- Medieval Archaeology, Medieval Mediterranean Art and Architecture, Early Medieval Archaeology, Early Medieval Art, Building Materials (Archaeology), Medieval History, and 89 moreArchaeology of Ritual and Magic, Medieval small finds, Postmedieval small finds, Archaeology of churches, Carolingian Art, Archaeology of Buildings, Romanesque Sculpture, Medieval Iconography, Iconography, Ancient Graffiti (Archaeology), Material culture of religion, Romanesque Art, Romanesque architecture, Archaeology of Medieval Monasteries, Ottoman Balkans, Material Culture Studies, Anthropology of space, Late Antiquity, Monastic Architecture, Architectural History, Late Antique Archaeology, Mason's marks, History of Mentality, Medieval Epigraphy, Medieval Studies, Social History, Social Archaeology, Balkan archaeology, Medieval Balkans, Dalmatian history, Venetian possessions in the Eastern Mediterranean, Balkan History, Histoire et archéologie du haut Moyen-âge, Anthropology of the Balkans, Medieval Architecture, Archeologia dell'architettura, Gliptography, Edilizia storica, The Adriatic Sea in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, Byzantine Studies, History of Archaeology, Archaeology, Benedictine Monasticism, Early Medieval Monasticism, Archaeology of Architecture, Ancient Water Technology, Water History, Archeologia della produzione e del commercio, Romanesque Wall Painting, Tecniche costruttive murarie medievali, Epigrafia, Stone, Ancient magic, Cantiere medievale, Heraldic, Isola di Montecristo, Romanico, Early Medieval Sculpture (Archaeology), Craft production (Archaeology), Cave Archaeology, Arte Rupestre, Archaeometry, Petrogliphs, Medieval, Serpentine, Dalmatian History and Art, Scultura Altomedievale, Pisa, Archéologie du bâti, Archéologie médiévale, Archéologie Mérovingienne, Archéologie Des Techniques, Archeology, Archeologia medievale, Archeologia Cristiana, Archeologia, Medieval graffiti, Technology, Media Studies, Christian Epigraphy, Epigraphy, Latin Epigraphy, Medieval Art, Cultural History, History of Mentalities, Chantiers Moyen Age, Techniques de construction, Medieval Heraldry, and Heraldry and Vexillologyedit
- nullum est sine nomine saxumedit
Lo scavo dell’insediamento ricordato dal 715 come “vicus Wallari” e successivamente come Borgo San Genesio offre numerosi dati per la comprensione dei processi che portarono alla nascita e allo sviluppo di quei villaggi medievali che,... more
Lo scavo dell’insediamento ricordato dal 715 come “vicus Wallari” e successivamente come Borgo San Genesio offre numerosi dati per la comprensione dei processi che portarono alla nascita e allo sviluppo di quei villaggi medievali che, posti lungo la grande viabilità e in aree di cerniera, diventarono nodi nei quali si concentrarono interessi economici e politici. Il luogo che ancora oggi ne conserva il toponimo, Podere San Genesio, si trova ai piedi delle prime colline sanminiatesi (San Miniato, Pisa), a 600 metri dal fiume Elsa e a 3 km dall’Arno. Nelle sue immediate vicinanze dovevano correre la strada di origine romana che univa Pisa a Firenze e la Francigena che, come è noto, dall’Alto Medioevo attraversava la Val d’Elsa. La chiesa di San Genesio e il sito in cui fu costruita sono stati oggetto di numerose campagne di scavo (2001-2018, 2023-2024), che hanno consentito di riportare alla luce, tra l’altro, le fondazioni dell’edificio e buona parte della cripta realizzata nell’XI secolo, poi modificata alla fine del secolo successivo. Nel 1248 il borgo fu distrutto dagli abitanti del castello di San Miniato. La chiesa fu invece risparmiata e iniziò ad essere spoliata solo tra il XIV secolo e la prima metà del successivo, finché, a partire dalla seconda metà del XV, l’area precedentemente occupata dall’edificio iniziò ad essere utilizzata per scopi agricoli. Il contributo è incentrato sulla cripta della chiesa, trattando dell’assetto topografico, degli arredi e dei reperti alla luce dei risultati delle indagini archeologiche e dello studio correlato.
Research Interests:
The paper focuses on the three-dimensional reconstruction of the parish church of San Genesio, as it looked between the end of the 12th and early 13th centuries. The building was discovered through an archaeological excavation that began... more
The paper focuses on the three-dimensional reconstruction of the parish church of San Genesio, as it looked between the end of the 12th and early 13th centuries. The building was discovered through an archaeological excavation that began in 2001 and was completed in 2018: unfortunately, only the crypt and perimeter walls of the church are preserved. The first and the second part of the paper are focused on the description and interpretation of the archaeological remains of the building and its crypt; the third is dedicated to stone finds and in the fourth the reconstructive process of the church is illustrated. In order to have a basis of comparison data for the dimensions of the architectural components, a measurement campaign of similar and coeval churches was conducted in an attempt to define standard modules to be applied in our reconstruction.
Research Interests:
Contesto, identità funzionale, dinamiche di reimpiego: Nell’area adiacente al perimetrale meridionale della chiesa di S. Sisto (Pisa) numerosi elementi lapidei sono stati riutilizzati in epoca moderna per definire camminamenti, aiuole e... more
Contesto, identità funzionale, dinamiche di reimpiego:
Nell’area adiacente al perimetrale meridionale della chiesa di S. Sisto (Pisa) numerosi elementi lapidei sono stati riutilizzati in epoca moderna per definire camminamenti, aiuole e spazi ortivi, lasciando a vista parte di essi a prescindere dalla presenza o meno di motivi decorativi, semplicemente privilegiando il fatto che fossero già a disposizione, essendo probabilmente qui dislocati da tempo. Un epifenomeno del reimpiego, laddove elementi architettonici, lastre e componenti di arredo di varia cronologia sono confluiti in un contesto che è stato documentato e che contribuiscono a leggere, optando per una schedatura analitica di ciascuno di essi. Al pari di quanto accaduto in altri casi di recente indagine, non è stata operata una scelta o selezione preliminare dei materiali che al contrario sono stati presi in considerazione in modo globale e nel lungo periodo, predisponendo una documentazione che consenta di indagarne i diversi aspetti, dall’attribuzione di una identità funzionale al contesto di provenienza, dai litotipi alla litotecnica, fino alle diverse dinamiche di uso, spoliazione, reimpiego, dislocazione e rinnovato utilizzo con mutata destinazione d’uso. Lo stesso dicasi per i manufatti lapidei rinvenuti nel deposito delle aree indagate.
La scelta metodologica ha comportato l’avvio di una parallela indagine dell’edilizia storica, in primo luogo conoscitiva dell’edificio nelle sue diverse componenti materiali, afferenti alle diverse fasi e comprensiva della documentazione d’archivio, prodotta in particolare durante i diversi interventi di rifacimento e restauro che interessarono S. Sisto e l’intera area in Età moderna e contemporanea, comprensiva della fotografia storica. La documentazione acquisita contribuisce all’analisi degli spazi, delle strutture e dei materiali.
Nell’area adiacente al perimetrale meridionale della chiesa di S. Sisto (Pisa) numerosi elementi lapidei sono stati riutilizzati in epoca moderna per definire camminamenti, aiuole e spazi ortivi, lasciando a vista parte di essi a prescindere dalla presenza o meno di motivi decorativi, semplicemente privilegiando il fatto che fossero già a disposizione, essendo probabilmente qui dislocati da tempo. Un epifenomeno del reimpiego, laddove elementi architettonici, lastre e componenti di arredo di varia cronologia sono confluiti in un contesto che è stato documentato e che contribuiscono a leggere, optando per una schedatura analitica di ciascuno di essi. Al pari di quanto accaduto in altri casi di recente indagine, non è stata operata una scelta o selezione preliminare dei materiali che al contrario sono stati presi in considerazione in modo globale e nel lungo periodo, predisponendo una documentazione che consenta di indagarne i diversi aspetti, dall’attribuzione di una identità funzionale al contesto di provenienza, dai litotipi alla litotecnica, fino alle diverse dinamiche di uso, spoliazione, reimpiego, dislocazione e rinnovato utilizzo con mutata destinazione d’uso. Lo stesso dicasi per i manufatti lapidei rinvenuti nel deposito delle aree indagate.
La scelta metodologica ha comportato l’avvio di una parallela indagine dell’edilizia storica, in primo luogo conoscitiva dell’edificio nelle sue diverse componenti materiali, afferenti alle diverse fasi e comprensiva della documentazione d’archivio, prodotta in particolare durante i diversi interventi di rifacimento e restauro che interessarono S. Sisto e l’intera area in Età moderna e contemporanea, comprensiva della fotografia storica. La documentazione acquisita contribuisce all’analisi degli spazi, delle strutture e dei materiali.
Research Interests: Archaeology, Early Medieval Archaeology, Medieval Archaeology, Early Medieval Sculpture (Archaeology), Stone artefacts (Archaeology), and 8 moreMedieval Mediterranean Art and Architecture, Arqueologia Medieval, Archeologia medievale, Archaeology, historical buildings, conservation of the built environment, Historical Building, Archéologie médiévale, Edilizia storica, and Archaeology of buldings
During the excavations conducted at Comacchio from 2006 to 2009 in the area adjacent to the cathedral of St Cassiano, researchers found and identified a large quantity of stone artifacts which were subsequently analyzed. The artifacts... more
During the excavations conducted at Comacchio from 2006 to 2009 in the area adjacent to the cathedral of St Cassiano, researchers found and identified a large quantity of stone artifacts which were subsequently analyzed. The artifacts were all subjected to examination in relation to the area and layers from which they came, without making any distinction favoring one particular typology or function and, on the contrary, included all the chips which could be identified as having a particular function and all the stone fragments which had not been identified with certainty but, in any case, could be interpreted as being part of architectural elements (graph. 1). This method made it possible to evaluate different aspects that were part of the archeological interpretation which was meant to be all-inclusive, from the manufacturing cycles to the dynamics of use, plundering and recycling, displacement, secondary reuse, and others, all of which were passages that were part of the normal activity of the construction sites.
The contexts. Discovery, reuse, provenance
Most of the stone artifacts were found in USM 1438, the eastern perimeter wall of a building which was interpreted as being the Bishop’s Palace and to which a chronology of the 11th-12th century was assigned. (Period 4, Phase 3). The number of artifacts (132) in this case corresponds to 87,41% of the total of all the stone objects found. The artifacts represented a heterogeneous group of materials, mostly fragmentary but in some cases large objects which had been in the foundations in association with bricks which had also been recycled and showing an abundant use of construction mortar. The dimensions of the stone flakes and the elements used in the foundations were of dimensions (cm 80/95) such as to determine an irregular width in some cases double that of the wall. A small quantity of stone artifacts also of a different typology, were found in other contexts (tab. 1). In area 1000, which corresponds to the facade of the cathedral of St Cassiano they found stone artifacts in US 1027 (Period 2, Phase 2, Activity 1); US 1059 (Period 5, Phase 1); US 1074 (Period 3, Phase 1); US 1097 and US 1098 (Period 5, Phase 2). The context of discovery and reuse for most of the artifacts was the same (figs. 2-3-4), however the area in which also the remaining artifacts have been or could have been transferred several times is unique and, on the contrary the context of provenance is diversified and multiple.
The artifacts. Functional identity and production aspects
Late Antique furnishings and architectural elements. This material comes from buildings or phases dated to Late Antiquity. In particular, the breakdown is valid for the fragments (cat. n. 39, n. 40) decorated using a drill, with visible traces pertaining to one or more capitals of a particular typology with acanthus leaves moving in the wind of the “butterfly” type on the rim and an egg-and-dart motif on the abacus (tav. 1), from the period of Theodoric, with an eastern provenance and used in buildings in Ravenna. There are also other fragments from architectural elements (tab. 2) of the same period which can be identified as being part of composite or impost capitals where traces of production that are still visible suggest their identification (cat. n. 38, nn. 42-44). These materials were probably part of a group of fragments from cornices and lintels as well as a number of fragmentary elements for which the demolition activity and recycling have made it impossible to identify with certainty their original function (cat. nn. 104-108). The numerous fragments of columns (tab. 3) coming from large sized shafts some of which are made of polychrome marbles and, in some cases, were imported, had originally been used in Late Antiquity (cat. nn. 54-77; cat. nn. 83-99).
Early Medieval liturgical furnishings and architectural elements. These are mostly materials pertaining to elements from liturgical furnishings (cat. nn. 1-35), from the Early Middle Ages and correspond to 23,17% of the artifacts discovered. Despite the fragmentary state of the artifacts which were small and in some cases, very small sized, in most cases we were able to determine or hypothesize the original function: small pillars with or without grooves meant to hold slabs, pluteus-slabs, with tenon; simple slabs; cornices; trabeations; capitals of different sizes (graph. 2). With these artifacts it was possible to make comparisons with analogous materials which had been published or, in any case, were known, which were useful for the definition of the functions and typological characteristics, technical and production solutions and decorative motifs.
Technological aspects (instruments, techniques and assembly)
The analytical review of the visible traces left from the manufacture on the surface of the artifacts (tabs. 8-9-10) allowed us to determine the use of pointed instruments of different sizes with indirect percussion, used for the preliminary execution of the individual components which in this way were rough-hewed (cat. n. 16; cat. n. 26), as was done for the production of the accommodation slits for slabs in pillars (cat. n. 1; cat. n. 3), trabeation grooves (cat. n. 26), as well as for the preliminary positioning of a lintel fragment (cat. n. 22). Visible traces of a direct percussion tool with a flat cutting edge would seem to suggest a stone-cutter’s axe, while a chisel with a smooth cutting edge was probably used to make the traces which were found also on the artifacts from Comacchio. A tool with a small-sized flat cutting edge was used to make the double-grooved bands, with the triangular section groove made by slanting the instrument with respect to the working surface, as is evident in some of the elements. In a few cases we were able to identify a small cutting tool with a serrated blade which had been used to rectify the surface of some of the slabs (cat. n. 10, blade cm 2-2,5 with at least 4-5 teeth; cat. n. 13).
