Jacopo Bonetto | Università degli Studi di Padova (original) (raw)

Conference Proceedings by Jacopo Bonetto

6th Historic Mortar Conference, 2022

Archaiologiko Ergo Kritis 4, 2020

Nora Antiqua II. Nora dalla costituzione della provincia all’età augustea, Atti del Convegno (Pula, 5-6 ottobre 2018), a cura di J. Bonetto, R. Carboni, M. Giuman, A. Zara, Scavi di Nora VIII, pp. 19-36, 2020

The paper deals with the discovery of 18 silver coins and an anthropomorphic clay slab recovered ... more The paper deals with the discovery of 18 silver coins and an anthropomorphic clay slab recovered in 2008 during the excavation of the
Roman Temple of Nora by the University of Padua. The precious finds were brought to light in the layers of restructuring of the sanctuary operated
in the Roman imperial age (III century AD). The same area of the discovery was already occupied by a first building of probable sacred character,
built in the Archaic age, and by a second valuable building, built between 260 and 240 BC. The production of the slab is placed in the III century
BC and the formation of the hoard, consisting of the most ancient Greek and Roman coins found in Sardinia, can be placed between the years 230-
225 BC. Various elements and clues lead us to hypothesize that the coins and the mask were donated in the new sacred building in these crucial
years for the history of the island. Indeed the evidence generates some reflections on the possible relationship between the votive offers and the contemporary constitution of the provincia of Sardinia et Corsica, as on the role of Nora in the Roman expansionist policy in Sardinia.

HESPERÌA, 37, 2020

The paper discusses the results of the recent archaeological investigations carried out along a s... more The paper discusses the results of the recent archaeological investigations carried out along a section of the Roman republican city wall of Aquileia, in northern Italy. The excavation documented for the first time some building features that denote close similarities to technical construction practices already in use in the Greek world, such as the use of fired bricks and the
homogeneous masonry. Similar indications also come from the study of the format and metro logical standards used in the production of the bricks used in the city wall Aquileia and in many other buildings of the Cisalpina region. Furthermore, clear signs of the likely presence of Greek architects in northern Italy in the late Hellenistic period are visible in Aquileia through the
layout of the gates and towers of the fortifications, which find references in Magna Graecia and in the Peloponnesian cities.

5 th Historic Mortars Conference – 19-21 June 2019 – Pamplona, Spain, 2019

In the present paper we report the preliminary results of an ongoing research focused on the inve... more In the present paper we report the preliminary results of an ongoing research focused on the investigation of Roman mortars and concretes employed in Aquileia from Roman to Early Medieval Age (II century BC – VI century AD). More than 250 samples have been collected from buildings spread all over of the town, with different chronologies of construction and different functions. Material characterization was achieved throughout a multi-analytical approach comprising optical microscopy (OM), X-Ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive microanalysis (SEM-EDS). Analytical data have been strictly crosschecked in relation with the chronology and purpose of the structure from which mortars have been collected from. The preliminary results we obtained are providing intriguing outcomes: we observed a high specialization on “recipes” in relation to the function of mortars and concretes, but also chronology of production appears to have an important role in the composition of mortar-based compounds. Such an extensive sampling is giving valuable insights to decipher the relations among crafts and artisans in ancient construction and decorative activities.

Papers by Jacopo Bonetto

Scientific Reports, 2023

The paper reports the results of the analyses on mortar-based materials from the Roman theatre of... more The paper reports the results of the analyses on mortar-based materials from the Roman theatre of Aquileia (Friuli Venezia Giulia, Northern Italy), recently dated between the mid-1st Century BCE and the mid-1st Century CE. Samples were characterized by Polarized Light Microscopy on thin sections (PLM), Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and Quantitative Phase Analysis by X-Ray Powder Diffraction (QPA-XRPD). Pyroclastic aggregates (mainly pumices and scattered tuffs), incompatible with the regional geology, were found in two samples from the preparation layers of the ground floor of the building. Their provenance was determined by means of QPA-XRPD, SEM-EDS, X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) and Laser-Ablation Inductively-Coupled-Plasma Mass-Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). Mineralogical and geochemical analyses demonstrated their provenance from the Bay of Naples, thus recognizing them as pulvis puteolana, a type of pozzolanic aggregate outcropping around the modern town of Pozzuoli and prescribed by Vitruvius (De Architectura, 2.6.1) in mortar-based materials to strengthen masonries and produce hydraulic concrete for harbor piers. This evidence represents the oldest analytically-established case of pulvis puteolana exploitation in Northern Italy up to now, and an early use of the material out of Campania adapted for civil constructions in a non-strictly maritime-related environment. Indeed, the theatre was built in the low-lying Aquileia's deltaic plain, prone to water infiltrations that are typical in lagoonlike environments. The data highlight the craftsmen's resilience in adapting and reinterpreting the traditional use of the Neapolitan volcanic materials to deal with the geomorphological challenges of Aquileia's lowland.

Heritage, Jan 10, 2023

In this paper, we discuss the presence of volcanic pozzolans in the structural mortars of the Rom... more In this paper, we discuss the presence of volcanic pozzolans in the structural mortars of the Roman Temple of Nora in Sardinia (3rd c. AD), represented by pyroclastic rocks (pumices and tuffs) employed as coarse and fine aggregates. The provenance of these materials from the Phlegraean Fields was highlighted through a multi-analytical approach, involving Polarized Light Microscopy on thin sections (PLM), Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), Quantitative Phase Analysis by X-ray Powder Diffraction (QPA-XRPD), and X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) investigations. These volcanic pozzolans, outcropping in the Bay of Naples between Pozzuoli and the Vesuvius, are traditionally associated with the pulvis puteolana, the famous pozzolanic ash prescribed by Vitruvius and Pliny in order to confer strength and waterproofing capabilities to ancient concretes. This is the first evidence of the trade of this volcanic material from the Neapolitan area to Sardinia, starting at least by the Middle Imperial Age. The use of the pulvis puteolana in the Roman Temple of Nora seems primarily targeted to strengthen aboveground masonries, while waterproofing capabilities were not strictly pursued. This opens new questions about the construction reasons for which the demand and commercialization for this product was intended.

