain that covers the whole area to identify other potential funerary structures. Along one of the slopes facing east, it was possible to identify a basaltic spur on which there was a circular cut of about 1 meter in diameter which contained, under a layer of loose soil, some poorly preserved ceramic fragments that seem to belong to two containers of the same cultural horizon as the tombs. At first glance, it seems that it is a non-funerary structure, but probably connected to the use of the tombs. A partire dalle ricerche per il progetto Brains2Islands e le nuove indagini sul territorio isolano per comprendere le dinamiche uomo-ambiente nella preistoria, è stato possibile effettuare una nuova ricognizione nell’area della Culunnedda, per cercare di mettere in luce l’eventuale presenza di altre tombe. Oltre a posizionare le vecchie strutture, è stato possibile effettuare nel dicembre 2020 una prima attività di parziale ripulitura della fitta macchia che ricopre tutta l’area per individuare altre potenziali strutture funerarie. Lungo uno dei pendii esposti ad Est, è stato possibile identificare uno sperone basaltico sul quale era presente un taglio circolare di circa 1 metro di diametro che conteneva, al di sotto di uno strato di terreno smosso, alcuni frammenti ceramici mal conservati che sembrano appartenere a due contenitori dello stesso orizzonte culturale delle tombe. Ad una prima analisi, sembra che si tratti di una struttura non funeraria, ma probabilmente collegata alla fruizione delle tombe.

Sustainability, 2021

Monumental olive trees, with their longevity and their remarkable size, represent an important in... more Monumental olive trees, with their longevity and their remarkable size, represent an important information source for the comprehension of the territory where they grow and the human societies that have kept them through time. Across the centuries, olive trees are the only cultivated plants that tell the story of Mediterranean landscapes. The same as stone monuments, these green monuments represent a real Mediterranean natural and cultural heritage. The aim of this paper is to discuss the value of monumental trees as “biocultural heritage” elements and the role they play in the interpretation of the historical stratification of the landscape. We present the results of a survey of the most significant olive trees growing in Sicily. The selection was based on the “monumentality” aspects of trees, taking into account dendrometric parameters and environmental contexts. The collected dataset constitutes a heterogeneous sample of 367 specimens of considerable size that, in some cases, rea...

The paper aims at merging the first results from the analyses of the georesources exploited in th... more The paper aims at merging the first results from the analyses of the georesources exploited in the site of Piano dei Cardoni (Ustica island, Italy) during the Neolithic phases of its occupation (Middle-Late Neolithic, 4.7-4.2 ka cal BC). Grinding tools consist of a very varied typology of local volcanic rocks, easy to collect and available very close to the investigated site. A selection of shapes and lithology is applied to reach the best performance of the tools. The elevated number of grinders, pestles, mortars testify to an intense activity of food/plant processing in the site. The absence of chert or obsidian resources on the island pushed the human communities to import such raw materials from the Aeolian islands and probably from the northwestern area of Palermo. Pumice is collected on the same island, probably due to the local availability and its good quality. Similarly, local clay resources are used for the manufacture of ceramics, mostly burnished and incised wares. Ustica was therefore almost autonomous for the exploitation of resources, with volcanic rocks readily available in abundance and with the most significant exception being chert and obsidian. This last one probably imported and worked on the island and then moved towards NorthWestern Sicily.

EXARC Journal, 2013

What should an archaeologist do if one of the reconstructions of an experimental village is accid... more What should an archaeologist do if one of the reconstructions of an experimental village is accidentally burning during the night? Simple: pick up a camera and start taking pictures. And then, of course, plan the excavation to record as much information as possible followed by an analytical and detailed publication on the results.

Geological and environmental conditions that influence local topography also affect indi... more Geological and environmental conditions that influence local topography also affect indirectly the location of human settlement dynamics. Understanding those relationships plays an important role in archaeological research related to the evolution of settlement dynamics. In the lower Tyrrhenian Islands, an important parameter is also the volcanic landscape evolution. This work aims to study the patterns of Neolithic, Cooper and Bronze Age settlements, based on known archaeological sites at the Low Tyrrhenian Islands, and to generate hypotheses about the relations of settlement patterns with the volcanic landscape. To that end, a Web-GIS database was created, which was fed with topographic, geological, geomorphological data and Earth Observation data. Geomorphological analysis, derived from digital elevation models, and earth observation products such as the SENTINEL missions, can provide useful estimations into the processes shaping landscapes and insight into the location and evolution of settlements. The analysis includes a series of different data correlation, from geomorphologic to socioeconomic, integrated by an indicator analysis. A series of thematic maps were developed to interpret why areas were selected to host settlements. Through the use of the database that was developed during the project, a set of indexes have been applied. Those included exposure and vulnerability indices for the inland and coastal areas, but also location and defensibility indices for the archaeological sites. Moreover, baseline maps for future risk estimations through a Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis System (MCDA), have been produced. The Volcanic Islands of the lower Tyrrhenian coast have a volcanic origin and were influenced, and partly still are, by explosive and effusive eruptions of various energy and types, by more or less intense deformational events, often connected with the dynamics of the volcano, and quiescent periods of varying duration. The areas under investigation present different characteristics in their geomorphological but also their societal evolution. Geomorphological data further analyzed in a ternary diagram that indicated the relative influence of each of the parameters in each area. From the diagram, it can be seen that the locations of human activities are strongly affected by past and recent volcanic activity.Acknowledgement: This work is part of the Brains2Islands “INDAGINE MULTIDISCIPLINARE NEI CONTESTI INSULARI BASSO TIRRENICI” project Funded by FONDAZIONE CON IL SUD project number 2015-0296

