Visible and Invisible Traces of Trade: An Analysis of Socio-Economic Dynamics in the Late Middle Ages at Cencelle (Tarquinia, VT)

Travel does not generate only knowledge or individual memories but also leaves traces, sometimes evident and sometimes more subtle, which become embedded in the landscapes traversed and the cultures involved. Among these, ceramics represent one of the most significant forms of material evidence, capable of documenting processes of mobility, exchange, and interaction. The investigation carried out on the medieval town of Cencelle, located north of Rome, offered the opportunity to analyze the strategies adopted by the local community to meet the demands of daily life, particularly between the 12th and 15th centuries. The presence in the ceramic material of both locally produced wares and imported artifacts raised questions about market dynamics and commercial relationships operating both within and beyond the city walls. The study focused on Cencelle’s position within a complex network of exchanges connecting the inland areas with the Tyrrhenian coast, a region marked by intense mercantile activity. A multi analytical approach, aimed at identifying the technological, decorative, and morpho-typological characteristics of the various ceramic classes, enabled comparisons with chronologically related contexts in neighboring areas. This has made it possible to situate Cencelle within the broader framework of the economic and commercial relations that shaped the city over time.