The present PhD thesis reports the results of the archaeometric investigation on the Phoenician Red Slip Ware (RSW) artefacts dated back between the 9th century BC and the early 5th century BC. The studied samples come from Motya (Sicily-Italy), Sulky (Sardinia-Italy), Cádiz (Spain), Mogador (Morocco), Ramat-Rahel (Israel), Tas Silg (Malta), and Pantelleria (Italy). The main feature of this ceramic class is the external macroscopic appearance, similar in all archaeological contexts, characterized by a shiny red decoration. The aim of this thesis is to individuate compositional and technological parameters, which can be useful to discriminate among samples of different provenance, despite their similar external appearance. In order to reconstruct the technological background and to identify the nature of the raw materials, the body and decoration have been investigated using Optical Microscopy (OM), X-ray Powder Diffraction (XRPD), Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with EDS system (SEM-EDS), Electron Microprobe Analysis (EMPA) and Voltammetry of Immobilized Microparticles (VIMP). The results on forty samples from Motya suggest a careful selection of the raw materials (i.e., illitic carbonate clay and inclusions) and firing temperature in the range >800 and <900 °C, under oxidizing conditions. The comparison of the mineralogical and chemical composition of local clay deposits with that of the ceramic products and differences in the manufacture allowed to distinguishing local (two fabrics, counting 36 samples) from imported vessels (three fabrics, counting 4 samples). The Red Slip decoration consists of clay-rich coating, enriched in Fe. Three different typologies of slips have been identified. The eight samples from Sulky are divided in one main fabric and one loner sample. The data suggest firing temperature in the range 800 – 900 °C and the use of similar Ca-poor raw materials for both the body and decoration. XRPD data, acquired in transmission mode along with Rietveld refinements, permit to identify the unusual quartz + cristobalite + tridymite association, typical of the ignimbrites of the volcanic district of Sulcis. This analysis outlines that two different Fe-rich mixtures have been used to decorate the samples of the fabric and the loner. The thirty samples from Cádiz come from two Phoenician archaeological site, one of the 8th century B.C. (Cánovas del Castillo) and the other from the 6th century BC (the Necropolis). The samples are divided in two fabrics (unimodal and bimodal) moreover a loner sample has been identified. Microfossils of marine origin are very common in all samples but in both the two fabrics benthic organisms prevail, while in the loner almost only planktonic specimens occur. The analysis permits to identify the use of Ca-rich illitic clay, fired in the range of 700-850 °C. The microfossils content, the presence of Fe oxides framboidal microstructures and monazite, are compatible with the sedimentary rocks of the area of the bay of Cádiz; probably only the loner sample, made with totally different raw materials, has a foreign origin. Finally, the electrochemical fingerprints discriminate between different vessels of pottery among that recovered in the same site, and between equivalent potteries from different sites. Considering all these data it is possible to hypothesize that the Phoenicians preferred to produce the RSW on site, handing down the technological knowledge in the colonies, using local raw materials, and marketing/importing only very few artefacts.

La presente tesi di dottorato riporta i risultati dell’indagine archeometrica condotta su ceramiche fenicie in Red Slip Ware (RSW), datati tra il secolo IX a.C. e l'inizio del V secolo a.C. I campioni provengono da Mozia (Sicilia-Italia), Sulky (Sardegna-Italia), Cadice (Spagna), Mogador (Marocco), Ramat-Rahel (Israele), Tas Silg (Malta) e Pantelleria (Italia). La caratteristica principale di questa classe ceramica è l'aspetto esterno, simile in tutti i contesti archeologici, caratterizzato da una decorazione rossa lucida. Lo scopo di questa tesi è di individuare parametri mineralogici, chimici e microstrutturali che possano essere utili per discriminare tra campioni di diversa origine, nonostante il loro aspetto esterno simile. Al fine di ricostruire il background tecnologico e identificare le materie prime utilizzate, il corpo ceramico e la decorazione sono stati studiati mediante Microscopia Ottica (OM), Diffrazione di Raggi X su Polveri (XRPD), Microscopia Elettronica a Scansione abbinata al sistema EDS (SEM-EDS), Analisi in Microsonda Elettronica (EMPA) e Voltammetria di Microparticelle Immobilizzate (VIMP), una tecnica micro invasiva. Sono stati studiati quaranta campioni di Motya. I risultati suggeriscono un'attenta selezione delle materie prime (ovvero, argilla carbonica illitica e inclusioni), cotte a temperature comprese nell'intervallo >800 e <900 °C, in condizioni ossidanti. Il confronto della composizione mineralogica e chimica tra i depositi di argilla locale ed i campioni ceramici, unitamente alle differenze produttive, hanno permesso di distinguere i prodotti locali (due fabric che contano 36 campioni) dai quelli importati (tre fabric, che contano 4 campioni). La decorazione Red Slip è costituita da un rivestimento ricco di argilla, arricchito in Fe, ne sono state identificate tre tipologie differenti. Gli otto campioni di Sulky sono divisi in un fabric principale più un campione loner. I dati suggeriscono temperature di cottura comprese tra 800 e 900 °C e l'uso di materie prime, povere in Ca, simili per corpo ceramico e decorazione. I dati XRPD consentono di identificare l’associazione quarzo + cristobalite + tridimite, tipica delle ignimbriti del distretto vulcanico del Sulcis. Le analisi sottolineano inoltre che due diverse miscele ricche di Fe sono state utilizzate per decorare i campioni del fabric e del campione loner. I trenta campioni di Cadice provengono da due siti archeologici fenici (Cánovas del Castillo del VIII secolo a.C. e la Necropoli del VI secolo a.C.). I campioni di entrambi i contesti sono raggruppabili in due fabric, inoltre è stato identificato un campione loner. I microfossili di origine marina sono molto comuni in tutti i campioni, ma mentre nei due fabric prevalgono gli organismi bentonici, nel loner sono presenti quasi esclusivamente esemplari planctonici. I campioni, composti da argilla illitica ricca di Ca, sono stati cotti nell'intervallo di temperatura 700-850 °C in condizioni ossidanti. Il contenuto di microfossili, la presenza di monazite e framboidi di ossidi di Fe, sono compatibili con i sedimenti rinvenuti nell'area della baia di Cadice; solo il loner, realizzato con materie prime totalmente diverse, è stato probabilmente importato. Infine, le analisi elettrochimiche hanno permesso di discriminare i manufatti provenienti dallo stesso sito e da siti diversi. Le considerazioni finali sembrano supportare l’ipotesi che i Fenici preferissero produrre la RSW utilizzando materiale locale ma tramandando il loro know-how nelle colonie e commercializzando/importando solo pochissimi manufatti.