Sulphur was one of the main raw materials to be traded in the Roman period. The high request had ... more Sulphur was one of the main raw materials to be traded in the Roman period. The high request had to encourage the production of the mineral industry of Agrigento. To have an approximate estimation of sulphur need for a vineyard, we tried and reproduce Cato’s recipe of a sulphur mixture, used to defeat some insect attack. In Marcus Porcius Cato, De Agricultura, 95, written in 160 BC c., we can find the exact recipe to produce a mixture used on the grape plants to defeat an insect. As first result, we can say that 8,5 liters of mixture (1 kg of sulphur) was enough for about 25-30 plants; we can evaluate that you need about 250 kgxhectare. It is quite evident that the request of sulphur had to be very consistent, as much as the one of bitumen, especially from the areas with the higher wine production.

Sicily represents a crucial area in the Mediterranean basin for its geographic position, ecologic... more Sicily represents a crucial area in the Mediterranean basin for its geographic position, ecological diversity, cultural heritage, and historical richness. The comprehension of human communities\\u2019 dynamics within their environmental context and their mutual connections is with no doubt one key approach for the development of archaeological studies in Sicily, through a real interdisciplinary and multiproxy research where anthropogenic and non-anthropogenic causes could be distinguished and analyzed. Previous studies attempted to investigate the connection between environmental changes and social and cultural dynamics in prehistoric time in Sicily and the possible influence on other Mediterranean cultures (Izdebski et al. 2015; Martini et al. 2009; Mercuri et al. 2011; Pacciarelli et al. 2015; Sadori et al. 2016; Zanchetta et al. 2013). The overall aim of this paper, through a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach, is to review the paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic results from lake sediments and the evidence from prehistoric contexts collecting archaeological (notably paleodemographic) and archaeobotanical (i.e. pollen and plant macro-remains) data in Sicily island. The paper will cover the chronological range from the late Pleistocene until the early historical times (~14000 \\u2013 2500 BP). National and international researches have been carried out in the last decades on the island to collect data both from lacustrine pollen sequences and archaeological sites. All these studies allow to put together for the first time the paleoecological information and compare them with cultural development of prehistoric human groups to verify how climatic oscillations can have affected prehistoric communities in settlement patterns, socio-economic changes, land use or other human activities

This paper interprets the first archaeobotanical data to emerge from the island of Ustica (north-... more This paper interprets the first archaeobotanical data to emerge from the island of Ustica (north-western Sicily, Italy). The excavation of the Neolithic site of Piano dei Cardoni (4600-4200 cal BC) and the Middle Bronze Age site of Faraglioni Village (1500-1250 cal BC), has made it possible to analyse plant macro-remains and compare them with data on local vegetation obtained from both historical literary sources and recent field surveys. The onset of agro-pastoral practices in the mid-5th millennium BC brought about significant changes to the local pristine plant communities. Indeed, the presence of holm oaks and pine trees in that period was recently detected for the first time. The evolution of the local vegetation following the first human settlement in the Neolithic has some crucial parallels with what happened following the recolonisation of the mid-eighteenth century. The massive presence of olive trees during the Middle Bronze Age suggests the deliberate introduction of this crop species on the island and attests to olives’ paramount importance for the local economy at that time. The disappearance of some woody species shows that human occupation has had a powerful impact on the island’s forest resources, which partially recovered during the repeated long phases of land abandonment.

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 2020

Resumen Se presentan los resultados del análisis tecnológico y funcional de las grandes puntas la... more Resumen Se presentan los resultados del análisis tecnológico y funcional de las grandes puntas lanceoladas fabricadas en los niveles inferiores del sitio de Offing 2, canal Whiteside, Estrecho de Magallanes. Estos artefactos son característicos de las poblaciones marítimas de la región hacia los 4.000 años AP. Los resultados muestran una cadena operativa de fabricación in situ que incluye una formatización por percusión blanda y dura, de una sola vez y en una misma locación, y un acabado por presión, cuyas características (localización, posición, continuidad y cantidad de series) pueden variar. Los resultados funcionales son poco concluyentes, pero son coherentes con una gestión particular de estos artefactos, que involucra conductas de transporte y reavivado. Se propone una hipótesis (a evaluar) de funcionamiento flexible (como arma y cuchillo) asociado a este tipo de gestión.

