Chemical-physical analysis on the stele from the heated stone structures of S. Andrea in Travo (PC). Preliminary results

In the 1980s, in the locality of S. Andrea a Travo (Piacenza), a Neolithic settlement, datable between 4300 and 3800 B.C., was found, which represents one of the most important sites in northern Italy in terms of dwellings and structures. In the area furthest from the river and the houses, there were 23 hearths with burnt stones, which, according to chemical analyses, were used for cooking meat. However, a number of slabs were also found in the hearths with shapes and features that suggest rough anthropomorphic stelae; in particular, the one with dark traces is the main focus of this work. By analysing a fragment of one of the main stelae through electron microscopy coupled with X-ray fluorescence and vibrational spectroscopy, the present study aims to verify the reliable hypothesis that the stelae were decorated with colour, confirming that the culinary function of the hearths was linked to social events, in which the stelae had some ritual and symbolic value.