Appropriation of materials and organization of the construction site
None of the artifacts were found in primary deposits as this rarely occurs for this type of material. On the other hand, in terms of relative chronology, the context offers only the terminus ante quem of the construction of the wall from which most of the artifacts come and the presence of a few artifacts in the leveling layers which pertain to the 10th century.
The presence of fragments to which a particular function cannot be assigned, as well as stone flakes and materials which show no traces of being worked and are reduced to the state of being simple stones, testifies and confirms an activity of demolition and reuse. It is significant that we found all massed together heterogeneous elements from various eras coming from different phases of the same building or from different chronological pha- ses of different buildings. These artifacts were reduced to small fragments by destructive activity as well as by their reuse as construction materials. By making the necessary disaggregations and new aggregations in proceeding with the analysis, this case once again offers the possibility of documenting a common practice which tells us much about the organization of the construction site and the extent of its activity: the materials recovered are rubble. The remnants of materials used for the production of mortars associated with plaster (fig. 7), stone flakes and other materials like bricks which were also produced by anthropic activity and reused on construction sites (fig. 8), also contribute to the definition of the organization of the site.
The reuse of Early Medieval decorative elements together with structural and architectural components from an earlier era has been noted in other cases. We can also cite examples in which a selection has been made of the materials, choosing some of them to be displayed in a recognizable way as a “memory” of a preceding era, while others which were part of the same structure or furnishings, were set aside for use in the construction site, as residue from the production of mortar or components of walls. At Comacchio these materials became rubble because they were probably the remains from baking, presumably in a lime kiln, considering the evident exposure to a source of heat (fig. 9), or else they had been deliberately crushed and broken. These materials in some case continued to circulate and be recycled in the various constructions which took place in the area from the Medieval phase to the Modern Era (fig. 10).
The contexts. Discovery, reuse, provenance
Most of the stone artifacts were found in USM 1438, the eastern perimeter wall of a building which was interpreted as being the Bishop’s Palace and to which a chronology of the 11th-12th century was assigned. (Period 4, Phase 3). The number of artifacts (132) in this case corresponds to 87,41% of the total of all the stone objects found. The artifacts represented a heterogeneous group of materials, mostly fragmentary but in some cases large objects which had been in the foundations in association with bricks which had also been recycled and showing an abundant use of construction mortar. The dimensions of the stone flakes and the elements used in the foundations were of dimensions (cm 80/95) such as to determine an irregular width in some cases double that of the wall. A small quantity of stone artifacts also of a different typology, were found in other contexts (tab. 1). In area 1000, which corresponds to the facade of the cathedral of St Cassiano they found stone artifacts in US 1027 (Period 2, Phase 2, Activity 1); US 1059 (Period 5, Phase 1); US 1074 (Period 3, Phase 1); US 1097 and US 1098 (Period 5, Phase 2). The context of discovery and reuse for most of the artifacts was the same (figs. 2-3-4), however the area in which also the remaining artifacts have been or could have been transferred several times is unique and, on the contrary the context of provenance is diversified and multiple.
The artifacts. Functional identity and production aspects
Late Antique furnishings and architectural elements. This material comes from buildings or phases dated to Late Antiquity. In particular, the breakdown is valid for the fragments (cat. n. 39, n. 40) decorated using a drill, with visible traces pertaining to one or more capitals of a particular typology with acanthus leaves moving in the wind of the “butterfly” type on the rim and an egg-and-dart motif on the abacus (tav. 1), from the period of Theodoric, with an eastern provenance and used in buildings in Ravenna. There are also other fragments from architectural elements (tab. 2) of the same period which can be identified as being part of composite or impost capitals where traces of production that are still visible suggest their identification (cat. n. 38, nn. 42-44). These materials were probably part of a group of fragments from cornices and lintels as well as a number of fragmentary elements for which the demolition activity and recycling have made it impossible to identify with certainty their original function (cat. nn. 104-108). The numerous fragments of columns (tab. 3) coming from large sized shafts some of which are made of polychrome marbles and, in some cases, were imported, had originally been used in Late Antiquity (cat. nn. 54-77; cat. nn. 83-99).
Early Medieval liturgical furnishings and architectural elements. These are mostly materials pertaining to elements from liturgical furnishings (cat. nn. 1-35), from the Early Middle Ages and correspond to 23,17% of the artifacts discovered. Despite the fragmentary state of the artifacts which were small and in some cases, very small sized, in most cases we were able to determine or hypothesize the original function: small pillars with or without grooves meant to hold slabs, pluteus-slabs, with tenon; simple slabs; cornices; trabeations; capitals of different sizes (graph. 2). With these artifacts it was possible to make comparisons with analogous materials which had been published or, in any case, were known, which were useful for the definition of the functions and typological characteristics, technical and production solutions and decorative motifs.
Technological aspects (instruments, techniques and assembly)
The analytical review of the visible traces left from the manufacture on the surface of the artifacts (tabs. 8-9-10) allowed us to determine the use of pointed instruments of different sizes with indirect percussion, used for the preliminary execution of the individual components which in this way were rough-hewed (cat. n. 16; cat. n. 26), as was done for the production of the accommodation slits for slabs in pillars (cat. n. 1; cat. n. 3), trabeation grooves (cat. n. 26), as well as for the preliminary positioning of a lintel fragment (cat. n. 22). Visible traces of a direct percussion tool with a flat cutting edge would seem to suggest a stone-cutter’s axe, while a chisel with a smooth cutting edge was probably used to make the traces which were found also on the artifacts from Comacchio. A tool with a small-sized flat cutting edge was used to make the double-grooved bands, with the triangular section groove made by slanting the instrument with respect to the working surface, as is evident in some of the elements. In a few cases we were able to identify a small cutting tool with a serrated blade which had been used to rectify the surface of some of the slabs (cat. n. 10, blade cm 2-2,5 with at least 4-5 teeth; cat. n. 13).
Appropriation of materials and organization of the construction site
None of the artifacts were found in primary deposits as this rarely occurs for this type of material. On the other hand, in terms of relative chronology, the context offers only the terminus ante quem of the construction of the wall from which most of the artifacts come and the presence of a few artifacts in the leveling layers which pertain to the 10th century.
The presence of fragments to which a particular function cannot be assigned, as well as stone flakes and materials which show no traces of being worked and are reduced to the state of being simple stones, testifies and confirms an activity of demolition and reuse. It is significant that we found all massed together heterogeneous elements from various eras coming from different phases of the same building or from different chronological pha- ses of different buildings. These artifacts were reduced to small fragments by destructive activity as well as by their reuse as construction materials. By making the necessary disaggregations and new aggregations in proceeding with the analysis, this case once again offers the possibility of documenting a common practice which tells us much about the organization of the construction site and the extent of its activity: the materials recovered are rubble. The remnants of materials used for the production of mortars associated with plaster (fig. 7), stone flakes and other materials like bricks which were also produced by anthropic activity and reused on construction sites (fig. 8), also contribute to the definition of the organization of the site.
The reuse of Early Medieval decorative elements together with structural and architectural components from an earlier era has been noted in other cases. We can also cite examples in which a selection has been made of the materials, choosing some of them to be displayed in a recognizable way as a “memory” of a preceding era, while others which were part of the same structure or furnishings, were set aside for use in the construction site, as residue from the production of mortar or components of walls. At Comacchio these materials became rubble because they were probably the remains from baking, presumably in a lime kiln, considering the evident exposure to a source of heat (fig. 9), or else they had been deliberately crushed and broken. These materials in some case continued to circulate and be recycled in the various constructions which took place in the area from the Medieval phase to the Modern Era (fig. 10).
Research Interests: Medieval Studies, Late Antique Archaeology, Early Medieval Archaeology, Medieval Archaeology, Archaeology of Buildings, and 15 moreEarly Medieval And Medieval Settlement (Archaeology), Early Medieval Sculpture (Archaeology), Medieval Mediterranean Art and Architecture, Archaeology of churches, Arqueologia Medieval, Archeologia medievale, Spolia, Early Medieval Sculpture, Marble spolia, Histoire et archéologie du haut Moyen-âge, Medieval Art and Architecture, Archéologie médiévale, Cantiere medievale, Chantiers Moyen Age, and Early medieval stone sculpture
Lo scavo della villa dell’Oratorio (Capraia e Limite, Fi) ha offerto l’occasione di studiare con le metodologie tradizionali dell’archeologia e con l’uso dell’archeometria i materiali da costruzione del complesso architettonico.... more
Lo scavo della villa dell’Oratorio (Capraia e Limite, Fi) ha offerto l’occasione di studiare con le metodologie tradizionali dell’archeologia e con l’uso dell’archeometria i materiali da costruzione del complesso architettonico. Quest’ultimo, realizzato alla metà del IV secolo, era costituito da un impianto termale, da alcuni vani di servizio e da una grande struttura a pianta esagonale, destinata a ricevere gli ospiti e dotata di tappeti musivi che arricchivano cinque aule absidate, una per ogni lato, e una sala centrale esagonale. La corretta caratterizzazione dei materiali da costruzione è stata considerata un passo necessario per ricostruire il cantiere della villa. Relativamente alla committenza possiamo ipotizzare che la struttura doveva essere appartenuta alla famiglia dei Vetti e forse, originariamente, al suo membro più famoso, il senatore Vettio Agorio Pretestato. Ma come rispondeva il mercato, in termini di maestranze e materie prime, alle richieste di una committenza senatoria che si ispirava ai modelli residenziali imperiali? Relativamente alle prime, lo studio dei litotipi, delle malte e delle modalità operative di messa in opera dei laterizi ha permesso di ipotizzare l'operato di maestranze urbane, che dovevano condividere il cantiere con quelle specializzate nella realizzazione dei sectilia e dei mosaici, che sembrano di matrice o di ispirazione africana. Quali meccanismi regolarono la produzione e l’approvvigionamento del laterizio utilizzato nella villa? Nel contributo sono presentati i risultati delle analisi dei campioni prelevati dagli strati associabili al cantiere di metà IV secolo, alle fasi di ristrutturazione della villa databili tra il V e l’inizio del VI secolo e dai crolli delle coperture, oltre a qualche laterizio romano di foggia particolare da contesti successivi all’abbandono del complesso.
Research Interests: Archaeology, Material Culture Studies, Construction Technology, Late Antique Archaeology, Medieval Archaeology, and 11 moreLate Antiquity, Archaeology of Buildings, Archaeology of Architecture, Brick and tile (Archaeology), Late roman villas, Archeometry, Archeologia Tardoantica E Paleocristiana, Archeologia dell'architettura, Tarda antichità, Bricks, and Antiquité tardive
A partire dalla fine del secolo XI nella Toscana occidentale e più in generale nell’area centro settentrionale della penisola si intensificano, come è noto, le iscrizioni destinate a celebrare l’operato degli architetti e... more
A partire dalla fine del secolo XI nella Toscana occidentale e più in generale nell’area centro settentrionale della penisola si intensificano, come è noto, le iscrizioni destinate a celebrare l’operato degli architetti e progressivamente di alcune delle altre figure coinvolte nei cantieri e nelle imprese costruttive di crescita urbana, come lapicidi e scultori.
Si tratta di un fenomeno di ampia portata, sebbene non omogeneo, che segna una cesura con quanto accadeva in precedenza, allorquando questo tipo di riconoscimento era riservato alla figura del committente. Parallelamente si diffondono le “firme epigrafiche”, numerose in questo ambito regionale, perlopiù uniche attestazioni di personalità altrimenti destinate all’anonimato e al tempo stesso indicative di un mutato ruolo degli artefici, di una loro “autocoscienza”, come è stata efficacemente definita da Chiara Frugoni. In passato la storiografia ha spesso presentato l’artefice che opera in ambito genericamente medievale come del tutto subordinato al committente, finché studi specifici e lavori di sintesi non hanno più volte e più correttamente posto in luce diverse situazioni e contesti, anche se tale prospettiva si è di nuovo affacciata in tentativi recenti, per esempio connessi all’interpretazione delle architetture nell’ambito di studi di archeologia del costruito, evidentemente fornendo interpretazioni meno equilibrate di una dinamica, quella artefici-committenti, che non può che intendersi come dialettica, da valutare attentamente caso per caso. Gli epiteti e i riconoscimenti, come nel caso di quelli rivolti agli artefici coinvolti nelle diverse fasi del cantiere della cattedrale di Pisa – Buscheto, Rainaldo, Guglielmo – mostrano per converso, come da tempo affermato, il riconoscimento da parte dei contemporanei di una componente progettuale e organizzativa, oltre che meramente esecutiva. Non si tratta di un fenomeno esclusivamente urbano. Nell’ambito della Maritima medievale, per esempio, dai primi decenni del XII secolo soggetta all’espansione pisana, alcuni edifici plebani presentano precocemente iscrizioni e segni lapidari connessi alle attività costruttive, inquadrabili nell’ambito della seconda metà dello stesso. I segni lapidari appartengono alla tipologia definita “di utilità”, le iscrizioni sono invece classificabili tra quelle definite “firma”, attestanti l’operato degli artefici di cui riportano il nome. La maggior parte di queste forniscono inoltre datazioni assolute. Nella prima metà del secolo successivo una nuova tipologia di scrittura esposta commemorativa comparirà in questi territori celebrando attività edilizie diversificate, segno inequivocabile della volontà politica di porre in evidenza, mediante scritture esposte potenzialmente fruibili da un pubblico il più vasto possibile, quanto realizzato.