Archeologia Maritima Mediterranea. An International Journal on Under Water Archaeology, 2022

Abstract Nuragic to late-Roman sea-level changes and urban layout evolution at the site of Nora... more Abstract Nuragic to late-Roman sea-level changes and urban layout evolution at the site of Nora (Sardinia, Italy). In order to
explore the relationship between the coastal zone and the urban layout of the ancient city of Nora (Sardinia, Italy), in 2011 the Department of Cultural Heritage of the University of Padua launched an interdisciplinary research project that currently involves the Universities of Pisa and Bologna. The processing of the archaeological and geological data collected during the fieldworks has provided a suite of new proxies to estimate the rates of sea-level evolution in Nora from the mid-2nd century B.C. to the 5th century A.D. This paper presents the results of the project, exposing some reconstructive proposals of the urban extent and layout of Nora between the Nuragic Age and the Late Antiquity. Since coping with the sea level rise is a matter of increasingly urgency, some strategies against the erosional risk affecting the archaeological heritage are finally reported.

Keywords: Sea Level Rise, Paleo Sea Level, Urban Space, Coastal Erosion, Climate Change, Geoarchaeology.

Atlante Tematico di Topografia antica. Entrando in città, 2023

The contribution deals with the study of the northern city gate of the fortified walls of the Lat... more The contribution deals with the study of the northern city gate of the fortified walls of the Latin colony of Aquileia, founded in 181 BC. This opening was built along the republican wall and allowed the via Postumia to enter the city; it was excavated in the Seventies of the nineteenth century by Austrian archaeologists and later in the Thirties of the last century by G. Brusin. The discovery in the archive of the Museum of Aquileia of an unpublished, detailed plan of the first excavations and of the excavation diaries of the most recent intervention allows to shed new light on the architectural features of the monument. Furthermore, the examination of the building materials, construction techniques and dimensional characters indicate a probable decisive role of Greek craftsmen in the design and construction of the urban gate. This confirms the relevance of the Hellenic workers in Aquileia and in the Cisalpina region during the second century B.C.
Keywords: Aquileia, fortified walls, metrology, hellenization.

Annali. Istituto Italiano di Numismatica, 2018

Gli scavi archeologici effettuati dall’Università di Padova nel settore orientale dell’antica Nor... more Gli scavi archeologici effettuati dall’Università di Padova nel settore orientale dell’antica Nora hanno portato alla scoperta di un interessante gruppo di Antoniniani, che arricchisce qualitativamente la documentazione numismatica proveniente dal sito, ma pone anche notevoli questioni interpretative. Le monete infatti sono evidentemente sigillate in uno strato di malta che ne rendeva impossibile il recupero. Non si può trattare dunque di un ripostiglio, ma con ogni probabilità il nucleo va inteso come un deposito rituale connesso con una delle fasi dell’edificio in cui è stato scoperto. Considerata la composizione, il deposito può essere datato con grande precisione, tra la fine del 282 e l’inizio del 283 d.C., nel pieno di una fase di evoluzione urbana della città antica.

Annuario della Scuola Archeologica di Atene e delle missioni italiane in Oriente, 2021

This contribution aims to provide an update on the latest research activities carried out in 2016... more This contribution aims to provide an update on the latest research activities carried out in 2016 and 2019 by the
University of Padova and the IASA at the Sanctuary of Apollo Pythios in Gortyn, Crete. The investigations, conducted through the opening of four new excavation trenches, have been focused not only inside the naos of the Temple, but also on the exterior and, specifically, on the altar, on the space immediately E of it and on a small sector near the so-called Edificio C. It has been possible to investigate stratigraphic basins untouched by previous activities and, in this way, to acquire new important information on both the most ancient phases of use of the sanctuary and on the subsequent structural arrangements of the area. Namely, ceramic material pertaining to the first centuries of the first millennium BC has been retrieved. These findings, currently under study, could indicate a frequentation of the sacred area between the Protogeometric and the Geometric period. In addition, the discovery of a foundation deposit inside the naos, containing part of a black glazed one-handled cup, have made it possible to place the construction of the first cult enclosure around the middle of the 7th century BC.

Traces of complexity. Studi in onore di Armando De Guio / Studies in honour of Armando De Guio, 2021

Il contributo presenta una revisione delle fasi d’uso del santuario di Esculapio a Nora e propone... more Il contributo presenta una revisione delle fasi d’uso del santuario di Esculapio a Nora e propone nuove ipotesi sulle frequentazioni più antiche del sito. I recenti scavi archeologici condotti dall’Università di Padova nel santuario in oggetto vengono integrati dalla lettura e dall’analisi della documentazione d’archivio relativa ai primi scavi degli anni’50 del secolo scorso. Tale lettura incrociata permette di dare nuova luce a questa parte della città antica ricostruendo fasi ormai irrimediabilmente perdute e fornendo nuove chiavi di lettura per le evidenze più recenti. Vengono infine discussi alcuni dati cronologici di particolare rilievo ottenuti da analisi radiometriche su materiale vegetale combusto, recuperato nel corso delle recenti indagini, e la connessione che questi dati potrebbero avere con le più antiche frequentazioni della penisola di Nora. The paper provides a review of the phases of frequentation of the sanctuary of Aesculapius at Nora and suggests new hypotheses on the most ancient frequentations of the site. The recent archaeological excavations carried out by the University of Padua in the sanctuary are combined with the analysis of the archival documentation from the first excavations of the 1950s. This cross-reading allows us to shed new light on this part of the ancient city, reconstructing phases that had been irretrievably lost and providing new keys to understanding the recent evidences. Finally, some significant chronological data obtained from radiometric analysis of burnt plant material recovered during the recent investigations are discussed, as well as the connection that these data might have with the oldest frequentations of the peninsula of Nora.