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 2020

Archaeological investigations carried out at Case Bastione (Enna, central Sicily) provide a key i... more Archaeological investigations carried out at Case Bastione (Enna, central Sicily) provide a key insight into the cultural and environmental changes that occurred during the transition from the Copper Age to the Bronze Age. Preliminary data of an ongoing paleoenvironmental reconstruction through archaeobotanical analyses are here presented. The selective exploitation of vegetation, the adaptation of lifestyle to local resources, and changing climatic conditions are analysed using different on-site and off-site environmental and archaeological proxies. The environment around the site was constituted by mixed oak woodland. Dietary preferences were reconstructed through the analysis of carpo-remains. Isotopic values provide new data on the 4.2 ka BP event and its effects on vegetation in central Sicily. In a whole, first results from Case Bastione give new light to human choices of vegetal resources exploitation. Comparison of the local results with the regional pollen data support the hypothesis that the growth in population and settlement in the inland part of the island since the Late Copper Age may reflect changing climatic conditions in coastal areas. environment since prehistoric times (Behre, Jacomet 1991; Mercuri, Sadori 2013). This combination of studies by complementary disciplines demonstrates that the full integration of analysed datasets focused on anthropogenic and natural processes provides the most powerful way to understand human activity and adaptation to landscapes and environments (

New data are given on the population size and ecology of P. raffonei occurring on La Canna stack,... more New data are given on the population size and ecology of P. raffonei occurring on La Canna stack, off Filicudi Island (Aeolian Archipelago). The estimates provided a consistency of 82.5 ± 52.5 individuals. Lizards occupy the whole surface of the stack, although they result more abundant (0.8 ind./m2) in the areas more densely covered by vegetation. The diet is based mainly on ants and other arthropods, among which marine crustaceans found in the intertidal belt, and includes a significant percentage of vegetal matter. Also, the lizards feed on the prey remains from the pellets of Eleonora’s falcon. All these traits reveal a remarkable level of adaptation to the chronic lack of resources that characterizes this micro-insular environment.

INQUA - July 2023 Rome

A personal view of my trip in Galapagos

Notiziario di Preistoria e Protostoria, 2022

Sustainability, 2021

EXARC Journal, 2013

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 2020

Terre crue: constructions en torchis et autres techniques de garnissage et de finition, 2018

AUTHORS: Alessandro Peinetti, Silvia Rita Amicone, Diego Angelucci, Giorgia Aprile, Fiorenza Bort... more AUTHORS: Alessandro Peinetti, Silvia Rita Amicone, Diego Angelucci, Giorgia Aprile, Fiorenza Bortolami, Lorenzo Castellano, Fabio Cavulli, Enrico Croce, Cosimo D’Oronzo, Fabiana Dumont, Girolamo Fiorentino, Giulia Fronza, Giorgio Gaj, Claudio Moffa, Italo Maria Muntoni, Annaluisa Pedrotti, Maria Pia Riccardi, Mauro Rottoli, Claudia Speciale, Giovanni Tasca, Carlo Veca, Marica Venturino, Giovanni Vezzoli. ABSTRACT The discovery of remains of daub, especially burned, is very common in Italian pre- and protohistoric sites. This collective work aims to summarize the researches carried out over the last thirty years in Italian contexts of the Late Prehistory, from the Neolithic to the Iron Age. The subjects considered in this paper will be the selection of raw materials and their preparation, the realization of the timber frame or of the the wattle, the putting of the raw earth on the frame and the technical interactions. A number of case studies will be taken into account, in order to draw up a synthesis of the different techniques attested in Italian territory, looking for geographical or chronological constants or variables. The methodological approaches implemented by the various authors will be taken into account.

The correct detection of the remains of earthen buildings and structures is often complicated for... more The correct detection of the remains of earthen buildings and structures is often complicated for the archaeologists. In France, for example, their identification on the field is actually a challenge for researchers and it gives problems of scientific policy to the organisms that are in charge of the regulation of the preventive archaeology and the archaeological heritage. The recognition on the field is particularly hard in temperate regions of central and western Europe, especially for the most ancient periods. The comparison between some most evident structures, preserved in arid contexts or in sites such as tells, and latent or bad preserved structures, as in temperate contexts, can help the development of methods, excavation techniques and interpretation of archaeological findings. This session will be an opportunity to compare different experiences on the theme of earthen architecture in european and Middle East Prehistory relating to the identification of these structures on the field, the characterization of techniques (mudbrick, cob, wattle and daub, plasters, floors,...) and their decay. Various kinds of site can be presented, from domestic to funerary contexts. The discussion will be focused on the comprehension and interpretation of the rests of walls, buildings and other earthen structures, the understanding of the nature of mudbrick sediments, the ethnofacies and the formation processes of tells. Different approaches are welcomed (archaeology, geoarchaeology, geochemistry, geophysics,…) to present case studies and specific methodologies from preventive archaeology or long-term research projects. Interdisciplinary papers and posters are encouraged, as well as ethnoarchaeological and experimental studies.