The phoenician red slip ware: a multi-analytical study of a technological marker among the shores of the Mediterranean Sea / Fabrizi, Lucilla. - (2020 Feb 10).

The phoenician red slip ware: a multi-analytical study of a technological marker among the shores of the Mediterranean Sea

FABRIZI, LUCILLA
10/02/2020

Abstract

The present PhD thesis reports the results of the archaeometric investigation on the Phoenician Red Slip Ware (RSW) artefacts dated back between the 9th century BC and the early 5th century BC. The studied samples come from Motya (Sicily-Italy), Sulky (Sardinia-Italy), Cádiz (Spain), Mogador (Morocco), Ramat-Rahel (Israel), Tas Silg (Malta), and Pantelleria (Italy). The main feature of this ceramic class is the external macroscopic appearance, similar in all archaeological contexts, characterized by a shiny red decoration. The aim of this thesis is to individuate compositional and technological parameters, which can be useful to discriminate among samples of different provenance, despite their similar external appearance. In order to reconstruct the technological background and to identify the nature of the raw materials, the body and decoration have been investigated using Optical Microscopy (OM), X-ray Powder Diffraction (XRPD), Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with EDS system (SEM-EDS), Electron Microprobe Analysis (EMPA) and Voltammetry of Immobilized Microparticles (VIMP). The results on forty samples from Motya suggest a careful selection of the raw materials (i.e., illitic carbonate clay and inclusions) and firing temperature in the range >800 and <900 °C, under oxidizing conditions. The comparison of the mineralogical and chemical composition of local clay deposits with that of the ceramic products and differences in the manufacture allowed to distinguishing local (two fabrics, counting 36 samples) from imported vessels (three fabrics, counting 4 samples). The Red Slip decoration consists of clay-rich coating, enriched in Fe. Three different typologies of slips have been identified. The eight samples from Sulky are divided in one main fabric and one loner sample. The data suggest firing temperature in the range 800 – 900 °C and the use of similar Ca-poor raw materials for both the body and decoration. XRPD data, acquired in transmission mode along with Rietveld refinements, permit to identify the unusual quartz + cristobalite + tridymite association, typical of the ignimbrites of the volcanic district of Sulcis. This analysis outlines that two different Fe-rich mixtures have been used to decorate the samples of the fabric and the loner. The thirty samples from Cádiz come from two Phoenician archaeological site, one of the 8th century B.C. (Cánovas del Castillo) and the other from the 6th century BC (the Necropolis). The samples are divided in two fabrics (unimodal and bimodal) moreover a loner sample has been identified. Microfossils of marine origin are very common in all samples but in both the two fabrics benthic organisms prevail, while in the loner almost only planktonic specimens occur. The analysis permits to identify the use of Ca-rich illitic clay, fired in the range of 700-850 °C. The microfossils content, the presence of Fe oxides framboidal microstructures and monazite, are compatible with the sedimentary rocks of the area of the bay of Cádiz; probably only the loner sample, made with totally different raw materials, has a foreign origin. Finally, the electrochemical fingerprints discriminate between different vessels of pottery among that recovered in the same site, and between equivalent potteries from different sites. Considering all these data it is possible to hypothesize that the Phoenicians preferred to produce the RSW on site, handing down the technological knowledge in the colonies, using local raw materials, and marketing/importing only very few artefacts.
10-feb-2020
File allegati a questo prodotto
File Dimensione Formato  
Tesi_dottorato_Fabrizi.pdf

Open Access dal 11/02/2023

Tipologia: Tesi di dottorato
Licenza: Tutti i diritti riservati (All rights reserved)
Dimensione 13.52 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
13.52 MB Adobe PDF

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11573/1538524
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus ND
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? ND
social impact