Bonetto J., Bertelli A. 2012, Il saggio PS2. Campagne di scavo 2010-2011, in «Quaderni Norensi», ... more Bonetto J., Bertelli A. 2012, Il saggio PS2. Campagne di scavo 2010-2011, in «Quaderni Norensi», 4, Padova, pp. 221-227.

Archeologia e Calcolatori, 2017

The ancient city of Nora was a Phoenician, Punic and Roman settlement rising on a peninsula in th... more The ancient city of Nora was a Phoenician, Punic and Roman settlement rising on a peninsula in the south-western coast of Sardinia. Since 1990, the University of Padova has been carrying on an interdisciplinary research project of excavation, architectural analysis, historical reconstruction and cultural promotion of tourism in this site. The excavations allow us to increase our knowledge of Middle Imperial Roman urban planning and to get a better understanding of the whole city and its history; the restoration of excavated monuments using gravels with different colours helps more than 60,000 tourists every year to recognize the function of different areas. In spite of this, visitors experience difficulty in understanding a landscape of ruins with barely visible evidence. Thus, a complete virtual reconstruction of the ancient city has become essential. 3D models of the Phoenician and Roman settlement have been developed, reshaping archaeological plans produced in 25 years by Univers...

The paper tackles the topic of residuality, sketching a theoretical framework and then focusing o... more The paper tackles the topic of residuality, sketching a theoretical framework and then focusing on two peculiar case studies. Firstly, a concise literature review is provided and the very definition of residuals is discussed. Two case studies con-cerning the ancient city of Nora are then presented: the first case deals with the construction of the Roman forum, highlighting the value of residuals in investigating formation processes; in the second one information gained from residual materials are exploited to draw a picture of the archaic city, whose strata and strucutres are poorly preserved.

6th Historic Mortar Conference, 2022

Archaiologiko Ergo Kritis 4, 2020

HESPERÌA, 37, 2020

5 th Historic Mortars Conference – 19-21 June 2019 – Pamplona, Spain, 2019

Scientific Reports, 2023

Heritage, Jan 10, 2023

Archeologia Maritima Mediterranea. An International Journal on Under Water Archaeology, 2022

Keywords: Sea Level Rise, Paleo Sea Level, Urban Space, Coastal Erosion, Climate Change, Geoarchaeology.

Atlante Tematico di Topografia antica. Entrando in città, 2023

Annali. Istituto Italiano di Numismatica, 2018

Annuario della Scuola Archeologica di Atene e delle missioni italiane in Oriente, 2021

Traces of complexity. Studi in onore di Armando De Guio / Studies in honour of Armando De Guio, 2021

Archeologia e Calcolatori, 2017

Despite the acknowledged and celebrated width of documentary sources (literary and epigraphic) re... more Despite the acknowledged and celebrated width of documentary sources (literary and epigraphic) relating to the commercial and economic importance of the production and processing of wool in the ancient Venetia, the historiographical panorama started to give some attention to the initial phase of this multi steps process, constituted by farming and sheep grazing, only during the last two decades. This recent efforts to tackle the problematic had to cope with the usual reticence of the ancient authors about farming practices in that geographic area and with the lack of archaeological evidence concerning pastoralism. For this reason, scholars often gave prime attention to farming practices typical of Mediterranean regions like central-southern Italy or Spain, and as a result they tended to analyse the farming in northern Italy according to patterns typical of those regions. Consequently there was a tendency to isolate the most characteristic practice of moving livestock, known as trans...

Antichità Altoadriatiche, 2013

The ancient city of Nora is a Phoenician, Punic and Roman settlement rising on a peninsula that e... more The ancient city of Nora is a Phoenician, Punic and Roman settlement rising on a peninsula that encloses the Gulf of Cagliari in the south-west coast of Sardinia (Italy). First authorized excavations were made by F. Nissardi in 1891-1892 on the north side of the isthmus, where the Punic chamber-tombs lie. Despite the remarkable findings published by G. Patroni (1904) and a review of grave potteries undertaken by P. Bartoloni and C. Tronchetti (1981), researches about the necropolis were only partially deepened; therefore, some reports, pictures, sketches and maps remained unpublished in the archive of Soprintendenza Archeologia belle arti paesaggio in Cagliari and in the Archivio Centrale dello Stato in Rome. A critical study of these documents has been undertaken by the University of Padova in order to reconstruct the history of investigations, to recover the archaeological records and to contextualize the finds of the last half of the 1800s in a new view of the punic necropolis of...

Vegetation History and Archaeobotany, 2021

The ad 79 eruption of the Vesuvius severely affected the floodplain surrounding the ancient city ... more The ad 79 eruption of the Vesuvius severely affected the floodplain surrounding the ancient city of Pompeii, i.e. the Sarno River floodplain. The landscape was covered with volcaniclastic materials that destroyed the ecosystem but, at the same time, preserved the traces of former environmental conditions. This study provides—for the first time—a pollen sequence reconstructing the environmental evolution and the plant landscape of the Sarno floodplain between 900 and 750 cal bc and ad 79, i.e. before and during the foundation of the city, and during its life phases. Previous geomorphological studies revealed that the portion of the Sarno floodplain under the “Pompeii hill” was a freshwater backswamp with patchy inundated and dry areas. Palynology depicts a thin forest cover since the Early Iron Age, suggesting an open environment with a mosaic of vegetation types. The local presence of Mediterranean coastal shrubland, hygrophilous riverine forest and mesophilous plain forest is combi...