“UBI MINOR”, “LE ISOLE MINORI DEL MEDITERRANEO CENTRALE DAL NEOLITICO AI PRIMI CONTATTI COLONIALI... more “UBI MINOR”, “LE ISOLE MINORI DEL MEDITERRANEO CENTRALE DAL NEOLITICO AI PRIMI CONTATTI COLONIALI”, Capri 27-30 ottobre 2014

IpoTESI di Preistoria, 2017

The beginning of the Bronze Age in the Aeolian islands is marked by the Capo Graziano facies. The... more The beginning of the Bronze Age in the Aeolian islands is marked by the Capo Graziano facies. The village of Filo Braccio represents the oldest phase of occupation of the archipelago in the Bronze Age. The settlement of Filo Braccio in Filicudi (Aeolian Islands) was the subject of archaeological investigations since 1959 (Bernabo Brea, Cavalier 1991a) and then resumed in 2009 (Martinelli et alii 2010) and in 2013. Several huts, named A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, L were investigated. They are groups of oval-shaped huts with attached open-air spaces for agricultural and work activities. Three households were identified: A-B-C; F-H; D-G-I-L. The analysis of the hut F represents an analytical study of the nucleus of a household of this complex settlement, inhabited for about five hundred years, during which it can be supposed the succession of at least ten generations. Here the authors decided to edit part of the archaeological excavation on the F hut, to expose pottery chronotypology and...

Annals of Geophysics, 2021

“The Mediterranean: scientific expertise for decision-makers” - MED2020 - 16-18 Nov 2020

The cultural association PastActivity was born in 2016 from the idea of two archaeologists, Laura... more The cultural association PastActivity was born in 2016 from the idea of two archaeologists, Laura and Giovanni, along with the external cooperation of a third one, Claudia. They have been working in museums and popularization in archaeology for several years. PastActivity’s main goal is the valorisation of the landscape and the cultural heritage through a better knowledge and understanding of the past and of its traditions.
Our first project aimed to organize an event of didactic archaeology and historical re-enactment in the Archaeological Park of the Valley of the Temples of Agrigento (Sicily, Italy): 210 BC – The Conquest of Akragas.
Among our partners, we had the chance to collaborate with some local actors that helped us in the shaping of the project and the achievement of some goals for the organisation and advertisement of the event. Nevertheless, the collaboration with the regional and national organizations involved in the touristic promotion of our territories are still linked to a more "static" concept that is not embracing the new means of communication in archaeology yet. Schools and single visitors were easier to attract than groups managed by tour operators. Thanks to our team work on the territory, we had the chance to involve the local public. Social media were definitely one of the best strategies to expand our tourist offer and attract new segments of public.

“UBI MINOR”, “LE ISOLE MINORI DEL MEDITERRANEO CENTRALE DAL NEOLITICO AI PRIMI CONTATTI COLONIAL... more “UBI MINOR”, “LE ISOLE MINORI DEL MEDITERRANEO CENTRALE DAL NEOLITICO AI PRIMI CONTATTI COLONIALI”, Capri 27-30 ottobre 2014

This paper takes inspiration from a traditional pastoral building, known in Central and Northern ... more This paper takes inspiration from a traditional pastoral building, known in Central and Northern Sicily (Italy) as “pagliaro” or “pagghiaru”. Our interest in this kind of architecture is linked to our Bronze Age hut rebuilding project. Besides the analysis of the data from the archaeological context, we’re collecting information about local use of vegetal materials and dry walls techniques, both developed in long term tradition.
The “pagghiaru” is a “hut” spread especially in Nebrodi, Madonie,
Peloritani, Erei Mountains in Sicily but known also in other regions of Southern Italy with local features. It was built until the half of 20th century by shepherds or farmers, but it is still used in many plots as shelter or cote. It has usually a round or oval shape, quite small in diameter, with a drystone wall of about 1,50-1,80 m made by mid-big stones; a strawy roof is self-substained, without the use of poles in the ground.
We collected as information as possible about some of these buildings in Madonie mountains, in order to analyze the choice of local raw materials, the architectural issues and - specifically for this congress - some of the destroying dynamics, availing ourselves of the help of the builders and local historical memory.