Muovendo dalla materialità agli aspetti propri della storia sociale e delle mentalità, nel contributo si è cercato di evidenziare tale passaggio mediante una disamina dei diversi aspetti peculiari di questi manufatti, nell’ambito degli spazi grafici e dei contesti per i quali furono commissionati.
Si tratta di un fenomeno di ampia portata, sebbene non omogeneo, che segna una cesura con quanto accadeva in precedenza, allorquando questo tipo di riconoscimento era riservato alla figura del committente. Parallelamente si diffondono le “firme epigrafiche”, numerose in questo ambito regionale, perlopiù uniche attestazioni di personalità altrimenti destinate all’anonimato e al tempo stesso indicative di un mutato ruolo degli artefici, di una loro “autocoscienza”, come è stata efficacemente definita da Chiara Frugoni. In passato la storiografia ha spesso presentato l’artefice che opera in ambito genericamente medievale come del tutto subordinato al committente, finché studi specifici e lavori di sintesi non hanno più volte e più correttamente posto in luce diverse situazioni e contesti, anche se tale prospettiva si è di nuovo affacciata in tentativi recenti, per esempio connessi all’interpretazione delle architetture nell’ambito di studi di archeologia del costruito, evidentemente fornendo interpretazioni meno equilibrate di una dinamica, quella artefici-committenti, che non può che intendersi come dialettica, da valutare attentamente caso per caso. Gli epiteti e i riconoscimenti, come nel caso di quelli rivolti agli artefici coinvolti nelle diverse fasi del cantiere della cattedrale di Pisa – Buscheto, Rainaldo, Guglielmo – mostrano per converso, come da tempo affermato, il riconoscimento da parte dei contemporanei di una componente progettuale e organizzativa, oltre che meramente esecutiva. Non si tratta di un fenomeno esclusivamente urbano. Nell’ambito della Maritima medievale, per esempio, dai primi decenni del XII secolo soggetta all’espansione pisana, alcuni edifici plebani presentano precocemente iscrizioni e segni lapidari connessi alle attività costruttive, inquadrabili nell’ambito della seconda metà dello stesso. I segni lapidari appartengono alla tipologia definita “di utilità”, le iscrizioni sono invece classificabili tra quelle definite “firma”, attestanti l’operato degli artefici di cui riportano il nome. La maggior parte di queste forniscono inoltre datazioni assolute. Nella prima metà del secolo successivo una nuova tipologia di scrittura esposta commemorativa comparirà in questi territori celebrando attività edilizie diversificate, segno inequivocabile della volontà politica di porre in evidenza, mediante scritture esposte potenzialmente fruibili da un pubblico il più vasto possibile, quanto realizzato.
Muovendo dalla materialità agli aspetti propri della storia sociale e delle mentalità, nel contributo si è cercato di evidenziare tale passaggio mediante una disamina dei diversi aspetti peculiari di questi manufatti, nell’ambito degli spazi grafici e dei contesti per i quali furono commissionati.
Research Interests:
6.4 Context of discovery, functional identity, aspects of production and reuse. During the investigations conducted in Nonantola between 2004 and 2009 in the external area occupied by the abbey garden were found numerous stone finds,... more
6.4 Context of discovery, functional identity, aspects of production and reuse.
During the investigations conducted in Nonantola between 2004 and 2009 in the external area occupied by the abbey garden were found numerous stone finds, properly documented in the years 2008-2009. The different fragments, of heterogeneous nature, have been fully examined, not making a prior selection between the materials but extending the documentation to cases of small size and stone fragments in relation to the different UTS and stratigraphies of origin, consistent with the choices made in other contexts in which, gradually, the attention devoted to them has grown on a par with the potential for interpretation.
During the investigations conducted in Nonantola between 2004 and 2009 in the external area occupied by the abbey garden were found numerous stone finds, properly documented in the years 2008-2009. The different fragments, of heterogeneous nature, have been fully examined, not making a prior selection between the materials but extending the documentation to cases of small size and stone fragments in relation to the different UTS and stratigraphies of origin, consistent with the choices made in other contexts in which, gradually, the attention devoted to them has grown on a par with the potential for interpretation.
Research Interests: Early Medieval Archaeology, Medieval Archaeology, Archaeology of Buildings, Early Medieval And Medieval Settlement (Archaeology), Early Middle Ages (History), and 15 moreEarly Medieval Art, Stone artefacts (Archaeology), Archaeology of Medieval Monasteries, Archaeology of churches, Monastic Archaeology, Spolia, Early Medieval Monasticism, Nonantola, Histoire et archéologie du haut Moyen-âge, Stone, Archaeology, historical buildings, conservation of the built environment, The Use of Marble and Other Stones, Archéologie du bâti, Archéologie médiévale, and Abbazia di Nonantola
Research Interests: Medieval Studies, Early Medieval Archaeology, Medieval Archaeology, Early Medieval Sculpture (Archaeology), Early Medieval Art, and 15 moreMedieval Mediterranean Art and Architecture, Archaeology of churches, Archeologia medievale, Spolia, Early Medieval Sculpture, Pisa, Storia Dell'Arte Medievale, Marble spolia, Medieval Art and Architecture, Archéologie médiévale, Il reimpiego in architettura: recupero, trasformazione, uso, Scultura Altomedievale, Arredo Liturgico IX Secolo, Arquelogia Medieval, and Medieval History of Pisa
Research Interests:
Nel contributo sono illustrati i risultati dello scavo, condotto tra 2016 e 2017, di una porzione dell'impianto termale della villa dell'Oratorio (Capraia e Limite, Firenze), appartenuta nel corso del IV secolo al senatore Vettio Agorio... more
Nel contributo sono illustrati i risultati dello scavo, condotto tra 2016 e 2017, di una porzione dell'impianto termale della villa dell'Oratorio (Capraia e Limite, Firenze), appartenuta nel corso del IV secolo al senatore Vettio Agorio Pretestato e definitivamente abbandonata nel corso del VI secolo.
Durante le ricerche, in una delle vasche pertinenti all'impianto termale furono recuperati numerosi frammenti in stucco, predisponendo campioni per la caratterizzazione mineralogico-petrografica dei materiali costitutivi, come già effettuato per altri leganti impiegati nel cantiere e in genere per le diverse componenti dell'articolato ciclo costruttivo.
Durante le ricerche, in una delle vasche pertinenti all'impianto termale furono recuperati numerosi frammenti in stucco, predisponendo campioni per la caratterizzazione mineralogico-petrografica dei materiali costitutivi, come già effettuato per altri leganti impiegati nel cantiere e in genere per le diverse componenti dell'articolato ciclo costruttivo.
Research Interests:
In the framework of the archeological investigations of an outstanding Roman Villas in Tuscany (Villa dell"Oratorio, in the territory of Capraia e Limite, Florence), archaeometric studies have been perfomed with the aim to characterize... more
In the framework of the archeological investigations of an outstanding Roman Villas in Tuscany (Villa dell"Oratorio, in the territory of Capraia e Limite, Florence), archaeometric studies have been perfomed with the aim to characterize building and decorative materials and retrace construction phases and manufacture technology. The Villas, built in the middle of the 4 th century, includes a hexagonal structure, about 30 meters in diameter, decorated with painted wall plasters and beautiful figurative floor mosaics. The structure is equipped with apsed rooms (at least 5), exhibiting similarity with some monumental triclinia of Constantinople and Rome. Archaeometric analyses have been carried out on mortars, stones and vitreous tesserae, with the aim to identify the raw materials and support the archaeological investigation about cultural models and economic status of the aristocratic owner in the Late Roman Tuscany. Mortars samples from different building units of the Villas have been studied through minero-petrographic and thermogravimetric methods. Stone tesserae have been analyzed by minero-petrographic and sedimentologic methods, to obtain information on the provenance of the raw materials used. Finally, Raman spectroscopy and SEM-EDS analyses have been performed on vitreous tesserae, to obtain information on colouring and opaquening agents. The studies carried out on the building elements suggested that, in spite of iconographic and architectural models proper of the great Mediterranean villae, local and spolia raw materials were used in this great construction work.
Research Interests:
In the framework of the archeological investigations of an outstanding Roman Villas in Tuscany (Villa dell‟Oratorio, in the territory of Capraia e Limite, Florence), archaeometric studies have been perfomed with the aim to characterize... more
In the framework of the archeological investigations of an outstanding Roman Villas in Tuscany (Villa dell‟Oratorio, in the territory of Capraia e Limite, Florence), archaeometric studies have been perfomed with the aim to characterize building and decorative materials and retrace construction phases and manufacture technology. The Villas, built in the middle of the 4th century, includes a hexagonal structure, about 30 meters in diameter, decorated with painted wall plasters and beautiful figurative floor mosaics. The structure is equipped with apsed rooms (at least 5), exhibiting similarity with some monumental triclinia of
Constantinople and Rome. Archaeometric analyses have been carried out on mortars, stones and vitreous tesserae, with the aim to identify the raw materials and support the archaeological investigation about cultural models and economic status of the aristocratic owner in the Late Roman Tuscany. Mortars samples from different building units of the Villas have been studied through minero petrographic and thermogravimetric methods. Stone tesserae have been analyzed by minero-petrographic and sedimentologic methods, to obtain information on the provenance of the raw materials used. Finally, Raman spectroscopy and SEM-EDS analyses have been performed on vitreous tesserae, to obtain information on colouring and opaquening agents. The studies carried out on the building elements suggested that, in spite of iconographic
and architectural models proper of the great Mediterranean villae, local and spolia raw materials were used in this great construction work.
Constantinople and Rome. Archaeometric analyses have been carried out on mortars, stones and vitreous tesserae, with the aim to identify the raw materials and support the archaeological investigation about cultural models and economic status of the aristocratic owner in the Late Roman Tuscany. Mortars samples from different building units of the Villas have been studied through minero petrographic and thermogravimetric methods. Stone tesserae have been analyzed by minero-petrographic and sedimentologic methods, to obtain information on the provenance of the raw materials used. Finally, Raman spectroscopy and SEM-EDS analyses have been performed on vitreous tesserae, to obtain information on colouring and opaquening agents. The studies carried out on the building elements suggested that, in spite of iconographic
and architectural models proper of the great Mediterranean villae, local and spolia raw materials were used in this great construction work.
Research Interests: Archaeology, Late Antique Archaeology, Medieval Archaeology, Building Materials (Archaeology), Late Antiquity, and 11 moreArchaeometry, Archaeology of Buildings, Archeometria, Archeometry, Archéologie, Mortars, Characterisation and provenance of ancient mortars, Archeometry, Archeologie, Archeologia, Archeometria Beni Culturali, Archeometria, Pavimenti Musivi, Petrografia Restauro Monumentale E Archeologico, and Historical Mortars
In the framework of the archeological investigations of an outstanding Roman Villas in Tuscany (Villa dell‟Oratorio, in the territory of Capraia e Limite, Florence), archaeometric studies have been perfomed with the aim to characterize... more
In the framework of the archeological investigations of an outstanding Roman Villas in Tuscany (Villa dell‟Oratorio, in the territory of Capraia e Limite, Florence), archaeometric studies have been perfomed with the aim to characterize building and decorative materials and retrace construction phases and manufacture technology. The Villas, built in the middle of the 4th century, includes a hexagonal structure, about 30 meters in diameter, decorated with painted wall plasters and beautiful figurative floor mosaics. The structure is equipped with apsed rooms (at least 5), exhibiting similarity with some monumental triclinia of Constantinople and Rome. Archaeometric analyses have been carried out on mortars, stones and vitreous tesserae, with the aim to identify the raw materials and support the archaeological investigation about cultural models and economic status of the aristocratic owner in the Late Roman Tuscany. Mortars samples from different building units of the Villas have been...
Research Interests:
This paper illustrates the results of the archaeological excavations conducted between 2010 and 2016 by the University of Pisa (ed. F. Cantini) in collaboration with the Tuscan Archaeological Superintendence (until 2015) at the site of... more
This paper illustrates the results of the archaeological excavations conducted between 2010 and 2016 by the University of Pisa (ed. F. Cantini) in collaboration with the Tuscan Archaeological Superintendence (until 2015) at the site of the Oratorio/Le Muriccia (Capraia and Limite, Florence). The excavations brought to the light a Late Roman Villa, built on the remains of a former structure, dated to the middle of the 4th century and probably belonged to Senator Vettio Agorio Pretestato, one of the most important figures of Rome in the Late Antiquity.The Villa was enlarged in the 5th century, probably due to a transfer of propriety, and abandoned in the first half of the 6th century. During the 7th century the architectural complex was interested by spolia processes of metals, glass end building materials of. The paper collects also the study of building materials and archeometric analysis.
The study of the materials and construction techniques used in the construction site of the 'Vetti' villa allows a classification by type of masonry, based on the different technological aspects of the masonry equipment. The structures brought to light were therefore documented and investigated. The construction processes were analyzed and interpreted in the context of the overall dynamics that characterized the site and in comparison with the historical and cultural contexts.
Lo studio dei materiali e delle tecniche costruttive impiegati nel cantiere della villa dei 'Vetti' consente una classificazione per tipi delle murature, basata sui diversi aspetti tecnologici delle apparecchiature murarie. Le strutture poste in luce sono state pertanto documentate e indagate anche in tal senso, nell'intento di correlare i processi costruttivi alle dinamiche complessive che connotarono il sito, nel più generale ambito storico e culturale.