PLOS ONE, 2021

Cremation 168 from the second half of the 8th century BCE (Pithekoussai’s necropolis, Ischia Isla... more Cremation 168 from the second half of the 8th century BCE (Pithekoussai’s necropolis, Ischia Island, Italy), better known as the Tomb of Nestor’s Cup, is widely considered as one of the most intriguing discoveries in the Mediterranean Pre-Classic archaeology. A drinking cup, from which the Tomb’s name derives, bears one of the earliest surviving examples of written Greek, representing the oldest Homeric poetry ever recovered. According to previous osteological analyses, the Cup is associated with the cremated remains of a juvenile, aged approximately 10–14 years at death. Since then, a vast body of literature has attempted to explain the unique association between the exceptionality of the grave good complex, the symposiac and erotic evocation of the Nestor’s Cup inscription with the young age of the individual buried with it. This paper reconsiders previous assessments of the remains by combining gross morphology with qualitative histology and histomorphometric analyses of the burn...

Aquileia. Fondi Cossar. 3.3. Tomo I – I materiali ceramici; Tomo II – L’instrumentum, il materiale vitreo, metallico e gli elementi architettonico-decorativi, 2022

Scavi di Aquileia. II, 2017

The book traces the history of research carried out in the area called Fondi Cossar within the an... more The book traces the history of research carried out in the area called Fondi Cossar within the ancient town of Aquileia since eighteen century.

Scavi di Nora, 2021

Il volume comprende i contributi relativi allo studio dei materiali rinvenuti nello scavo del Tem... more Il volume comprende i contributi relativi allo studio dei materiali rinvenuti nello scavo del Tempio romano di Nora (2008-2014), condotto dall'Università di Padova. L'opera è costituita da due tomi indivisibili, il primo dedicato ai materiali ceramici di età preromana, il secondo a quelli di età romana e alle altre classi di reperti.

Costruire nel mondo antico, 1, 2019

Il grande interesse suscitato dal convegno tenutosi a Roma nel novembre 2014 e dedicato all'uso d... more Il grande interesse suscitato dal convegno tenutosi a Roma nel novembre 2014 e dedicato all'uso del laterizio nei grandi cantieri di età imperiale (E. Bukowiecki, R. Volpe, U. Wulf-Rheidt, a cura di, Il laterizio nei cantieri imperiali. Roma e il Mediterraneo, Atti del I workshop, Roma, 27-28 novembre 2014, Archeologia dell'architettura XX), ha stimolato l'idea dell'organizzazione di un secondo appuntamento dedicato al laterizio romano, per indagare più a fondo le sue origini e la sua prima diffusione in Italia e nel Mediterraneo antico. Si è così tenuto a Padova dal 26 al 28 aprile 2016 un Convegno internazionale promosso dall'Università degli Studi di Padova, la Sovrintendenza Capitolina ai Beni Culturali e l'École française de Rome, anche con il generoso sostegno dell'Istituto Archeologico Germanico di Roma, dell'Institut de Recherche sur l'Archi-tecture Antique (CNRS) e il determinante contributo organizzativo dell'Università di Ferrara. Il volume raccoglie più di cinquanta contributi presentati da ottanta studiosi europei, che illustrano i tempi e le dinamiche di nascita e diffusione del laterizio nelle diverse regioni del Mediterraneo antico (Mediterraneo orientale, Magna Grecia, Sicilia, Cisalpina e aree vicine, Italia centrale, Mediterraneo occidentale), tra la tarda età classica e la fine dell'età ellenistica. Si coglie un quadro di straordinaria vitalità, da cui emerge la storia produttiva e distributiva del particolare materiale da costruzione tra le aree orientali del mondo classico e l'Europa continentale, con cruciali passaggi intermedi nel Mediterraneo occidentale ellenizzato.

Il volume illustra la storia e i principali complessi archeologici di Patavium romana

Dal 5 al 9 ottobre 2020 avrà luogo la Digital Scientific School “Commerci, merci ed economia nel ... more Dal 5 al 9 ottobre 2020 avrà luogo la Digital Scientific School “Commerci, merci ed economia nel Mediterraneo Antico”, organizzata dall'Isthmos Project della Cattedra di Archeologia Classica dell'Università di Cagliari in collaborazione con studiosi provenienti da rinomate Università e Enti di ricerca italiani ed europei. La Scientific School è indirizzata principalmente a studenti dei corsi di laurea in Beni culturali e Archeologia, delle Scuole di Specializzazione in Beni Archeologici e delle Scuole di Dottorato di ricerca in tematiche affini.
Le lezioni si svolgeranno in modalità telematica e per poter partecipare è necessario inviare la richiesta di iscrizione con i propri dati (nominativo, corso di studi, numero di matricola, università di appartenenza) entro il 25 settembre 2020 al seguente indirizzo e-mail: s.schoolcagliari2020@gmail.com.