This work is the result of a research carried out within the course of Italian Protohistory at th... more This work is the result of a research carried out within the course of Italian Protohistory at the Scuola di Specializzazione in Beni Archeologici of the Università del Salento (Lecce). Francavilla Marittima is one of the most interesting Iron Age sites of Southern Italian. It is documented by a number of different complexes (settlements, cemeteries, and a sanctuary) dating from the 10th to the 6th century BC. It can be considered as a key site for the understanding of indigenous - Greeks relationships in the early colonial phase. Since the first excavation, in the 60ties, the cemeteries, especially the main one, at Temparella, have been studied by different scholars. However, it is still possible to analyze them from a new standpoint, through a gender/age approach which may provide a better insight of social structure and organization, within a wider frame of chronological and cultural changes. Unfortunately, since the anthropological data have not been systematically studied, sex and age attribution can only be tentatively proposed, based on observations by the excavator and on the different combinations of grave goods. Tumulus graves of the earliest phases are organized by separate clusters, probably according to kin-groups. Women’s outfits show a high level of complexity, as indicated by the great number of bronze, amber and faience ornaments, also including some imports, in different combinations. Men’s graves stand out for their spatial position, the size of the tomb structures and the systematic presence of weapons and/or tools. Some objects, such as the askos, are specific to the outfits of sub-adults, although apparently there is no sex differentiation. During the last phases, there is a significant decrease in the overall number of graves, along with ritual changes: the funerary structures are plain fossa-graves, and gender differentiations are no longer stressed.

It's a review of paleolithic and neolithic data from Albania, result of an educational trip with ... more It's a review of paleolithic and neolithic data from Albania, result of an educational trip with the Scuola di Specializzazione.

First issue of the Newsletter on Brains2Islands project

Atti del V Convegno Nazionale dei Giovani Archeologi (Catania 2013)

Sulphur is a very useful mineral for many applications. It burns easily, making a bluish light. M... more Sulphur is a very useful mineral for many applications. It burns easily, making a bluish light. Maybe for this reason, making a light at the same time hot and cold , people used this mineral from the Bronze Age in ceremonies of purification. The author of Iliad and Odyssey speaks about it. When Achilles wants to celebrate Patroclos' funeral, he purifies the area with sulphur. The same does Ulysses after killing the Proci. Another application of sulphur, documented between the V BC and the V A.D. c., is in the manufacture of weapons. Sulphur is one of the most important ingredients of fire mixtures used to burn siege machines. And also to create incendiary grenades.

in Beni archeologici, Lecce, Italia 7 93 are the inventory numbers attributed by Zancani Montuoro... more in Beni archeologici, Lecce, Italia 7 93 are the inventory numbers attributed by Zancani Montuoro, but the effective number of the deceased is higher, because there are double depositions (i.e. T76A e B), triple ones (i.e.T61+T62 A, B e C) and the depositions inside pithos (i.e. 18 and 18bis).

Experimental archeology on architecture is often interested in woodworking, firing dynamics and e... more Experimental archeology on architecture is often interested in woodworking, firing dynamics and effects of firing on the earthen material, with a particular care about the amount of daub preserved after the firing event. We point out so far the absence of an experimental reference system about the variability in wattle and daub and other earthen construction technologies.

Sulphur is a very useful mineral for many applications. It burns easily, making a bluish light. M... more Sulphur is a very useful mineral for many applications. It burns easily, making a bluish light. Maybe for this reason, making a light at the same time hot and "cold", people used this mineral from the Bronze Age in ceremonies of purification. The author of Iliad and Odyssey speaks about it. When Achilles wants to celebrate Patroclos' funeral, he purifies the area with sulphur. The same does Ulysses after killing the Proci. Another application of sulphur, documented between the V BC and the V A.D. c., is in the manufacture of weapons. Sulphur is one of the most important ingredients of fire mixtures used to burn siege machines. And also to create incendiary grenades.

Ustica is a small island off the coast of Palermo city (Sicily, Italy). It was occupied by human ... more Ustica is a small island off the coast of Palermo city (Sicily, Italy). It was occupied by human settlements since Neolithic times. During the Middle Bronze Age (half of 2nd millennium BC) it was interested by the presence of an important fortified village (Spatafora F., Ustica tra il Tirreno e la Sicilia, in BTCGI, XXI, Pisa-Rome-Naples 2012, 427-439). First analyses on the samples (charcoals, seeds and microfossils) coming from the vases and the soils of the cultual area of the village are here presented, discussed and contextualized in the framework of 2nd millennium BC analyses from Thyrrenian area.