The study of the materials and construction techniques used in the construction site of the 'Vetti' villa allows a classification by type of masonry, based on the different technological aspects of the masonry equipment. The structures brought to light were therefore documented and investigated. The construction processes were analyzed and interpreted in the context of the overall dynamics that characterized the site and in comparison with the historical and cultural contexts.
Lo studio dei materiali e delle tecniche costruttive impiegati nel cantiere della villa dei 'Vetti' consente una classificazione per tipi delle murature, basata sui diversi aspetti tecnologici delle apparecchiature murarie. Le strutture poste in luce sono state pertanto documentate e indagate anche in tal senso, nell'intento di correlare i processi costruttivi alle dinamiche complessive che connotarono il sito, nel più generale ambito storico e culturale.
Research Interests: Archaeology, Late Antique Archaeology, Building Materials (Archaeology), Late Antiquity, Archeologia, and 6 moreBuilding and Construction Materials, Archéologie du bâti, Antiquité tardive, Archeologia Tardo Antica, Stone Masonry, Conservation and Analysis of Historical Stone Masonry Technologies, and Stone Buildings and Stone Masons
The San Quirico monastic complex and religious buildings in the Populonia-Massa diocese (11th-12th centuries). The single-aisle layout with a protruding transept and three apses, which marked phase II of the San Quirico church, is... more
The San Quirico monastic complex and religious buildings in the Populonia-Massa diocese (11th-12th centuries).
The single-aisle layout with a protruding transept and three apses, which marked phase II of the San Quirico church, is typically monastic. Used since the early medieval period in buildings of modest size, where the main chamber has a moderate longitudinal extension, it was adopted in the following centuries (11th-12th centuries), also in monastic contexts, for larger buildings. During the 12th century, the Latin cross iconography, with or without side apses, spread from monastic buildings to buildings used by the priesthood, as in the case of canonical churches. The dominant development of the choir compared to the main chamber is recurrent in this typology, one of the most widespread in Benedectine contexts. In the regional context, it is possible to find it in numerous buildings among which some similar types may be mentioned, similar examples limited to iconographic features: for the 11th century, San Gennaro di Capolona; for the 12th century, Badia Agnano at Bucine; San Michele Arcangelo in Siena; and SS. Trinità di Spineta at Sartiano. For south-western Tuscia, this layout is found in the building pertaining to the abbey of S. Pietro di Acquaviva at Campiglia, and so, significantly, in the same diocesan area as San Quirico di Populonia.
The position of the walls with lesenes made using stone blocks of modest size, and fragments of brick or tile, recurrent in many 11th century buildings in central and northern Italy, and Europe, can be seen in some urban buildings closer to this aea, and in the Pisan area, and the immediate surroundings. Similar solutions are displayed by the apses of S. Piero at Grado, S. Cristina, datable to the start of the 11th century and S. Matteo, mentioned for the first time on 18 May 1027, and relating to one of the city’s monasteries. In the territory of the diocese of Massa and Populonia, lesenes made in a similar way, and resting on a protruding plinth, are visible in the tribune of the church which it is thought belonged to the monastery of S. Pietro di Acquaviva. This was initially Benedictine, but later, like San Quirico di Populonia, it passed to the Order of St William and, later, to the Domenican nuns in Pisa. The building retains part of the masonry of the tribune in the elevation, almost completely in the south apse, while the rest of the walls are the result of modern renovation. The building’s iconography, which cannot be wholly interpreted as it stands, could cor- respond to a single chamber with a protruding transept and three apses, as would be suggested by the tribune apses. The layout, and the presence of lesenes in the wall of the tribune, make the building close to the solutions adopted in the San Quirico church, in both cases attributable to the 11th century. This parallel will appear even more significant considering that the two monastery buildings for worship are today the only ones known with this iconography, and technical solutions (lesenes) in the wider coastal area south of the city of Pisa, until the later abbey church of S. Maria Alborense, in the Monti dell’Uccellina, the Tau cross-shaped layout of which dates to the 12th century phase.
The cloister (area 3000) of San Quirico di Populonia has a quadrangular layout, and has regular proportions, based on an observation of elementary geometric norms. Several rooms gave on to the loggias that run along the perimeter walls, originally with an opus signinum flooring. These rooms were responsible for the various functions of monastic life. The internal perimeter of the cloister, which was once looked out over by the arches formed by miniature columns and their capitals (capitelli a stampella), was completely robbed also of the thick slabs with which they were originally lined. Like illustrious examples in Benedictine contexts, the San Quirico di Populonia monastery cloister featured arches overlooking the internal lawn, having decoration and carved column capitals. The case of San Quirico, although only partially with scattered finds, and being fragmentary, affords the first case (and the only case, for a long time) of a monastery cloister having a form of decoration known for the whole area, coastal and internal. The construction of Populonia’s monastery buildings, and later interventions, are part of a series of building episodes involving the diocesan area in the course of the 11th and 12th centuries .
The single-aisle layout with a protruding transept and three apses, which marked phase II of the San Quirico church, is typically monastic. Used since the early medieval period in buildings of modest size, where the main chamber has a moderate longitudinal extension, it was adopted in the following centuries (11th-12th centuries), also in monastic contexts, for larger buildings. During the 12th century, the Latin cross iconography, with or without side apses, spread from monastic buildings to buildings used by the priesthood, as in the case of canonical churches. The dominant development of the choir compared to the main chamber is recurrent in this typology, one of the most widespread in Benedectine contexts. In the regional context, it is possible to find it in numerous buildings among which some similar types may be mentioned, similar examples limited to iconographic features: for the 11th century, San Gennaro di Capolona; for the 12th century, Badia Agnano at Bucine; San Michele Arcangelo in Siena; and SS. Trinità di Spineta at Sartiano. For south-western Tuscia, this layout is found in the building pertaining to the abbey of S. Pietro di Acquaviva at Campiglia, and so, significantly, in the same diocesan area as San Quirico di Populonia.
The position of the walls with lesenes made using stone blocks of modest size, and fragments of brick or tile, recurrent in many 11th century buildings in central and northern Italy, and Europe, can be seen in some urban buildings closer to this aea, and in the Pisan area, and the immediate surroundings. Similar solutions are displayed by the apses of S. Piero at Grado, S. Cristina, datable to the start of the 11th century and S. Matteo, mentioned for the first time on 18 May 1027, and relating to one of the city’s monasteries. In the territory of the diocese of Massa and Populonia, lesenes made in a similar way, and resting on a protruding plinth, are visible in the tribune of the church which it is thought belonged to the monastery of S. Pietro di Acquaviva. This was initially Benedictine, but later, like San Quirico di Populonia, it passed to the Order of St William and, later, to the Domenican nuns in Pisa. The building retains part of the masonry of the tribune in the elevation, almost completely in the south apse, while the rest of the walls are the result of modern renovation. The building’s iconography, which cannot be wholly interpreted as it stands, could cor- respond to a single chamber with a protruding transept and three apses, as would be suggested by the tribune apses. The layout, and the presence of lesenes in the wall of the tribune, make the building close to the solutions adopted in the San Quirico church, in both cases attributable to the 11th century. This parallel will appear even more significant considering that the two monastery buildings for worship are today the only ones known with this iconography, and technical solutions (lesenes) in the wider coastal area south of the city of Pisa, until the later abbey church of S. Maria Alborense, in the Monti dell’Uccellina, the Tau cross-shaped layout of which dates to the 12th century phase.
The cloister (area 3000) of San Quirico di Populonia has a quadrangular layout, and has regular proportions, based on an observation of elementary geometric norms. Several rooms gave on to the loggias that run along the perimeter walls, originally with an opus signinum flooring. These rooms were responsible for the various functions of monastic life. The internal perimeter of the cloister, which was once looked out over by the arches formed by miniature columns and their capitals (capitelli a stampella), was completely robbed also of the thick slabs with which they were originally lined. Like illustrious examples in Benedictine contexts, the San Quirico di Populonia monastery cloister featured arches overlooking the internal lawn, having decoration and carved column capitals. The case of San Quirico, although only partially with scattered finds, and being fragmentary, affords the first case (and the only case, for a long time) of a monastery cloister having a form of decoration known for the whole area, coastal and internal. The construction of Populonia’s monastery buildings, and later interventions, are part of a series of building episodes involving the diocesan area in the course of the 11th and 12th centuries .
Research Interests: Monastic Studies, Medieval Archaeology, Architectural Heritage, History of Monasticism, Medieval Mediterranean Art and Architecture, and 7 moreArchaeology of Medieval Monasteries, Monastic Archaeology, Benedictine Monasticism, Arquitectura medieval, Archéologie du bâti, Architecture Médiévale, and Archéologie Du Bâti Médiéval
In the three areas that were explored at San Quirico di Populonia, a benedectine monastery, numerous fragments of marble slabs were found, unevenly distributed, with funerary inscriptions and Christological signs. In particular, more than... more
In the three areas that were explored at San Quirico di Populonia, a benedectine monastery, numerous fragments of marble slabs were found, unevenly distributed, with funerary inscriptions and Christological signs. In particular, more than half come from inside the church (area 1), where they were reused as flooring material in the post-medieval period (73 fragments); another group, still large (24 fragments), comes from the area outside the church, and from the external northern side of the building (area 1000); and, finally, just over a quarter of the total (37 fragments) come from the cloister (area 3000).
Research Interests: Epigraphy (Archaeology), Late Antique Archaeology, Early Christianity, Medieval Archaeology, Late Antiquity, and 10 moreArchaeology of Medieval Monasteries, Archeologia medievale, Monastic Archaeology, Archeologia Tardoantica E Paleocristiana, Funerary inscriptions, Archeologia Cristiana, Archéologie médiévale, Epigrafia Medievale, Epigrafia Medieval, and Archeologia cristiana e Tardoantica
The study of stone material found at the site of the San Quirico monastery, near Populonia, addressed the question of attributing the functional units, and also, in parallel, the problem of placing them in their context within the... more
The study of stone material found at the site of the San Quirico monastery, near Populonia, addressed the question of attributing the functional units, and also, in parallel, the problem of placing them in their context within the complex under study, as well as proposing a suggested chronology for them. In addition to structural and sculptural elements and decorative features, the cataloguing also includes reused material (spolia) and elements of different type (slabs).
The intention is to contribute, on the one hand, to a reconstruction of the original context, and on the other hand to an understanding of the attempts at restoration and of the dynamics of abandonment and robbing, in a process ranging from the genesis of the artefact to its finding, encompassing the full range of these phenomena.
The intention is to contribute, on the one hand, to a reconstruction of the original context, and on the other hand to an understanding of the attempts at restoration and of the dynamics of abandonment and robbing, in a process ranging from the genesis of the artefact to its finding, encompassing the full range of these phenomena.
Research Interests: Medieval Archaeology, Monastic Architecture, History of Monasticism, Archaeology of Medieval Monasteries, Marbles, and 10 moreMonastic Archaeology, Romanesque Sculpture, Spolia, Populonia, Reuse, The Use of Marble and Other Stones, Il reimpiego in architettura: recupero, trasformazione, uso, Archaeology of Monasticism, Romanesque Cloister, and Archeologia Dei Monasteri Medievali
Recording stone materials found at the site of the San Quirico monastery (Populonia, Leghorn), the research was conducted by first distinguishing the types of stone, systematically recording the marks left by tools, and the techniques and... more
Recording stone materials found at the site of the San Quirico monastery (Populonia, Leghorn), the research was conducted by first distinguishing the types of stone, systematically recording the marks left by tools, and the techniques and devices used to make the individual architectural components. Bearing in mind these aspects, as well as the way they were assembled, the various phases in which the production process was divided were highlighted (supply, processing, setting in place), in a backward-looking conceptual process leading from the particular (the stone find, architectural element or other) to the general context (the building) which it belonged to.
Research Interests: Medieval Archaeology, Building Materials (Archaeology), Archaeology of Buildings, Medieval Architecture, Monastic Architecture, and 12 moreMedieval Mediterranean Art and Architecture, Archaeology of Medieval Monasteries, Archeologia medievale, Monastic Archaeology, Populonia, The Use of Marble and Other Stones, Stone carving and lapidary techniques, Medieval church architecture, Masons marks, Marcas de Cantero, Cantiere medievale, and Marques Lapidaires
Technical, iconographic and paleographic aspects of painted plaster As evidenced by the reading of the stratigraphy, large traces of painted plaster are still present, although covered over for the purposes of conservation, on the... more
Technical, iconographic and paleographic aspects of painted
plaster
As evidenced by the reading of the stratigraphy, large traces of painted plaster are still present, although covered over for the purposes of conservation, on the interior wall of the monastic church of S. Quirico di Populonia (Piombino, Tuscany), in the apse hemicycles, on the half-columns of the crossing, in the head of the surviving transept, and in the perimeter walls. In addition, inside the place of worship some stone blocks with painted plaster, as well as fragments of plaster that have become detached from their support, were recovered. In both cases, they were reused in in-fill for the floor, and, in the case of the fragments, also in the levelling layers of the latest phases.
Finally, a tiny amount of plaster fragments was recovered in the internal perimeter wall of the cloister, almost only around the well.
The identified wall-mounted stratigraphic contexts affected by pigment consist in: an initial layer of paint applied on smoothed plaster; a subsequent stratum with plaster that was pressed flat and then painted; and a third, slightly shiny stratum that covered everything, which was found to be uniformly beige at the time it was revealed.
