Nuove riflessioni sull’insediamento di Ricodino di Trino (VC) nel quadro della media età del Bronzo in Italia nord-occidentale

New considerations on the settlement of Ricodino di Trino (VC ) in the context of the Middle Bronze Age in north-western Italy - The protohistoric settlement of Trino, located in the Ricodino area, was identified in the 1970s and then investigated, under the direction of F.M. Gambari, with the excavation of a sector in 1991 in which a layer (SU 103) containing a considerable quantity of potsherds was unearthed. This layer constituted the base of a large pit, disturbed by modern agricultural activities. The conspicuous archaeological findings are ascribable to 15th century BC productions, with best comparisons at contemporary sites in northwestern Italy, especially in Piedmont (i.e. Viverone and Momperone) and Liguria (i.e. Bric Tana). The ceramic assemblage includes especially carinated bowls, carinated cups with double carina, often unadorned, large ovoid or biconical-tending jars decorated with grooves and impressed dots, and ovoid and cylinder-ovoid vessels decorated with digital impressions. Radiocarbon dates, calibrated and combined, place Ricodino in the 15th century BCE, confirming what was hypothesized by the typological analysis of pottery. The ceramic repertoire shows closer affinities with those found in southern Piedmont and lesser connection with contexts in northern Piedmont. These observations prompt considerations about possible cultural or chronological distinctions that may not be easily identified based only on absolute dates. The pottery analysis and absolute dating introduce new issues for research and underline the need for further investigation into the chronological and cultural dynamics of the Middle Bronze Age in northwestern Italy, potentially through a more detailed typological and chronological seriation.