L’antica città di Nora sorge su una penisola nel sud-ovest della Sardegna e fu dapprima un insedi... more L’antica città di Nora sorge su una penisola nel sud-ovest della Sardegna e fu dapprima un insediamento fenicio, divenne centro urbano in età punica e visse il suo periodo di massimo sviluppo in età imperiale romana. Dal 1990 l’Università degli Studi di Padova conduce un progetto interdisciplinare di scavo, analisi storico-architettonica e promozione culturale del sito: le indagini hanno consentito di precisare ed incrementare le conoscenze relative allo sviluppo urbano della città romana e hanno condotto la comunità scientifica ad una migliore conoscenza dell’intera storia di Nora. Nonostante mirati restauri attuati al termine degli interventi stratigrafici, i più di 60000 turisti che ogni anno visitano il sito affrontano serie difficoltà nella comprensione di un paesaggio di rovine costituito da evidenze solo in parte intellegibili. Per questa ragione una completa ricostruzione virtuale della città antica si è resa oggi indispensabile: sono stati dunque sviluppati modelli tridimensionali dell’insediamento fenicio e della città romana, sulla base di un’accurata ricostruzione del paesaggio antico ed elaborando le planimetrie prodotte in 25 anni dalle quattro Università che collaborano sul sito. Queste ricostruzioni 3D sono oggi fruibili direttamente tra i resti dei monumenti da gruppi di turisti condotti da una guida attraverso il Nora Virtual Tour: immagini stereoscopiche sono state renderizzate e caricate in un’app per smartphone che, montati su visori Samsung Gear VR, permettono agli utenti del parco archeologico una visita immersiva nella realtà virtuale della città antica, muovendosi all’interno dei principali edifici della città romana, completamente riprodotti in ogni dettaglio.

J. De Laine, S. Camporeale, A. Pizzo (eds.), Proceeding of the 5th International Workshop on the Archaeology of Roman Construction. Arquelogía de la Construcción V. Man-made materials, engineering and infrastructure (Oxford, April 11-12, 2015), Merida, pp. 29-44.

Neue Ergebnisse zum frühen Kirchenbau im Alpenraum, herausgegeben von K. Strobel und H. Dolenz, Akten des Internationalen Kolloquiums Klagenfurt (6.–7. Dezember 2013), Römisches Österreich 39, Graz, pp. 47-172

L’Africa romana. Momenti di continuità e rottura: bilancio di trent’anni di convegni L’Africa romana, Atti del XX Convegno internazionale di studi (Alghero - Porto Conte Ricerche, 26-29 settembre 2013), a cura di Paola Ruggeri, Roma 2015, pp. 1841-1860. (978-88-430-7400-6)

Il contributo illustra in maniera sintetica l’origine e le prime fasi di svolgimento di un ampio ... more Il contributo illustra in maniera sintetica l’origine e le prime fasi di svolgimento di un ampio progetto di ricerca incentrato sullo studio della relazioni tra la città antica di Nora e lo spazio marittimo ad essa circostante. Dopo l’illustrazione degli obiettivi dello studio dallo spiccato carattere geoarcheologico vengono presentati i primi risultati raggiunti tra il 2011 e il 2013. In questo periodo sono stati identificati nello spazio prossimo alla battigia o appena sommerso alcuni edifici prima del tutto sconosciuti e utili a ricostruire l’assetto e l’estensione reale della città nell’età antica.

The Conference, promoted by the Department of Cultural Heritage of the University of Padua (Italy... more The Conference, promoted by the Department of Cultural Heritage of the University of Padua (Italy), aims at exploring the topic of the use of perishable materials in ancient architecture, specifically in Greek, Magno-Greek, Phoenician, Punic, Etruscan and Roman buildings. The idea of a Conference about this topic stems from the awareness that past studies on ancient architecture gave scarce attention to the use of perishable materials for construction purposes, despite their large spread in ancient buildings on par of other materials, like stone and brick. This lack of interest is probably due both to the lower level of preservation of structures made of unbaked clay and/or timber, and to the great difficulty of recognizing and analyzing this kind of structures during excavation activities.
For all these reasons the topic of the use of perishable building materials in ancient architecture has been only cursorily examined until now, and it has been deepened only with regard to geographical contexts, such as the Near East and Egypt, where these materials are the prevailing construction equipment (both in ancient and contemporary architecture) and where they are well preserved for climatic reasons. The Conference aims at collecting new data on the diffusion of structures made of perishable materials in the ancient world, in order to obtain an updated framework of the use of unbaked clay and timber in ancient structures both of the Mediterranean regions and of the European ones. To achieve this goal, the meeting is meant to be the opportunity to present and discuss the available and most updated data about the diffusion (geographical and chronological) of these building techniques in the Greek, Magno-Greek, Phoenician, Punic, Etruscan and Roman world, as well as to examine their material, dimensional and structural features, to recognize possible similarities or differences in the construction practices of the examined areas. Walls will be the main object of interest, but all the elements which were part of ancient buildings will be taken in account: foundations, hydraulic structures, roofing systems, etc. Particular attention will be given to case studies where the archaeological analysis is combined with an archaeometrical, structural, experimental or ethnographical analysis, with the final aim of understanding the technical knowledge and the economic dynamics connected to the production and use of perishable building materials, as well as the historical, social and cultural reasons which determined their large diffusion in the ancient world and beyond.

Terra, legno e materiali deperibili Collana di studi Costruire nel mondo antico Clay, Timber and Perishable Materials in Ancient Architecture, 2021