In view of the interpretation of this stratigraphy, and the recognition of the original phase of smoothing the wall surfaces and the individual wall lining contexts, it was possible to focus on the oldest phase of painting, tracing the various technical aspects of execution, the chosen decorative motifs, and possible comparable features in the context of painting in the same period, with special attention to the area under Pisa’s influence, and rare examples in the local area, highlighting the aspects that provide datable elements.
In his work, the author focuses on the oldest decorative intervention, the wall-painting used in the religious building built in the 11th century.
plaster
As evidenced by the reading of the stratigraphy, large traces of painted plaster are still present, although covered over for the purposes of conservation, on the interior wall of the monastic church of S. Quirico di Populonia (Piombino, Tuscany), in the apse hemicycles, on the half-columns of the crossing, in the head of the surviving transept, and in the perimeter walls. In addition, inside the place of worship some stone blocks with painted plaster, as well as fragments of plaster that have become detached from their support, were recovered. In both cases, they were reused in in-fill for the floor, and, in the case of the fragments, also in the levelling layers of the latest phases.
Finally, a tiny amount of plaster fragments was recovered in the internal perimeter wall of the cloister, almost only around the well.
The identified wall-mounted stratigraphic contexts affected by pigment consist in: an initial layer of paint applied on smoothed plaster; a subsequent stratum with plaster that was pressed flat and then painted; and a third, slightly shiny stratum that covered everything, which was found to be uniformly beige at the time it was revealed.
In view of the interpretation of this stratigraphy, and the recognition of the original phase of smoothing the wall surfaces and the individual wall lining contexts, it was possible to focus on the oldest phase of painting, tracing the various technical aspects of execution, the chosen decorative motifs, and possible comparable features in the context of painting in the same period, with special attention to the area under Pisa’s influence, and rare examples in the local area, highlighting the aspects that provide datable elements.
In his work, the author focuses on the oldest decorative intervention, the wall-painting used in the religious building built in the 11th century.
Research Interests:
Excavations at San Quirico monastery at Populonia (Piombino, Livorno) have yelded a small number of small finds were found in secondary contexts in areas 1 (church), 1000, and, especially, 3000 (cloister). There are metal objects made of... more
Excavations at San Quirico monastery at Populonia (Piombino, Livorno) have yelded a small number of small finds were found in secondary contexts in areas 1 (church), 1000, and, especially, 3000 (cloister). There are metal objects made of lead and copper alloy, all described as utilitarian objects (fixtures and attachments), which are not easy to date. Associated with these are objects of personal use and adornment, such as clasps,, brooches, and buttons, as well as rings, with typological parallels also documented in the local area, and datable to the early medieval period. Burials have also yelded a number of devotional objects, in particular a number of rosary beads made of glass paste, the production of wich is attested as of the first half of the 14th century , and a small cruciform bas-reliefs datable to a time after the Council of Trent.
Research Interests:
Ubi dicitur Millano. The castle of Scopetulo (San Miniato, Pisa). New data from the 2015 excavation campaign. In this paper the results of the 2015 archaeological excavation conducted at the Migliana site (Balconevisi, San... more
Ubi dicitur Millano. The castle of Scopetulo (San Miniato, Pisa).
New data from the 2015 excavation campaign.
In this paper the results of the 2015 archaeological excavation conducted at the Migliana site (Balconevisi, San Miniato-Pisa) are presented with the study of pottery, numismatic and metal finds. The analysis of the “Catasto terreni” (beginning of the 19th century) also allows us to reconstruct the history of this territory in the post -medieval era. The data collected show a first occupation of the site in the 10th – 11th century. when it was occupied by a tower and some wooden structures, within an area bounded by a cut in the geological substrate, perhaps the result of the leveling of the slope for the construction of a fence structure. The archaeological remains are probably associated with the Scopetulo castle, mentioned for the first time in written sources in 1004 AD as the property of the Gherardeschi, who used it to control the curtes which depended on the nearby church of S. Maria di Quaratiana and probably its tithes. The settlement was refounded between the end of the 12th century and the beginning of the 13th century, probably by the nearby castle of San Miniato: a road that cuts through the crest of the hill was opened and on its sides new buildings and a church were built. The houses were partially dug into the geological substrate and have earthen walls covered with bricks that were produced in a kiln built just outside the village. The castle appears to have been abandoned sometime between the late 13th and early 14th century.
New data from the 2015 excavation campaign.
In this paper the results of the 2015 archaeological excavation conducted at the Migliana site (Balconevisi, San Miniato-Pisa) are presented with the study of pottery, numismatic and metal finds. The analysis of the “Catasto terreni” (beginning of the 19th century) also allows us to reconstruct the history of this territory in the post -medieval era. The data collected show a first occupation of the site in the 10th – 11th century. when it was occupied by a tower and some wooden structures, within an area bounded by a cut in the geological substrate, perhaps the result of the leveling of the slope for the construction of a fence structure. The archaeological remains are probably associated with the Scopetulo castle, mentioned for the first time in written sources in 1004 AD as the property of the Gherardeschi, who used it to control the curtes which depended on the nearby church of S. Maria di Quaratiana and probably its tithes. The settlement was refounded between the end of the 12th century and the beginning of the 13th century, probably by the nearby castle of San Miniato: a road that cuts through the crest of the hill was opened and on its sides new buildings and a church were built. The houses were partially dug into the geological substrate and have earthen walls covered with bricks that were produced in a kiln built just outside the village. The castle appears to have been abandoned sometime between the late 13th and early 14th century.
Research Interests:
Ubi dicitur Millano. The castle of Scopetulo (San Miniato, Pisa). New data from the 2015 excavation campaign. In this paper the results of the 2015 archaeological excavation conducted at the Migliana site (Balconevisi, San Miniato-Pisa)... more
Ubi dicitur Millano. The castle of Scopetulo (San Miniato, Pisa).
New data from the 2015 excavation campaign.
In this paper the results of the 2015 archaeological excavation
conducted at the Migliana site (Balconevisi, San Miniato-Pisa) are
presented with the study of pottery, numismatic and metal finds. The
analysis of the “Catasto terreni” (beginning of the 19th century) also
allows us to reconstruct the history of this territory in the post -medieval
era. The data collected show a first occupation of the site in the
10th – 11th century. when it was occupied by a tower and some wooden
structures, within an area bounded by a cut in the geological substrate,
perhaps the result of the leveling of the slope for the construction of a
fence structure. The archaeological remains are probably associated with
the Scopetulo castle, mentioned for the first time in written sources in
1004 AD as the property of the Gherardeschi, who used it to control the
curtes which depended on the nearby church of S. Maria di Quaratiana
and probably its tithes. The settlement was refounded between the end
of the 12th century and the beginning of the 13th century, probably by
the nearby castle of San Miniato: a road that cuts through the crest of
the hill was opened and on its sides new buildings and a church were
built. The houses were partially dug into the geological substrate and
have earthen walls covered with bricks that were produced in a kiln
built just outside the village. The castle appears to have been abandoned
sometime between the late 13th and early 14th century.
New data from the 2015 excavation campaign.
In this paper the results of the 2015 archaeological excavation
conducted at the Migliana site (Balconevisi, San Miniato-Pisa) are
presented with the study of pottery, numismatic and metal finds. The
analysis of the “Catasto terreni” (beginning of the 19th century) also
allows us to reconstruct the history of this territory in the post -medieval
era. The data collected show a first occupation of the site in the
10th – 11th century. when it was occupied by a tower and some wooden
structures, within an area bounded by a cut in the geological substrate,
perhaps the result of the leveling of the slope for the construction of a
fence structure. The archaeological remains are probably associated with
the Scopetulo castle, mentioned for the first time in written sources in
1004 AD as the property of the Gherardeschi, who used it to control the
curtes which depended on the nearby church of S. Maria di Quaratiana
and probably its tithes. The settlement was refounded between the end
of the 12th century and the beginning of the 13th century, probably by
the nearby castle of San Miniato: a road that cuts through the crest of
the hill was opened and on its sides new buildings and a church were
built. The houses were partially dug into the geological substrate and
have earthen walls covered with bricks that were produced in a kiln
built just outside the village. The castle appears to have been abandoned
sometime between the late 13th and early 14th century.
Research Interests:
Le ‘balze’ sono profonde voragini con pareti a picco, visibili a nord ovest delle mura urbane di Volterra, originate da un’azione erosiva del terreno causata dalle acque meteoriche. Fenomeni erosivi, distruzioni e perdite, trasferimenti,... more
Le ‘balze’ sono profonde voragini con pareti a picco, visibili a nord ovest delle mura urbane di Volterra, originate da un’azione erosiva del terreno causata dalle acque meteoriche. Fenomeni erosivi, distruzioni e perdite, trasferimenti, attività di ricostruzione hanno connotato la crescita della città in particolare tra il XII e il XIII secolo quando, sotto l’egida del vescovo prima e poi del Comune, furono avviati numerosi cantieri e gli edifici costruiti interessati, spesso precocemente, da fasi di rifacimento e modifiche.
A fronte di un contesto così delineato e del potenziale rappresentato dall’edlizia per la comprensione dei diversi fenomeni connessi alle trasformazioni urbane, e nonostante gli studi e le numerose opere di sintesi dedicati all’architettura medievale volterrana, restano ampi margini di discussione in merito alle soluzioni costruttive e alle modalità litotecniche adottate, alle diverse tipologie di reimpiego e imitazione, all’organizzazione dei cantieri, alle maestranze coinvolte.
A fronte di un contesto così delineato e del potenziale rappresentato dall’edlizia per la comprensione dei diversi fenomeni connessi alle trasformazioni urbane, e nonostante gli studi e le numerose opere di sintesi dedicati all’architettura medievale volterrana, restano ampi margini di discussione in merito alle soluzioni costruttive e alle modalità litotecniche adottate, alle diverse tipologie di reimpiego e imitazione, all’organizzazione dei cantieri, alle maestranze coinvolte.
Research Interests: Archaeology of Buildings, Archaeology of Architecture, Architectural Heritage, Medieval Mediterranean Art and Architecture, Archeologia dell'architettura, and 9 moreArquitectura medieval, Stone, The Use of Marble and Other Stones, Archéologie du bâti, Architecture Médiévale, Storia Dell'architettura Medievale, Volterra, Stone Buildings and Stone Masons, and History of Medieval Architecture and Art
Durante le indagini pluriennali condotte nel sito di San Genesio sono stati documentati numerosi reperti lapidei di differente tipologia e funzionalità. I materiali possono essere ripartiti in elementi architettonici e strutturali;... more
Durante le indagini pluriennali condotte nel sito di San Genesio sono stati documentati numerosi reperti lapidei di differente tipologia e funzionalità. I materiali possono essere ripartiti in elementi architettonici e strutturali; elementi riconducibili a tarsie in marmo e serpentino; altri elementi architettonici in serpentino; altri reperti lapidei.
Nel contributo, coerentemente al tema del convegno, sono presentati preliminarmente alcuni elementi in marmo e serpentino, originariamente pertinenti alla chiesa di San Genesio, nel contesto della quale sono stati rinvenuti.
Gli elementi, integri o frammentari, presi in esame risultano essere componenti riconducibili a una decorazione a commesso marmoreo, con figure geometriche piane quali losanghe e triangoli, ma anche foglie lanceolate o di forma irregolare. Sono stati recuperati anche numerosi frammenti di cornici, forse coerenti con la funzione dei precedenti. Altri frammenti in serpentino di diversa tipologia, da ritenersi con ogni probabilità coevi agli elementi pertinenti il lavoro a commesso marmoreo sopracitato, sono stati rinvenuti in altre aree del sito indagato.
Nel contributo, coerentemente al tema del convegno, sono presentati preliminarmente alcuni elementi in marmo e serpentino, originariamente pertinenti alla chiesa di San Genesio, nel contesto della quale sono stati rinvenuti.
Gli elementi, integri o frammentari, presi in esame risultano essere componenti riconducibili a una decorazione a commesso marmoreo, con figure geometriche piane quali losanghe e triangoli, ma anche foglie lanceolate o di forma irregolare. Sono stati recuperati anche numerosi frammenti di cornici, forse coerenti con la funzione dei precedenti. Altri frammenti in serpentino di diversa tipologia, da ritenersi con ogni probabilità coevi agli elementi pertinenti il lavoro a commesso marmoreo sopracitato, sono stati rinvenuti in altre aree del sito indagato.
Research Interests: Medieval Archaeology, Archaeology of Buildings, Archaeology of Architecture, Archaeology of churches, Arqueología De La Arquitectura, and 11 moreArcheologia medievale, Marbles, Serpentine, Stone, Archaeology, historical buildings, conservation of the built environment, The Use of Marble and Other Stones, Archéologie du bâti, Stone Buildings and Stone Masons, Archéologie Du Bâti Médiéval, San Miniato al Tedesco, and S. Genesio
Tokom jednog od arheoloških istraživanja sprovedenih 1985. godine na lokalitetu Prečista Krajinska, pronađena je polovina krsta – relikvijara. Metalni predmet, čije je datovanje procijenjeno na period od X do XI vijeka i koji je trenutno... more
Tokom jednog od arheoloških istraživanja sprovedenih 1985. godine na lokalitetu Prečista Krajinska, pronađena je polovina krsta – relikvijara. Metalni predmet, čije je datovanje procijenjeno na period od X do XI vijeka i koji je trenutno izložen u Zavičajnom muzeju u Baru, pokazao se kao najstariji među pronalascima sa tog lokaliteta. Nakon objavljivanja monografije koju je Brižit Pitarakis (Pitarakis 2006) posvetila metalnim naprsnim krstovima - relikvijarima, stekli su se uslovi za ponovno otvaranje ove teme i za bliže određivanje rukotvorine, na osnovu tipološkog poređenja, kao i za unaprjeđenje mape sa rasporedom arheoloških nalaza.