The settlement of Case Bastione is located in the North-Western area of Enna, Villarosa, along th... more The settlement of Case Bastione is located in the North-Western area of Enna, Villarosa, along the eastern side of Morello river (Giannitrapani et alii 2014). The large settlement (more than 2 ha) lies at the foot of a rocky ridge delimiting Stelo Lake and it is placed on a terrace that looks over the Ferrari dam, built in the 60s on the Morello River. Since 2007,
there have been six excavation field campaigns by Cooperativa Arkeos: during these investigations, it was possible to verify how the occupation of the area started at the end of the Neolithic and developed continuously throughout the Copper age until the advanced phases of Early Bronze Age. The stratigraphic investigations so far regarded the latest phases of the prehistoric settlement. In many areas of the excavation, several hut structures of the facies Castelluccio were found. According to the absolute radiocarbon datings and pottery typological analysis, they date to mid 3rd-beginning of 2nd mill. B.C.
Daub – used here as coating layer of the perimeter walls – was identified in several areas of the excavation. Its detection and recording was not always of simple observation, even if preservation conditions are quite good, probably due to the chemical-physical properties of the soils and intense fire they were exposed to. Hut 1 of Case Bastione (EBA) has 2 different phases of use and its destruction was probably due to a fire that allowed to preserve the daub. A first analysis of mixtures and prints (Speciale 2015) let us outline some issues on the architectural techniques and hypothize the features of the elevation, also thanks to comparisons with other huts of the same period in Sicily. The study of new data from Hut 5 (LCA), still ongoing, will give new perspectives on the architectural techniques.

Le iniziative della sede regionale siciliana della Confederazione Italiana Archeologi mirate all'... more Le iniziative della sede regionale siciliana della Confederazione Italiana Archeologi mirate all'analisi del grado di trasparenza amministrativa in occasione di interventi pubblici sul patrimonio archeologico della regione.

Il progetto Hut&Fire nasce nel luglio 2012 come prima esperienza di archeologia sperimentale di A... more Il progetto Hut&Fire nasce nel luglio 2012 come prima esperienza di archeologia sperimentale di ArchaeoGreen e consiste nella ri-costruzione di una capanna dell'età del Bronzo in Sicilia (Case Bastione presso Villarosa, Enna), attraverso l'utilizzo di materiali e tecniche compatibili con le conoscenze pre-protostoriche. Alla realizzazione seguirà l'incendio della struttura e lo scavo stratigrafico dei resti. Oltre ad un'accurata raccolta dei dati scientifici, l'intento del progetto è di divulgare al più ampio pubblico possibile le tappe del suo sviluppo, creando un rapporto diretto attraverso l'uso di mezzi digitali (in particolare foto, video e supporti web).

In order to acquire raw materials attested during Sicilian prehistory, we used only tools that we... more In order to acquire raw materials attested during Sicilian prehistory, we used only tools that we could reconstruct starting from archaeological artifacts (fig.5.1, Neolithic flint blade). We made a sickle using wood, flint blades and resin glue ( . The sickle was used on Ampelodesmos mauritanicus, a graminaceaea typical in our arid environment ( .

Archeologia pubblica al tempo della crisi. Giornate Gregoriane VII edizione

Abstract Book - 40th Association for Environmental Archaeology Conference - Sheffield (UK), 29th November-2nd December 2019, 2019

The volcanic island of Ustica (9 km2) is located about 58 km north of the coast of Palermo, Sicil... more The volcanic island of Ustica (9 km2) is located about 58 km north of the coast of Palermo, Sicily, in a strategical position for the routes that lead from the Aeolian Islands to Western Sicily and from Western Sicily to the south of Sardinia. During prehistory Ustica was settled since Neolithic times until the Middle Bronze Age (about 4000-1300
BC). Since 2017, a paleoenvironmental analysis of Ustica island is conducted within the project Brains2Islands, which includes the investigation of human-environmental dynamics on small volcanic islands of the Tyrrhenian sea during prehistory. Surveys and field activities brought to light several prehistoric sites; one of them, Piano dei Cardoni (Late Neolithic) is now under excavation and study. For this paper, the pattern of distribution of the settlements since Neolithic times is analysed considering the volcanic setting, the geomorphological evolution and the soil properties of the island. Botanical macro- and micro-remains from soils and obsidian artifacts are analysed within a multivariate approach that discusses them in relationship with the lithic use -wear and residue results, for the paleovegetational, paleoclimatic and paleoeconomic reconstruction. The exploitation of local sources for ceramic manufacturing is investigated through the petrographic analyses of the sherds. All these data are compared in order to reconstruct the cultural landscape of the communities of the island during the 5th millennium BC.