unipd.link/convegnoterralegno_aulan unipd.link/convegnoterralegno_salasartori

Il Convegno internazionale, promosso dal Dipartimento dei Beni Culturali dell'Università di Padov... more Il Convegno internazionale, promosso dal Dipartimento dei Beni Culturali dell'Università di Padova, intende approfondire il tema dell'uso dei materiali deperibili (terra, legno ed altri elementi vegetali) nell'architettura antica con particolare riferimento agli edifici del mondo greco, magno-greco, fenicio-punico, etrusco e romano. L'idea di dedicare un convegno a questa tematica nasce dalla consapevolezza che l'ampio panorama di studi sull'architettura antica ha rivolto finora un modesto interesse all'impiego di materiali deperibili a scopo edilizio nonostante l'ampia diffusione che ebbero negli edifici antichi al pari di altre tipologie di materiali da costruzione (come la pietra e il laterizio), sia per il minor livello di conservazione di strutture in terra cruda e/o legno, sia per la maggiore difficoltà di riconoscimento e di analisi di tali strutture in fase di scavo. Per tutti questi motivi il tema dell'uso, nell'edilizia antica, di materiali deperibili, è stato affrontato solo in modo cursorio, ed è stato approfondito prevalentemente in relazione ad alcuni contesti geografici, quali il Vicino Oriente e l'Egitto, dove tali materiali sono predominanti nell'architettura (antica e contemporanea) e ben conservati per ragioni climatiche. Il Convegno mira pertanto a raccogliere nuovi dati sulla diffusione delle tecniche costruttive in materiali deperibili nel mondo antico, col fine ultimo di definire un quadro aggiornato sull'impiego di legno e terra in epoca antica in strutture ed edifici delle regioni del Mediterraneo e dell'Europa continentale. L'incontro vuole essere l'occasione per presentare e discutere i dati disponibili e più aggiornati circa la diffusione (geografica e cronologica) di tali tecniche nel mondo greco, magno-greco, fenicio-punico, etrusco e romano, nonché per esaminarne caratteristiche materiche, dimensionali e statico-strutturali, al fine di riconoscere eventuali similitudini o differenze tra i modi del costruire nelle diverse aree prese in esame. Oggetto di interesse saranno principalmente le strutture murarie, ma verranno considerati anche tutti gli altri elementi che componevano gli edifici antichi: fondazioni, strutture idrauliche, coperture, etc. Particolare attenzione sarà rivolta anche a casi studio in cui l'analisi archeologica sarà accompagnata da analisi archeometriche, statico-strutturali, sperimentali ed etnografiche funzionali a comprendere da un lato le conoscenze tecnologiche e le dinamiche economiche legate alla produzione e all'impiego di materiali da costruzione deperibili, dall'altro le ragioni storiche, sociali e culturali che ne determinarono una così ampia diffusione nel mondo antico e oltre.

Tra le coste del Levante e le terre del tramonto. Studi in ricordo di Paolo Bernardini, 2021

The contribution addresses the issue of the structural and spatial articulation of the Phoenician... more The contribution addresses the issue of the structural and spatial articulation of the Phoenician settlement of
Nora, which has clearly emerged in recent years thanks to targeted surveys conducted by the University of Padua at the
site of the Capo di Pula. The investigations carried out in the central area of the Roman city, between the Forum and the
Roman Temple, have brought to light important clues of a nuragic settlement close to which the Phoenician emporium
was established. Other research in recent years has also identified archaic presences in the extreme southern spaces of
the promontory, within the Punic and Roman sanctuary of Aesculapius, and in the northern area of the isthmus. Here,
between 2014 and 2019, a new Phoenician necropolis was progressively discovered, used at least from the first half of
the 7th century. B.C. These recent researches confirm that the inhabited area must have been composed of light and
renewed architectures over time (huts and tents in perishable material), but have highlighted a highly evolved spatial
conception of the archaic settlement, which already consisted of distinct sectors of inhabited, religious and funerary
spaces such as the later Punic and Roman urban realities.

Traces of complexity. Studi in onore di Armando De Guio / Studies in honour of Armando De Guio, 2021

Il Mediterraneo Occidentale dalla fase fenicia all'egemonia cartaginese Dinamiche insediative, forme rituali e cultura materiale nel V secolo a.C, 2021

This paper stems from research carried out in Nora over the past decade and presents new evidence... more This paper stems from research carried out in Nora over the past decade and presents new evidence that sheds light on the life of the settlement during the 5th century BC. Archaeological evidence shows that the Phoenician emporium that thrived between the 7th and 6th century was substantially transformed at the beginning of the 5th century. In that period, new masonry buildings and ritual structures appeared, as well as the tofet and rock-cut inhumation chambers. These devel-opments are clearly matched by the detailed analysis of the huge amount of pottery collected during the excavations that have been dated between the end of the 7th and the 3rd century BC. The numbers point to a dramatic decrease of pottery in use in Nora at the beginning of the V century. Both the settlement and the ceramic evidence can be connected to the development of the Phoenician center after 550 BC, which involved structural and functional changes in the transition from a small trading post to an urban centre with agrarian interests.

J. Bonetto, M. S. Busana, A. R. Ghiotto, M. Salvadori, P. Zanovello (edd.), I mille volti del passato. Studi in onore di Francesca Ghedini, 2016

Il contributo prende in esame il Tempio di Apollo Pythios a Gortina di Creta e ne esamina i carat... more Il contributo prende in esame il Tempio di Apollo Pythios a Gortina di Creta e ne esamina i caratteri costruttivi e architettonici grazie all'elaborazione digitale del nuovo rilievo metrico realizzato tra il 2014 e il 2016. Lo studio delle misure delle diverse componenti dell'edificio (fondazioni, euthynteria, crepidoma, alzato) e la comparazione di esse con gli standard meteorologici utilizzati nel Mediterraneo centro-orientale tra il VII e il VI sec. a.C. porta ad identificare nel piede filietereo di 33,3 cm la probabile unità di misura utilizzata dai progettisti. Le simmetrie modulari dell'impianto, che uniscono in un'organica architettura tutte le parti dell'edificio illuminano un attento progetto che dovette stare alla base della realizzazione dell'edificio. L'utilizzo di un'unità molto diffusa in ambito orientale fa inoltre intuire l'incidenza della componente orientale in questo evento di evoluzione architettonica del santuario e di trasformazione di uno dei centri vitali nel processo di formazione della polis. Le varie considerazioni e lo studio del contesto regionale portano ad ipotizzare la più che probabile presenza di maestranze fenicie attive nella nuova organizzazione monumentale che connota la nascente polis di Gortina tra VII e VI sec. a.C. Tale lettura si coniuga anche con la presenza del noto corpus di iscrizioni giuridiche della fine del VII sec. a.C. che pure sembrano correlate a tradizioni fenicie nell'introduzione dell'alfabeto a Creta.