Durante alcune indagini condotte nel 1985 nel sito di Prečista Krajinska fu rinvenuta una valva di croce reliquiario, erratica. L’elemento metallico, riferibile al X-XI secolo e attualmente esposto nel Museo di Bar (Repubblica del Montenegro/ Crna Gora), è risultato il reperto più antico tra quelli provenienti dal sito. In seguito alla pubblicazione di una monografia dedicata da Brigitte Pitarakis alle croci reliquiario pettorali metalliche (Pitarakis 2006) è possibile tornare sull’argomento, richiamando confronti tipologici e contribuendo a incrementare la carta di distribuzione dei rinvenimenti.
Durante alcune indagini condotte nel 1985 nel sito di Prečista Krajinska fu rinvenuta una valva di croce reliquiario, erratica. L’elemento metallico, riferibile al X-XI secolo e attualmente esposto nel Museo di Bar (Repubblica del Montenegro/ Crna Gora), è risultato il reperto più antico tra quelli provenienti dal sito. In seguito alla pubblicazione di una monografia dedicata da Brigitte Pitarakis alle croci reliquiario pettorali metalliche (Pitarakis 2006) è possibile tornare sull’argomento, richiamando confronti tipologici e contribuendo a incrementare la carta di distribuzione dei rinvenimenti.
Research Interests: Medieval Archaeology, Byzantine Studies, Byzantine Iconography, Byzantine Archaeology, Medieval Balkans, and 14 moreArchaeology of Medieval Monasteries, Balkans, Montenegro, Monastic Archaeology, Archeologie, Medieval small finds, Histoire et archéologie du haut Moyen-âge, Crna Gora, Archéologie médiévale, Small Finds, Archeology, Enkolpion, Prečista Krajinska, and Archaeology of Early Medieval Monasteries
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
In the inventory written not long after the death of Enrico VII, four caskets owned Emperor are described. Today the inventory is preserved in the state archives in Turin. In this paper, we will focus on certain types of objects,... more
In the inventory written not long after the death of Enrico VII, four caskets owned Emperor are described. Today the inventory is preserved in the state archives in Turin.
In this paper, we will focus on certain types of objects, mentioned in this list.In addition to the symbols of power (scepter, crown, etc), documents and metal objects for setting the table, the list reminds jewelry, precious stones and some devotional objects, including two agnus dei. A signet ring with magical powers, a “toad stone”, is also mentioned. Sometimes, these objects are remembered in inventories from the same period.
In addition to the material aspect, their presence suggests a study in the field of history of mentalities.
In this paper, we will focus on certain types of objects, mentioned in this list.In addition to the symbols of power (scepter, crown, etc), documents and metal objects for setting the table, the list reminds jewelry, precious stones and some devotional objects, including two agnus dei. A signet ring with magical powers, a “toad stone”, is also mentioned. Sometimes, these objects are remembered in inventories from the same period.
In addition to the material aspect, their presence suggests a study in the field of history of mentalities.
Research Interests: Medieval History, Apotropaic Devices, History of Mentality, Apotropaic Objects, Magic and the Occult (Anthropology Of Religion), and 14 moreHistory of magic, History of Mentalities, Medieval small finds, Small Finds, Petits objets, Lapidaries and Precious Stones, Edad Media Magia Ciencia, Religious and Magical Practices, Magical Use of Stones, Agnus Dei; Miracle Working Objects; Portrait Medal, Agnus Dei, Arrigo VII di Lussemburgo, Enrico VII di Lussemburgo, and Magic Stone (Philosopher's Stone)
The activity carried out in the period 2009-2014 as part of the archaeological mission of the Ca' Foscari University of Venice in Montenegro, directed by Sauro Gelichi, concerned the archaeology of stone production and in particular the... more
The activity carried out in the period 2009-2014 as part of the archaeological mission of the Ca' Foscari University of Venice in Montenegro, directed by Sauro Gelichi, concerned the archaeology of stone production and in particular the production of early medieval interwoven sculptures; the production of functional and decorative architectural elements of residential buildings between the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries; lithotechnics and glyptography of religious and residential buildings; the production and circulation in the long term of stone products with different functions.
The study of medieval litho-technology and in particular of the aspects connected with the production of stone elements for functional and/or decorative use, with regard to the introduction of instruments and techniques and the dynamics inherent in their diffusion, have made it necessary to extend a vast territorial area, the Balkans, review and documentation. The attention paid to the glyptographic aspects has been extended to some medieval and post-medieval graffiti, related to the attendance of buildings and related spaces.
In support of the analytical investigations conducted in the city and territory of Antivari (today Stari Bar, Republic of Montenegro), in which the introduction of a toothed blade instrument with direct percussion is highlighted here, the contribution also presents some results of the documentation activities carried out in southern Dalmatia, particularly in the city of Ragusa (now Dubrovnik, Croatia), where already in the fourteenth century are documented several times stonemasons from Antivari.
The study of medieval litho-technology and in particular of the aspects connected with the production of stone elements for functional and/or decorative use, with regard to the introduction of instruments and techniques and the dynamics inherent in their diffusion, have made it necessary to extend a vast territorial area, the Balkans, review and documentation. The attention paid to the glyptographic aspects has been extended to some medieval and post-medieval graffiti, related to the attendance of buildings and related spaces.
In support of the analytical investigations conducted in the city and territory of Antivari (today Stari Bar, Republic of Montenegro), in which the introduction of a toothed blade instrument with direct percussion is highlighted here, the contribution also presents some results of the documentation activities carried out in southern Dalmatia, particularly in the city of Ragusa (now Dubrovnik, Croatia), where already in the fourteenth century are documented several times stonemasons from Antivari.
Research Interests: Medieval Archaeology, Archaeology of Buildings, Medieval Balkans, Dalmatian history, Medieval Epigraphy, and 15 moreMason's marks, urbanism in roman province of Dalmatia from Late antiquita to middle ages, Archeologia dell'architettura, Dalmatia, medieval Dalmatia, Stone, Medieval Dubrovnik (Ragusa), Archaelogy of Buildings, Archéologie du bâti, Stari Bar, Korcula, Republic of Ragusa, Tailleurs de pierre, Medieval Ragusa, and Marques Lapidaires
The Dalmatian city of Traù (Trogir, Croatia) has been known since ancient times for the extraction of stone used in the construction of numerous construction sites in Dalmatia. The Seget quarry, mentioned by Pliny the Elder and located... more
The Dalmatian city of Traù (Trogir, Croatia) has been known since ancient times for the extraction of stone used in the construction of numerous construction sites in Dalmatia. The Seget quarry, mentioned by Pliny the Elder and located near the city, is still active.
The presence of specialized craftsmen, builders and sculptors, active in construction sites that became emblematic, is proven. Numerous craftsmen are mentioned in the records of the "Operaria" of the cathedral, where at least from the fourth decade of the thirteenth century were registered contracts with the workers.
The phenomenon is such as to suggest to extend to the entire urban context the preliminary review of construction techniques and simultaneously of litho-technology, in order to help define the technical environment. In particular, the contribution studies the church of St. John the Baptist (Sv. Ivana Krstitelja), a Benedictine monastery.
This building represents a fundamental text for the study of litho-technology in this area.
In particular, the reading of the face and the architectural components has highlighted the widespread use of an instrument that can be interpreted as a toothed hammer. The use of the toothed hammer and the proven litho-technical performance, with similarities found in the face of the cathedral, take on additional significance being associated with the presence of numerous mason’s marks.
Some of the graffiti traced around the perimeter of the building and relevant to the subsequent stages are instead traceable to playful patterns.
The study of this context, accompanied by a review of the numerous lapidary signs, suggests reflecting on the chronological phases of the introduction of the toothed hammer in Dalmatian construction sites.
The presence of specialized craftsmen, builders and sculptors, active in construction sites that became emblematic, is proven. Numerous craftsmen are mentioned in the records of the "Operaria" of the cathedral, where at least from the fourth decade of the thirteenth century were registered contracts with the workers.
The phenomenon is such as to suggest to extend to the entire urban context the preliminary review of construction techniques and simultaneously of litho-technology, in order to help define the technical environment. In particular, the contribution studies the church of St. John the Baptist (Sv. Ivana Krstitelja), a Benedictine monastery.
This building represents a fundamental text for the study of litho-technology in this area.
In particular, the reading of the face and the architectural components has highlighted the widespread use of an instrument that can be interpreted as a toothed hammer. The use of the toothed hammer and the proven litho-technical performance, with similarities found in the face of the cathedral, take on additional significance being associated with the presence of numerous mason’s marks.
Some of the graffiti traced around the perimeter of the building and relevant to the subsequent stages are instead traceable to playful patterns.
The study of this context, accompanied by a review of the numerous lapidary signs, suggests reflecting on the chronological phases of the introduction of the toothed hammer in Dalmatian construction sites.
Research Interests: Medieval History, Medieval Archaeology, Archaeology of Buildings, Graffiti, Dalmatian history, and 15 moreMason's marks, Archeologia dell'architettura, Dalmatia, Medieval graffiti, Stone, Dalmatian History and Art, Archéologie du bâti, Medieval stone tools, Dalmazia, Gliptography, Istria e Dalmazia, Marques Lapidaires, Segni lapidari, Gliptografía, and Archaeology of Medieval Dalmatia
Research Interests: Epigraphy (Archaeology), Medieval Epigraphy, Mason's marks, Christian Archaeology, Storia Dell'Arte Medievale, and 12 moreArcheologia Cristiana, Marble spolia, Epigrafia, The Use of Marble and Other Stones, Archeologia Tardoantica E Cristiana, Storia Dell'Archeologia, Giovanni Battista de Rossi, Late Antique and Christian archaeology, Epigrafia Cristiana, Epigrafia Medievale, Recycling of Building Materials in Antiquity, Spolia, Roman Law, and Corneto
The potential offered by heraldic signs as a complex historical source suggests that this theme should be explored further. We must remember, in fact, that a homogeneous knowledge of the existing, including information about the contexts... more
The potential offered by heraldic signs as a complex historical source suggests that this theme should be explored further. We must remember, in fact, that a homogeneous knowledge of the existing, including information about the contexts and the state of conservation, is obviously a necessary condition as well as essential.
All this will be even more true for the study of production processes related to this type of material source. For obvious reasons, this source often has the characteristics of a serial production.
In this article the coats of arms and heraldic insignia of the Praetorian Palace of Magliano in Tuscany are presented. We show them in full, with the edition of the epigraphs related.
Most of them are quadrangular supports. In the centre of these stands a shield. The plant elements created in the outdoor spaces have similarities such as to assume at least the same center of production.
The identification of the coats of arms has been partly corroborated by the reading of the inscriptions that accompany the signs. These epigraphs are included in the edition.
All this will be even more true for the study of production processes related to this type of material source. For obvious reasons, this source often has the characteristics of a serial production.
In this article the coats of arms and heraldic insignia of the Praetorian Palace of Magliano in Tuscany are presented. We show them in full, with the edition of the epigraphs related.
Most of them are quadrangular supports. In the centre of these stands a shield. The plant elements created in the outdoor spaces have similarities such as to assume at least the same center of production.
The identification of the coats of arms has been partly corroborated by the reading of the inscriptions that accompany the signs. These epigraphs are included in the edition.
Research Interests: Heraldry, Medieval Epigraphy, History of architecture, Edilizia storica, Maremma, and 13 moreMedieval Heraldry, Heraldic, Heráldica, Araldica, History of Architecture, Heraldique, Maremma's history, Epigrafia Medievale, Epigrafía Medieval, History of Maremma, Héraldique, Araldica medievale, and Scritture esposte
On the ground floor of block 153, built on the road running between the city gates of Antivari (UTS 112) and the church of St. Nicolas, is a room measuring 5.60 x 2.23 meters that would originally have had a barrel vaulted ceiling.... more
On the ground floor of block 153, built on the road running between the city gates of Antivari (UTS 112) and the church of St. Nicolas, is a room measuring 5.60 x 2.23 meters that would originally have had a barrel vaulted ceiling. Sections of the room's southern wall are still covered with layer of relatively thick plaster, and in this plaster numerous graffiti etchings are visible.
Graffiti represents an anthropological social reality that is too full of complex meaning to be attributed to pre-defined schemes (Petrucci 1996; Tedeschi c.s.). Thus, in order to interpret this rich source of clues about the social history of the building, one must not forget the context in which they were made, consider their contemporaneity, and attempt to interpret them as a whole (Mannoni, Rossi 2006).
All graffiti etchings and the contexts in which they were found were recorded, photographed and measured. The graffiti would have been etched into the plaster whilst it was still wet and are located within the central area of the wall, between 0.60 and 1.55 meters from floor level. A total of eighteen etchings of different typology are present. In particular, names and letters of the alphabet can be identified.
Graffiti represents an anthropological social reality that is too full of complex meaning to be attributed to pre-defined schemes (Petrucci 1996; Tedeschi c.s.). Thus, in order to interpret this rich source of clues about the social history of the building, one must not forget the context in which they were made, consider their contemporaneity, and attempt to interpret them as a whole (Mannoni, Rossi 2006).
All graffiti etchings and the contexts in which they were found were recorded, photographed and measured. The graffiti would have been etched into the plaster whilst it was still wet and are located within the central area of the wall, between 0.60 and 1.55 meters from floor level. A total of eighteen etchings of different typology are present. In particular, names and letters of the alphabet can be identified.