Le attività di ricerca sull’isola di Ustica (Palermo) fanno parte del progetto Brains2Islands – F... more Le attività di ricerca sull’isola di Ustica (Palermo) fanno parte del progetto Brains2Islands – Fondazione con il Sud, con Host Institution l’Osservatorio Vesuviano dell’Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (Napoli, Italia), in accordo con la Sezione per i Beni Archeologici del Servizio Soprintendenza dei Beni Culturali e Ambientali di Palermo. Il progetto mira a studiare il rapporto uomo-piccole isole vulcaniche nel corso delle fasi pre-protostoriche, mettendo in relazione le dinamiche insediamentali con quelle paleoambientali e valutando i rischi per i siti di interesse culturale e naturale.
L’isola è stata interessata da ricognizioni archeologiche non sistematiche, campagne di scavo e numerose attività antropiche che, nel corso del secolo scorso, hanno portato in luce numerose testimonianze
archeologiche, attestando una occupazione da epoca preistorica a oggi con alcune fasi di interruzione (Spatafora 2009; Mannino, Ailara 2016). Tuttavia, nonostante la ridotta estensione dell’isola, il pattern
insediativo sembra infatti ancora lacunoso per tutte le fasi di occupazione a partire dal Neolitico, anche grazie all’elevato grado di abilità di Ustica, caratterizzata dalla presenza di numerose aree pianeggianti e coltivabili.
Oltre all’unico sito preistorico scavato stratigraficamente ad oggi (il villaggio dei Faraglioni del Bronzo Medio), il sito di Piano dei Cardoni è stato oggetto di un primo approfondimento di scavo, mettendo in luce
la presenza di un’occupazione della fine del Neolitico in stratigrafia, caratterizzata da ceramica a incisione e excisione, ceramica dipinta bicromica e ceramica nello stile di Diana e industria litica su ossidiana e selce. È in corso lo studio dei materiali per un migliore inquadramento crono-culturale. In questo lavoro si presentato alcuni risultati preliminari, con focus sui dati derivanti dallo studio macroscopico, morfo -tecnologico e funzionale dei reperti (139) in ossidiana.

Historical continuity of botanical research from the molecular to the systemic scale - Riunione della Società Botanica Italiana, sezione pugliese. Bari, 25-01-2019

First results of Case Bastione archaeobotanical analyses

Il seminario, indirizzato agli allievi del corso di Preistoria e Protostoria dell'Università di B... more Il seminario, indirizzato agli allievi del corso di Preistoria e Protostoria dell'Università di Bologna, prevede il seguente programma:
Maurizio Cattani (Università di Bologna) Introduzione. Le ricerche a
Pantelleria, l'isola al centro del Mediterraneo.
Alessandra Magri (Università di Bologna) Il Mare di Mezzo. Le recenti
prospettive di studio del Mediterraneo nella Preistoria.
Helen Dawson (Topoi, Freie Universität Berlin) Il ruolo dei network delle
piccole isole del Mediterraneo centrale nelle dinamiche di interazione
culturale dell'Età del Bronzo (collegamento via webcam).
Claudia Speciale (Università del Salento; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica
e Vulcanologia) Dinamiche uomo-ambiente e paleodemografia nell'età del Bronzo: il caso studio delle isole Eolie (collegamento via webcam).
Discussione e Conclusioni.

23rd Annual Meeting of the European Association of Archaeologists, Maastricht 2017

Conference Paper, 7th conference of the International Work Group for Palaeoethnobotany Muséum nat... more Conference Paper, 7th conference of the International Work Group
for Palaeoethnobotany
Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris, July 4th-9th

Il primo grande evento di rievocazione storica in Sicilia, Parco archeologico e paesaggistico val... more Il primo grande evento di rievocazione storica in Sicilia, Parco archeologico e paesaggistico valle dei templi di Agrigento 6-7 maggio 2017

The correct detection of the remains of earthen buildings and structures is often complicated for... more The correct detection of the remains of earthen buildings and structures is often complicated for the archaeologists. In France, for example, their identification on the field is actually a challenge for researchers and it gives problems of scientific policy to the organisms that are in charge of the regulation of the preventive archaeology and the archaeological
heritage. The recognition on the field is particularly hard in temperate regions of central and western Europe, especially for the most ancient periods. The comparison between some most evident structures, preserved in arid contexts or in sites such as tells, and latent or bad preserved structures, as in temperate contexts, can help the development of methods, excavation techniques and interpretation of archaeological findings.
This session will be an opportunity to compare different experiences on the theme of earthen architecture in european and Middle East Prehistory relating to the identification of these structures on the field, the characterization of techniques (mudbrick, cob, wattle and daub, plasters, floors,...) and their decay. Various kinds of site can be presented, from domestic to funerary contexts. The discussion will be focused on the comprehension and interpretation of the rests of walls, buildings and other earthen structures, the understanding of the nature of mudbrick sediments, the ethnofacies and the formation processes of tells. Different approaches are welcomed (archaeology, geoarchaeology, geochemistry, geophysics,…) to present case studies and specific methodologies from preventive archaeology or long-term research projects. Interdisciplinary papers and posters are encouraged, as well as ethnoarchaeological and experimental studies.

This session will discuss the complex relationship between human communities and the rich natural... more This session will discuss the complex relationship between human communities and the rich natural landscape of Sicily and the central Mediterranean basin during the prehistoric and proto-historic periods (from the Palaeolithic to the Bronze age).