Fondi Cossar. 1. Scavi, ricerche e studi del passato (Scavi di Aquileia II), 2017

Il contributo illustra la storia degli studi e degli scavi condotti nell'area dei Fondi Cossar di... more Il contributo illustra la storia degli studi e degli scavi condotti nell'area dei Fondi Cossar di Aquileia prima dell'intervento dell'Università di Padova nel 2009.

Il contributo analizza il contesto ambientale dell'area delle Prelati venete circostanti il sito ... more Il contributo analizza il contesto ambientale dell'area delle Prelati venete circostanti il sito archeologico di Marano di Valpolicella dove le indagini archeologiche del passato e recenti hanno riportato alla luce un complesso snaturiate di straordinaria importanza. Il contributo prende quindi in esame i materiali da costruzione lapidei impiegati nelle varie fasi del complesso architettonico e ne traccia i bacini estrattivi di origine. Varie considerazioni di storia dell'edilizia e del commercio dei materiali da costruzione sono infine proposti come sintesi del quadro analitico.

Nora e il mare. I. Le ricerche di Michel Cassien (1978-1984), Padova, pp. 569-570., 2014

Building facing natural risk in ancient societies - (Naples, Centre Jean Bérard, 6-7 September 20... more Building facing natural risk in ancient societies - (Naples, Centre Jean Bérard, 6-7 September 2019)
Dans le cadre du projet RECAP (Reconstruire après un tremblement de terre. Expériences antiques et innovations à Pompéi), financé par l’Agence Nationale de la Recherche, le laboratoire AOrOc (UMR 8546, ENS-CNRS-PSL), le Centre Jean Bérard (USR 3133, CNRS-EFR) et l’Università degli Studi di Padova (Dipartimento dei Beni Culturali) organisent une rencontre conclusive sur le thème : Construire face au risque naturel dans les sociétés anciennes. L'objet de cette rencontre transversale est d'explorer la relation entre risque naturel et techniques de construction aux époques anciennes (Grèce et Rome, principalement mais d’autres zones géographiques et périodes historiques seront intégrées à la réflexion).

In the framework of the ANR RECAP program (Post-earthquake Reconstruction Ancient experiments and innovations at Pompeii), financed by The French National Research Agency (Project-based funding to advance French research) the AOrOc laboratory (UMR 8546, ENS-CNRS-PSL), the Centre Jean Bérard (USR 3133, CNRS-EFR) and the Università degli Studi di Padova (Dipartimenti dei Beni Culturali) organize a concluding meeting on the theme: Building facing natural risk in ancient societies.
The purpose of this cross-disciplinary meeting is to explore the relationship between natural risk and construction techniques in ancient times (Greece and Rome mainly but other geographical areas and historical periods will be included).

Between March and June 2016 the Department of Cultural Heritage: Archeology, history of art, cine... more Between March and June 2016 the Department of Cultural Heritage: Archeology, history of art, cinema and music organized a cycle of talks dedicated to Architecture and construction in the Classical world, in which italian and international experts will present the results of their recent researches. As part of this initiative, it’s programmed an international conference on the origins and use of bricks in Ancient Italy and the Mediterranean area, organized by the University of Padua, the Capitoline Superintendence of Rome and the École française de Rome.
Program:
7 MARZOProvenance studies and the understanding of stone resources exploitation
Anna Gutierrez Garcia Moreno (Université de Bordeaux Montaigne);
11 APRILE
Le tecniche edilizie a Roma (IX secolo a.C. - VI secolo d.C.): stato della ricerca e nuovi metodi di studio
Sara Bossi (Archeologa);
Villa Adriana: tradizione, innovazione, trasgressione
Giorgio Ortolani (Università di Roma Tre);
18 APRILE
L’edilizia rurale della Cisalpina romana. Forme, tecniche, materiali
Alberto Bacchetta (Archeologo);
26-27-28 APRILE
Convegno Internazionale
“Alle origini del laterizio romano.
Nascita e diffusione del mattone cotto nel Mediterraneo tra IV e I sec. a.C.”
Università di Padova - Università di Ferrara;
16 MAGGIO
Imparare a costruire per imparare a restaurare
Luigi Marino (Università di Firenze);
6 GIUGNO
Aspetti tecnologici e scelte culturali alle origini dell’opera cementizia in Italia centrale
Marcello Mogetta (University of Missouri)

"Ai fini di una corretta interpretazione e valorizzazione dei reperti provenienti da uno scavo oc... more "Ai fini di una corretta interpretazione e valorizzazione dei reperti provenienti da uno scavo occorre porsi una serie di domande: Quale è la metodologia e l’apparato bibliografico più adatto per
affrontare uno studio tipologico? Come vanno documentati, quantificati, analizzati e interpretati i materiali recuperati? Quale significato dare alla loro presenza o assenza in un determinato
contesto? Come può essere interpretato il rapporto tra le varie classi, la frequenza di certe forme legati alla funzione e l’origine del contesto di rinvenimento? Come possono essere spiegati i fenomeni legati alla residualità?"

Il secondo ciclo di seminari organizzato dal Dipartimento dei Beni Culturali dell'Università di P... more Il secondo ciclo di seminari organizzato dal Dipartimento dei Beni Culturali dell'Università di Padova (cattedra di "Archeologia dell'edilizia greca e romana") e dedicato alle tecniche del costruire in età romana vede una serie di relatori impegnati a presentare le proprie esperienze di studio su pratiche del cantiere, modalità dell'edificazione, procedure edilizie del mondo antico. Tutti gli interessati sono invitati ad intervenire per uno scambio di idee e di esperienze.