Research Interests: Balkan History, Renaissance History esp Venice, Veneto and empires, Graffiti in history, Graffiti, Ancient Graffiti (Archaeology), and 15 moreRepublic of Venice, Postmedieval Archaeology, Montenegro, History of Mentalities, Venice and the Veneto, History of Venice, Medieval graffiti, Crna Gora, Stari Bar, 1440 -1600 (Albania, Kingdom of Naples, Venice), Political and Social Uses of Graffiti, Venice and Its Maritime Empire, Antivari (Bar), Venetian Albania, and Scutari
During the initial research activities conduced by Durde Boskovic in Stari Bar (Antivari) in the 1950's, various fragments of important sculptures and liturgical decorations were discovered, presently preserved in the Museum of city of... more
During the initial research activities conduced by Durde Boskovic in Stari Bar (Antivari) in the 1950's, various fragments of important sculptures and liturgical decorations were discovered, presently preserved in the Museum of city of Bar (fig. 3.1a-g; fig. 3.2.a1; 3.2.a2).
This modest yet important collection includes thirteen fragments of liturgical decorations obtained from enclosed chancel (the area around the alter reserved for the clergy); 60% of the fragments came from items with functional roles (frames, slabs, stone plates/pluteus, and capitals). One fragment of a frame (fig. 3.2.d1-d2) originates from the site of the Monastery of Saint Mary of Ratac, located on the coast to the north-east of the city of Antivari.
The items recovered present distinctive characteristics common to the repertoire of interlaced sculpture productions that were diffuse in the 9th century along the Dalmatian coast, including the Croatian coast and at Medieval Dukljia as well as Kotor/Cattaro; items have also been discovered in the Monastery of St. Michael (de tumba) on the Prevlaka peninsula in the town of Tivat, and in Ulcinji, as well as further inland, such as the decoration of Martinici Gradina, now preserved in Danilovgrad, and in the Balkan area in general.
This modest yet important collection includes thirteen fragments of liturgical decorations obtained from enclosed chancel (the area around the alter reserved for the clergy); 60% of the fragments came from items with functional roles (frames, slabs, stone plates/pluteus, and capitals). One fragment of a frame (fig. 3.2.d1-d2) originates from the site of the Monastery of Saint Mary of Ratac, located on the coast to the north-east of the city of Antivari.
The items recovered present distinctive characteristics common to the repertoire of interlaced sculpture productions that were diffuse in the 9th century along the Dalmatian coast, including the Croatian coast and at Medieval Dukljia as well as Kotor/Cattaro; items have also been discovered in the Monastery of St. Michael (de tumba) on the Prevlaka peninsula in the town of Tivat, and in Ulcinji, as well as further inland, such as the decoration of Martinici Gradina, now preserved in Danilovgrad, and in the Balkan area in general.
Research Interests: Medieval Studies, Balkan History, Early Medieval Archaeology, Medieval Archaeology, Early Medieval Sculpture (Archaeology), and 12 moreBalkan archaeology, Medieval Balkans, Early Medieval Art, Early Medieval Studies, Medieval Mediterranean Art and Architecture, Montenegro, Crna Gora, Archéologie médiévale, Archeologia paleocristiana, tardoantica e altomedievale, Balkan Medieval History and Archaeology, Altomedioevo, and Archeologia Altomedievale
Stone evidence from the ‘Doge’s Palace’. Stone technology and the production of architectonic elements and other stone artefacts in Antivari between the Late Medieval and Early Modern Ages Stratigraphy of the Turkish phases of block... more
Stone evidence from the ‘Doge’s Palace’.
Stone technology and the production of architectonic elements and other stone artefacts in Antivari between the Late Medieval and Early Modern Ages
Stratigraphy of the Turkish phases of block 136 (the so-called ‘Doge’s Palace’) has revealed fragmented items of various typologies pertinent to the architectonic decoration of the Venetian phase of the building; in particular: stringcourse, window frames, and jambs (fig. 5.24; fig. 5.25). All these fragments have been catalogued and analysed and are presented here for the first time. Evidence related to the production and laying methods used for individual architectonic components retrieved from or still visible in UTCF 136 reveal evidence of construction procedures that are identical to those observed in other buildings within the town; including the choice of rock type used, the use of templates, the tools and techniques employed, type of decorative elements and the devices used for assembly and laying. Thus, these data confirm the circulation of common building strategies in the Adriatic area. Moreover, they demonstrate that the construction activities that transformed block 136 into a residential building of Venetian style involved a single building operation.
Study of the stone evidence and masonry methods employed, aimed at defining the production processes and the various characteristics of the technical environment, has also included the analysis of artefacts not related to building construction, such as large containers used for alimentary produce, in particular olive oil (fig. 5.29a-e). These items were made out of single limestone blocks, hollowed out with the aid of a large pointed instrument (fig.5.29c-d; fig. 5.30b). To sculpt the external surface, initially the same pointed tool would have been used to obtain the rough shape of the outside of the vessel; a second finer tool endowed with a toothed blade would then also be introduced, finally replacing the first tool, to finish the surface using indirect strikes (fig.5.29a, f; fig. 5.30a) until wall thicknesses of 5 to 7.2 cm were obtained. The manufacturer marks on these vessels, of varying dimensions, reveal that they came from the same workshop, where the craftsmen were specialised in the production of stone objects. Identical containers (fig. 5.30e-f) can be found in the Muzeu Historik i Shkodres (Scutari, Albania).
The study of block 136 has also involved an in-depth analysis of the aspects related to the stone technology employed in the production of building materials. In particular, the residual stonemasonry marks were studied in order to identify the types of tools used. The tools identified include a very large tool with numerous small teeth in its cutting edge used to strike the stone (fig. 5.31), defined by Bessac as percussion lancée oblique punctiforme (BESSAC 1987, p. 25). This “toothed marteline” undoubtedly constitutes a technological innovation that permitted stone surfaces to be straightened more easily, facilitating the work of quarry workers and at the same time optimising the results in terms of time employed and the number of stone blocks generated. The tool was probably incorporated into civil building techniques in Antivari following its appearance in the city’s Late Medieval construction sites, like that of the church of St. Nicolas. The identification of such a tool is also significant considering the early presence of entire families of stonemasons/sculptors that was documented as early as the 14th century.
R.B.
Stone technology and the production of architectonic elements and other stone artefacts in Antivari between the Late Medieval and Early Modern Ages
Stratigraphy of the Turkish phases of block 136 (the so-called ‘Doge’s Palace’) has revealed fragmented items of various typologies pertinent to the architectonic decoration of the Venetian phase of the building; in particular: stringcourse, window frames, and jambs (fig. 5.24; fig. 5.25). All these fragments have been catalogued and analysed and are presented here for the first time. Evidence related to the production and laying methods used for individual architectonic components retrieved from or still visible in UTCF 136 reveal evidence of construction procedures that are identical to those observed in other buildings within the town; including the choice of rock type used, the use of templates, the tools and techniques employed, type of decorative elements and the devices used for assembly and laying. Thus, these data confirm the circulation of common building strategies in the Adriatic area. Moreover, they demonstrate that the construction activities that transformed block 136 into a residential building of Venetian style involved a single building operation.
Study of the stone evidence and masonry methods employed, aimed at defining the production processes and the various characteristics of the technical environment, has also included the analysis of artefacts not related to building construction, such as large containers used for alimentary produce, in particular olive oil (fig. 5.29a-e). These items were made out of single limestone blocks, hollowed out with the aid of a large pointed instrument (fig.5.29c-d; fig. 5.30b). To sculpt the external surface, initially the same pointed tool would have been used to obtain the rough shape of the outside of the vessel; a second finer tool endowed with a toothed blade would then also be introduced, finally replacing the first tool, to finish the surface using indirect strikes (fig.5.29a, f; fig. 5.30a) until wall thicknesses of 5 to 7.2 cm were obtained. The manufacturer marks on these vessels, of varying dimensions, reveal that they came from the same workshop, where the craftsmen were specialised in the production of stone objects. Identical containers (fig. 5.30e-f) can be found in the Muzeu Historik i Shkodres (Scutari, Albania).
The study of block 136 has also involved an in-depth analysis of the aspects related to the stone technology employed in the production of building materials. In particular, the residual stonemasonry marks were studied in order to identify the types of tools used. The tools identified include a very large tool with numerous small teeth in its cutting edge used to strike the stone (fig. 5.31), defined by Bessac as percussion lancée oblique punctiforme (BESSAC 1987, p. 25). This “toothed marteline” undoubtedly constitutes a technological innovation that permitted stone surfaces to be straightened more easily, facilitating the work of quarry workers and at the same time optimising the results in terms of time employed and the number of stone blocks generated. The tool was probably incorporated into civil building techniques in Antivari following its appearance in the city’s Late Medieval construction sites, like that of the church of St. Nicolas. The identification of such a tool is also significant considering the early presence of entire families of stonemasons/sculptors that was documented as early as the 14th century.
R.B.
Research Interests: Medieval Archaeology, Building Materials (Archaeology), Archaeology of Buildings, Ottoman Balkans, Archaeology of Architecture, and 15 moreMedieval Mediterranean Art and Architecture, Balkans, Archeologia medievale, Western Balkans, History of the Balkans, Stone, Archaeology, historical buildings, conservation of the built environment, Stone carving and lapidary techniques, Archéologie du bâti, Archéologie médiévale, Arqueologia De La Arquitectura, Archaeology of the Balkans, Archaeology of Masonry, Archéologie Du Bâti Médiéval, and History of Montenegro
To illustrate the text of the famous "Journey from Venice to Constantinople", work of the physician, historian and cartographer Giuseppe Rosaccio (from Pordenone, Italy, c. 1530-1621) and printed in Venice in 1598, numerous etchings were... more
To illustrate the text of the famous "Journey from Venice to Constantinople", work of the physician, historian and cartographer Giuseppe Rosaccio (from Pordenone, Italy, c. 1530-1621) and printed in Venice in 1598, numerous etchings were made: 72 in the first edition. These illustrations offer many details of the towns and ports visited, vast sections of coastline, rivers and landscapes, castles and fortresses. Etching n. 27, reproduced in the book entirety below, shows Antivari as a moated city with curtain walls and bastions constructed by the Venetians between the end of the 15th century and the 16th century. The central area is occupied with residential and religious buildings, generically depicted with the exception of a large structure, identifiable by its arcaded loggia. This structure could perhaps be compared with the Venetian "palatium et lodiam", as it was quoted in relation to various restoration works in a plea from the inhabitants of Antivari addressed to the Senate of the Serenissima Republic of Venice in 1445.
Research Interests: Venetian History, Venetian possessions in the Eastern Mediterranean, Montenegro, Venetian Stato da mar, Cartografia Humanistica, and 7 moreHistory of Venice, Crna Gora, Storia Della Città e Del Territorio, History of Serenissima Repubblica Di Venezia, History of Montenegro, Antivari (Bar), and Ulcinj (Dulcigno)
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"Les édifices religieux construits pendant les siècles centraux du Moyen Age contribuent avec les châteaux du temps à caractériser le paysage de la Corse, y représentant l'élément le plus évident de cette période; dans l'ile on compte... more
"Les édifices religieux construits pendant les siècles centraux du Moyen Age contribuent avec les châteaux du temps à caractériser le paysage de la Corse, y représentant l'élément le plus évident de cette période; dans l'ile on compte plus de 200 églises - cathédrales, "pievi" ou églises dépendantes -, avec une datation comprise entre les premières décennies du Xie siècle et le XIIIe et plus du quart de ces édifices montrent encore des structures en élévation. Il s'agit généralement d'édifies à nef unique, à une seule abside, employant différents matériaux et techniques constructives avec parfois une décoration sculptée, surtout concentrée autour des ouvertures et dans les absides. Le plan à trois nefs est réservé aux cathédrales, à certaines églises de "pievi" et à des églises urbaines.
En 1092 l'Eglise de Pise devint siège d'archevêché avec des pouvoirs métropolitains sur les diocèses corses. Les conditions économiques et sociales qui se firent jour permirent d'une part l'augmentation exponentielle des commandes, avec la reconstruction des cathédrales et la construction de nouvelles églises et chapelles, d'autre part celle de la circulation des équipes spécialisées de bâtisseurs. Dans le contexte des échanges commerciaux et des routes tyrrhéniennes pendant le Moyen Age central, Pise représentait le port par lequel transitaient les architectes, les bâtisseurs mais aussi les expériences acquises sur les chantiers de la ville et d'autres centres de Toscane, dans le territoire de Lucques et dans celui de Pistoia. Ces maçons étaient alors "pisans" moins par leur formation que par leur origine. Dans le courant du XIIe siècle, les expériences réalisées sur les chantiers des îles tyrrhéniennes apportèrent, comme en Terre Ferme, une contribution à la circulation de modes de construction et de solutions architecturales formelles."
En 1092 l'Eglise de Pise devint siège d'archevêché avec des pouvoirs métropolitains sur les diocèses corses. Les conditions économiques et sociales qui se firent jour permirent d'une part l'augmentation exponentielle des commandes, avec la reconstruction des cathédrales et la construction de nouvelles églises et chapelles, d'autre part celle de la circulation des équipes spécialisées de bâtisseurs. Dans le contexte des échanges commerciaux et des routes tyrrhéniennes pendant le Moyen Age central, Pise représentait le port par lequel transitaient les architectes, les bâtisseurs mais aussi les expériences acquises sur les chantiers de la ville et d'autres centres de Toscane, dans le territoire de Lucques et dans celui de Pistoia. Ces maçons étaient alors "pisans" moins par leur formation que par leur origine. Dans le courant du XIIe siècle, les expériences réalisées sur les chantiers des îles tyrrhéniennes apportèrent, comme en Terre Ferme, une contribution à la circulation de modes de construction et de solutions architecturales formelles."
