Coping with changes. Social and economic developments at Coppa Nevigata during the 12th Century BC

The fortified settlement of Coppa Nevigata was mostly devoted to transmarine and overland exchange throughout the whole Bronze Age. Craft activities, such as the production of purple dye, were developed early at the site, possibly in relation with these external trades. Wider transformations in the Late Bronze Age Mediterranean scenario impacted on the Adriatic networks, yet Coppa Nevigata maintained an active role in the local and transmarine trades. During the Recent Bronze Age, particularly in the 12th century BC, the site experienced major changes concerning both the settlement’s plan and the rise of specialised craft production, such as the flourishing of the locally based production of Aegean–Mycenaean-type pottery. These changes were doubtless related to deep socio-economic transformations of the resident community. Evidence from the extensive excavations at the site points to the emergence of an elite in this period, which was possibly responsible for the reshaping of the settlement’s organisation.