Il convegno internazionale costituisce il secondo appuntamento dedicato allo studio dei laterizi ... more Il convegno internazionale costituisce il secondo appuntamento dedicato allo studio dei laterizi nell’Italia e nel Mediterraneo antichi. Questo evento intende porre al centro del dibattito i tempi, i luoghi e le dinamiche produttive che portarono all’introduzione del mattone cotto nel mondo antico. L’attenzione è rivolta all’età ellenistica e medio-repubblicana romana (IV-I sec. a.C), quando in molte regioni l’uso del materiale fittile per le coperture e dei mattoni crudi venne affiancato dall’impiego dell’argilla cotta per le strutture murarie. Il fenomeno viene indagato all’interno dei complessi processi storici di contatto tra le componenti greche, etrusco-italiche, romane e indigene, tra ellenizzazione dell’Occidente e romanizzazione dell’Italia.

The diffusion and use of fired bricks in Roman Cisalpina between Hellenization and Romanization. ... more The diffusion and use of fired bricks in Roman Cisalpina between Hellenization and Romanization. During the late Roman Republican and the Imperial period fired bricks were extensively used for public and private buildings in Northern Italy. However, more recent studies and data gathered from several excavations showed that in this geographical area the use of this building material began earlier with characteristics which differentiate these regions from the rest of Italy. Indeed the excavations carried near the fortifications of the centres and colonies of Ravenna, Modena, Aquileia, Piacenza and other settlements revealed that the production and the use of fired bricks started already between the end of the third and the beginning of the second century BC. Moreover it has been proved that they were produced following Greek metrological standards. Such lead us to suppose that the beginning of the production and use of the bricks employed in these structures was determined by the presence in Roman colonies of Greek artisans and architects, coming from one or more regions such as the Peloponnese, Illyria, Magna Graecia and Sicily, where the use of this particular material is documented from the end of the fourth century and during the entire third century BC. The use of fired bricks in the cisalpine areas seems therefore to precede (and perhaps encourage) its large diffusion in central Italy, and it appears as a technical and manufacturing phenomenon developing in the context of the Romanization process without, however, being a consequence of that. Lastly it is noteworthy that also during the late republican period the production and laying of bricks in Northern Italy kept their peculiar characteristics, not comparable with those of Central Italy.

The integrated use of pseudo-3D electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and ground penetrating ra... more The integrated use of pseudo-3D electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and ground penetrating radar (GPR) measurements can represent a valid solution for an effective target identification in complex archaeological case-studies. A good example is given by the integrated use of pseudo-3D ERT and GPR measurements to investigate a Punic necropolis in the archaeological site of Nora, in Southern Sardinia, within a military dismissed area. The mix of sand and air into the excavated tomb chambers into the sandstone bedrock generate in the geophysical sections a number of artefacts difficult to interpret along each 2D section. Only the joint use of all data in a 3D pattern allows a solid interpretation in terms of cavity locations and shape. Overall the case study demonstrate the cost-effectiveness and efficiency of geophysical methods in the context of similar archaeological case studies.

In this research, we have analyzed the coating mortars of 11 cisterns of the Punic-Roman site of ... more In this research, we have analyzed the coating mortars of 11 cisterns of the Punic-Roman site of Nora, in Sardinia. After a preliminary investigation, published in 2006 [1], it has been then noticed that Nora cistern coatings are generally multi-layered. This is due to frequent restoration activities and demonstrates prolonged use of these tanks.
The aim of this study is to recognize the “coating phases”, in order to comprehend if mortar recipes vary in time and if Punic technological traditions were maintained after Sardinia became a Roman province (227 b.C.) and how Roman and Punic cultures influenced each other.
The analytical plan followed two parallel paths: firstly, samples representing the entire stratigraphy of coating layers were investigated by confocal optical microscopy in order to parametrize the morphologies of layer interfaces and distinguish rough preparation layers from smoothed finishing ones. Then, mortars from each layer were characterized via optical microscopy, XRPD, SEM-EDS, DTA-TGA.
By combining the two analytical steps, the specific mortar lining sequences used in the different construction and restoration activities were reconstructed. In this way, it is possible to identify particular sequences and types of mortars that closely follow Punic tradition (ash mortars) from those evidencing Roman practices (ash and terracotta fragments mortars, cocciopesto).
Connecting the results on materials with the cistern construction chronologies, it is possible to confirm that even two centuries after the Roman conquest of Sardinia the cistern waterproofing techniques were still closely connected with Punic traditions and underwent minor changes. This is new evidence confirming, once again, how the actual technical and cultural Romanization of Sardinia can be collocated well after the institutional date of conquest (227 b.C).

Nell’ambito delle ricerche condotte dall’Università degli Studi di Padova presso l’area del cd. T... more Nell’ambito delle ricerche condotte dall’Università degli Studi di Padova presso l’area del cd. Tempio romano di Nora, è stato possibile indagare due contesti di età fenicia e punica di notevole rilevanza per lo studio dell’alimentazione fenicia e punica in Sardegna: un impianto produttivo costituito da un’anfora segata e reimpiegata come forno (prima metà del VI sec. a.C.) e un forno tannur in straordinario stato di conservazione (II-I sec. a.C.). Le analisi archeobotaniche condotte dal laboratorio di Archeobiologia dei Musei Civici di Como hanno permesso di identificare i combustibili impiegati e tracce dei resti alimentari di origine vegetale e animale, combusti negli ultimi episodi di cottura documentati in situ. Le analisi radiometriche hanno confermato le dazioni crono-tipologiche dei contenitori, mentre lo studio degli impasti dell’anfora e del tannur ha messo in luce la presenza diffusa di degrassanti vegetali, in particolare resti di tegumento riferibile ad orzo vestito, che si conferma così uno dei cereali diffusamente coltivati in Sardegna sin dall’età fenicia.