40th Association for Environmental Archaeology Conference

Within the project “Harvesting Memories: Ecology and Archaeology of Monti Sicani landscapes” – su... more Within the project “Harvesting Memories: Ecology and Archaeology of Monti Sicani landscapes” – supported by Bona Furtuna LLC – this paper aims to reconstruct human-environment relationship in the inland of Central-Western Sicily during the Early Middle Ages through a comparative analysis between archaeological data and vegetation dynamics in current landscape (University of Palermo). The environmental archaeological record (faunal remains and anthracological/ carpological finds) has been analysed from different layers of the rural settlement (Contrada Castro, Corleone, Palermo) – excavated in 2017, 2018 and 2019 (Soprintendenza BB.CC.AA. of Palermo) – mainly occupied during Byzantine age and Islamic period (8th-11th c. AD). The first examination of charcoals provided the identification of the plant species selected and exploited in the surrounding landscape of the site for each chronological phase. The archaeobotanical data indicates punctual and qualitative picture on the historical vegetation of this area. The phytosociological data allowed the spatial arrangements of archaeobotanical finds within plant communities and its ecological distribution. The archaeozoological data added more information on the reconstruction of rural economy, husbandry management and its ecological environment. An integrated comparison between the structure and composition of current phytocoenoses with archaeobotanical and archaeozoological data allowed to interpret the dynamics of interaction between a rural community and its environment.

The project “Harvesting Memories: Ecology and Archaeology of Monti Sicani landscapes” aims to ana... more The project “Harvesting Memories: Ecology and Archaeology of Monti Sicani landscapes” aims to analyse the long-term relationship of landscape dynamics and settlement patterns in a Mediterranean inland of Central-Western Sicily. The project combined different interdisciplinary approaches of vegetation science, landscape ecology, archaeobotany, history and archaeology in order to diachronically understand and reconstruct the human-society-environment interactions.
From 2017 to 2019 a new rural settlement has been investigated in Contrada Castro (Corleone, Palermo). The excavation in Contrada Castro (1) showed a clear case of long-term occupation of a hill-top site during Late Archaic/Classical age (6th-5th c. BC) and the Byzantine and Islamic period (7th-11th c. AD).
Soils from the archaeological excavation were sampled to obtain evidences about paleo-vegetation and vegetal paleo-diet. Archaeobotanical data (seeds and charcoal remains) represent an informative source in human-environmental dynamics to collect specific data on a small scale in terms of chronology and topography (2). Furthermore, presence of edible plants as cereals, pulses and fruit characterize their use as economical resources. Unfortunately, archaeobotanical analyses from archaeological sites in Sicily are still not very common (4).
For the reconstruction of the paleo-environment and the use of woody resources from the three chronological phases of the site, a total of 239 liters of soils were analysed.
Taxonomical identification was made by optical microscopy through the comparison with the reference collection and specific atlases (4). More than 400 wood charcoals were observed, about 80% of them was identified. Thanks to comparisons with the current vegetation, so far 9 species have been identified: Quercus ilex L., Quercus cfr. pubescens Willd., Pistacia terebinthus L., Rhamnus alaternus L., Fraxinus ornus L., Ulmus minor Mill. subsp. canescens (Melville) Browicz & Ziel., Acer campestre L., Ostrya carpinifolia Scop., Populus nigra L. Identification reached the detail of genus or family in 5 cases, Phillyrea sp., Sorbus sp., Pyrus sp. and maybe one species belonging to the family of Moraceae.
The woody vegetation is therefore represented by evergreen oaks, semi- and deciduous oaks, maples, ash trees, associated with riparian species such as elm, poplar and hornbeam, and shrub species such as backthorn, terebinth, sorb and plum.
Cultivated species are mostly not represented. Despite the widespread presence of the evergreen oaks in the whole record, differences between the three chronological phases were identified, highlighting a selective use of the wild species present in the area and a specific collection of wood for the hearths. Archaeological layers from last phase of occupation of the site are characterised by the presence of pulses and cereal kernels, notably concentrated in some hearths. Their analyses allows to identify staple sources for the village and agricultural techniques in the area.

References

A. Castrorao Barba, R. Miccichè, F. Pisciotta, P. Marino, G. Bazan, C. Aleo Nero, S. Vassallo (2018) The Journal of Fasti Online, 1-12.
C.A. Hastorf, V.F. Popper (1988) Chicago. ISBN: 978022631893.
BRAIN Network (2018) http://brainplants.successoterra.net/sites.html.
D.M Pearsall. (2009), Walnut Creek. ISBN-10: 1598744720.

Aknowledgements

We express our gratitude to Bona Furtuna LLC who entirely supported this research

Claudia Speciale | Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social (original) (raw)

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