Research Interests: Cultural Heritage, Medieval Architecture, Romanesque Art, Architectural Heritage, Medieval Mediterranean Art and Architecture, and 7 moreRomanesque architecture, Arquitectura medieval, Architettura Medievale, Medieval church architecture, Architettura Romanica, Architecture Médiévale, and Moyen Age Corse
In September 1875 Gaetano Chierici, a famous palethnologist, explored the island of Montecristo, at present a low-human-impact biogenetic natural reserve. Montecristo is situated in front of Maremma and the famous monastic settlement has... more
In September 1875 Gaetano Chierici, a famous palethnologist, explored the island of Montecristo, at present a low-human-impact biogenetic natural reserve. Montecristo is situated in front of Maremma and the famous monastic settlement has been a subject of interest since late antiquity. Today, the notes and sketches drawn by Chierici are preserved in the Panizzi Library at Reggio Emilia. This article presents the complete edition of the Chierici's diary with reproduction of some drawings. In particular, in light of our recent surveys conduced on the island, we analyze descriptions, unpublished drawings and measurements made in 1875 and showed on 1883, while a public reading at the Club Alpino Italiano (C.A.I.).
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The monastic settlements of the Tyrrhenian islands of the Tuscan archipelago have been a subject of interest since Late Antiquity. Based on a series of notes, author gives a review of the documentary sources, the material evidence and the... more
The monastic settlements of the Tyrrhenian islands of the Tuscan archipelago have been a subject of interest since Late Antiquity. Based on a series of notes, author gives a review of the documentary sources, the material evidence and the landscapes of Gorgona, Capraia, Pianosa and Montecristo. A monographic analysis of the latter is performed. Island of Montecristo is today a low-human-impact biogenetic natural reserve.
Research Interests: Archaeology, Monastic Studies, History of the Mediterranean, Monastic Architecture, Monasticism, and 17 moreHistory of Monasticism, Medieval Mediterranean Art and Architecture, Archaeology of Medieval Monasteries, History of Archaeology, Medieval Mediterranean, Romanesque architecture, Monastic Archaeology, Medieval Monasticism, Early Medieval Monasticism, Benedictine Monasticism, Stone, Architettura Medievale, Archeologia del Mediterraneo e delle isole, Medieval church architecture, Archaeology of Monasticism, Architecture Médiévale, and Archeologia Dei Monasteri Medievali
Nel contributo sono presentate le linee guida e alcuni dati preliminari delle ricerche condotte nel triennio 2009-2011 nel sito di Antivari (Stari Bar, Montenegro), nell'ambito della missione archeologica dell'Università Cà Foscari di... more
Nel contributo sono presentate le linee guida e alcuni dati preliminari delle ricerche condotte nel triennio 2009-2011 nel sito di Antivari (Stari Bar, Montenegro), nell'ambito della missione archeologica dell'Università Cà Foscari di Venezia diretta dal Prof. Sauro Gelichi. L'attività svolta ha compreso diverse tipologie di reperti lapidei, nel lungo periodo, significativamente in un luogo in cui la consolidata attività di lapicidi è attestata dal XIV secolo e da dove proverranno maestranze attive in Dalmazia (Ragusa) e nell'Albania veneta (Scutari). Dai materiali erratici riferibili alla tarda antichità, ai frammenti di arredo liturgico con decorazione ad intreccio; dagli elementi architettonici e scultorei delle fasi medievali, a quelli dell'edilizia civile tardo medievale; dai contenitori lapidei postmedievali fino ai manufatti di età ottomana, in particolare elementi di riutilizzo e segnacoli funerari.
La ricerca è stata organizzata su più livelli di analisi, contraddistinti da diversi gradi di approfondimento: raccolta dei datti editi; studio di materiali da scavo; attività di ricognizione (siti, cave, manufatti); analisi dei materiali da altri siti. In particolare sono stati realizzati una mappatura degli elementi in opera, reimpiegati ed erratici, un data base dei materiali con voci univoche (identità funzionale; misure; litotipo; descrizione; stato di conservazione), un primo atlante delle tracce di lavorazione delle tecniche impiegate, delle soluzioni per assemblaggio e posa in opera, dei segni lapidari. Per la produzione scultorea a intreccio altomedievale è stato realizzato un catalogo preliminare; per gli elementi architettonici dell'edilizia civile tardo e postmedievale proposta una cronotipologia, quale potenziale integrativo contributo rispetto a quanto già ipotizzato sull'ambiente tecnico della città dall'archeologia degli elevati.
La ricerca è stata organizzata su più livelli di analisi, contraddistinti da diversi gradi di approfondimento: raccolta dei datti editi; studio di materiali da scavo; attività di ricognizione (siti, cave, manufatti); analisi dei materiali da altri siti. In particolare sono stati realizzati una mappatura degli elementi in opera, reimpiegati ed erratici, un data base dei materiali con voci univoche (identità funzionale; misure; litotipo; descrizione; stato di conservazione), un primo atlante delle tracce di lavorazione delle tecniche impiegate, delle soluzioni per assemblaggio e posa in opera, dei segni lapidari. Per la produzione scultorea a intreccio altomedievale è stato realizzato un catalogo preliminare; per gli elementi architettonici dell'edilizia civile tardo e postmedievale proposta una cronotipologia, quale potenziale integrativo contributo rispetto a quanto già ipotizzato sull'ambiente tecnico della città dall'archeologia degli elevati.
Research Interests: Cultural Heritage, Balkan Studies, Balkan History, Early Medieval Archaeology, Medieval Archaeology, and 14 moreBuilding Materials (Archaeology), Renaissance History esp Venice, Veneto and empires, Archaeology of Buildings, Ottoman Balkans, Balkan archaeology, Medieval Balkans, Montenegro, Archaeology of productions, Archeologia Della Produzione, Archeologia della produzione e del commercio, Archaeology, historical buildings, conservation of the built environment, Architectural technology, Crna Gora, and Venice and Its Maritime Empire
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Chapt. 4 contains an analysis of the architectural elements found in the area of block 140. In particular, torsade molding and denticulated cornices, brackets, fluted cornices, elements from double and triple lancet windows; these were... more
Chapt. 4 contains an analysis of the architectural elements found in the area of block 140. In particular, torsade molding and denticulated cornices, brackets, fluted cornices, elements from double and triple lancet windows; these were mass produced objects which are characteristic of a specific residential type which was developed in the second half of the 15th century. After analyzing the construction techniques, we attempted to formulate a preliminary typological chronology. On the basis of the distribution analysis inside of the city we created a preliminary map which revealed that the buildings that included these elements represented a minority with respect to all the other buildings. These kinds of architectural elements, infact, can be found almost everywhere in the territories which where dominated by Venetians but which originated in the civil and ecclesistical architecture whic developed in Venice durinig the first half of the XV century. On the basis of the written documents we have concerning local craftsmen working along the Dalmatian coast starting in the Late Middle Ages, we can attribute architectural elements of this type to these workshops. The fact that they were mass produced would also imply that they were not very expensive.
Research Interests: Balkan Studies, Building Materials (Archaeology), Renaissance History esp Venice, Veneto and empires, Archaeology of Buildings, Archaeology of Architecture, and 15 moreMasonry Buildings, Balkan archaeology, Medieval Balkans, Dalmatian history, Mason's marks, Montenegro, History of Venice, Dalmatian History and Art, Archéologie du bâti, Medieval stone tools, Crna Gora, Stari Bar, Edilizia storica, Tailleurs de pierre, and Marques Lapidaires
Research Interests: Medieval Studies, Romanesque Art, History of Mentality, Architectural Heritage, Medieval Mediterranean Art and Architecture, and 11 moreMedieval Epigraphy, Medieval Art History, Romanesque architecture, Romanesque Sculpture, Medieval Iconography, Storia Dell'Arte Medievale, Medieval church architecture, Arte Medieval, Cantiere medievale, Arte Medievale, and Medieval Sculpture and Iconography
Lungo la viabilità di mezza costa e di crinale che collegava il castello di Suvereto (val di Cornia, attualmente provincia di Livorno) con quelli di Sassetta e Castagneto, a 262 metri s.l.m, in posizione isolata e distante... more
Lungo la viabilità di mezza costa e di crinale che collegava
il castello di Suvereto (val di Cornia, attualmente provincia di Livorno) con quelli di Sassetta e Castagneto, a 262 metri s.l.m, in posizione isolata e distante dall’insediamento, si trova la chiesa dell’Annunziata. Non sono noti documenti che possano fornire informazioni sulla natura dell’ente, non nominato negli elenchi delle decime della diocesi di Massa (Massa Marittima, GR), per le quali ignoriamo del resto se fosse esente o dipendente da altri. L’edificio non era preposto alla cura d’anime ma connesso ad alcune strutture, riconoscibili nelle rovine ubicate nei pressi della fonte omonima, forse destinate ad accogliere viandanti, se interpretiamo il complesso
come ospedale, più probabilmente funzionali alla vita in comune di una piccola comunità eremitica.
il castello di Suvereto (val di Cornia, attualmente provincia di Livorno) con quelli di Sassetta e Castagneto, a 262 metri s.l.m, in posizione isolata e distante dall’insediamento, si trova la chiesa dell’Annunziata. Non sono noti documenti che possano fornire informazioni sulla natura dell’ente, non nominato negli elenchi delle decime della diocesi di Massa (Massa Marittima, GR), per le quali ignoriamo del resto se fosse esente o dipendente da altri. L’edificio non era preposto alla cura d’anime ma connesso ad alcune strutture, riconoscibili nelle rovine ubicate nei pressi della fonte omonima, forse destinate ad accogliere viandanti, se interpretiamo il complesso
come ospedale, più probabilmente funzionali alla vita in comune di una piccola comunità eremitica.
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The contribution once again highlights the opportunity to tackle the study of historical building in a long-term perspective, highlighting the contribution that can come from the study of archive sources if interpreted in the light of... more
The contribution once again highlights the opportunity to tackle the study of historical building in a long-term perspective, highlighting the contribution that can come from the study of archive sources if interpreted in the light of renewed readings of material evidence. At the same time as the restoration works that at the beginning of the second decade of this century involved the exterior of the cathedral of San Cerbone in Massa Marittima (facing of the tribune, part of the roof) and some portions of the interior (presbytery, left aisle chapels), a new description of the state of conservation of the building is presented. The report and the relative correspondence were prepared in the 1830s by the engineer of the Circondario (Massa district) on behalf of the "Commissione granducale per il restauro delle chiese parrocchiali". These reports were drawn up in order to ascertain the state of conservation of the buildings of worship. The baptismal font of Giroldo da Como, defined in the report as "a large pile excavated in octagonal form in a solid square figure in travertine" of 1267, and the urn containing the relics of San Cerbone, a work by Goro di Gregorio dated 1324, are also remembered. It is interesting to note that the statuettes of saints and prophets - in the report only ten and not eleven - were not originally placed in the choir, as claimed by twentieth-century literature, but were placed between the columns that supported the table of the high altar, resulting already in relation to the urn in 1835, the year in which the report was drawn up.
Research Interests: Architecture, Medieval Architecture, History of architecture, History and Theory of Modern Architecture, Medieval Art History, and 15 moreHistory of Conservation and Restoration, History of Art and Architecture, Architettura, History of buildings and architecture, Architettura Medievale, Storia Dell'Architettura, Conservazione e restauro, Restauro, Edilizia storica, Histoire de la Restauration, History of Medieval Art, Art History,Architecture,Conservation and Restoration of historic buildings, Massa Marittima, Storia Della Città e Del Territorio, and Storia E Teoria Del Restauro
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Research Interests: Architecture, Medieval Church History, Architectural History, Medieval Architecture, Social History of Art, and 8 moreMedieval Churches, History of Art and Architecture, Medieval church architecture, Edilizia storica, Architecture and Public Spaces, Filippo Napoletano, Eglises Du Moyen Age, and Storia Della Città e Del Territorio
Il volume, nato da una ricerca dedicata alla produzione edilizia medievale del territorio compreso nella attuale Provincia di Livorno, contiene un repertorio di oltre trenta edifici religiosi e attestazioni materiali riferibili ai secoli... more
Il volume, nato da una ricerca dedicata alla produzione edilizia medievale del territorio compreso nella attuale Provincia di Livorno, contiene un repertorio di oltre trenta edifici religiosi e attestazioni materiali riferibili ai secoli XI-XIII, con vedute inedite, cartografie storiche e mappe catastali conservate presso gli Archivi di Stato di Livorno e Firenze. Compresi nel repertorio, gli edifici plebani di San Giovanni a Campiglia Marittima e San Giusto a Suvereto, pievi e suffraganee dell’isola d’Elba, gli insediamenti monastici del promontorio di Populonia e dell’isola di Montecristo. Si propone una schedatura sintetica per ogni contesto, con voci univoche immediatamente confrontabili in merito alla produzione edilizia, rimandi a coordinate geografiche e cartografiche, attestazioni documentarie, stato di conservazione e riferimenti bibliografici. In molti casi segue una discussione più articolata dedicata agli aspetti architettonici e del cantiere, ai materiali impiegati e alle tecniche costruttive. Integrano il lavoro un saggio introduttivo, 290 illustrazioni a colori, indici e apparati appositamente predisposti.
Research Interests: Archaeology of Buildings, Monastic Architecture, History of Monasticism, Medieval Mediterranean Art and Architecture, Romanesque architecture, and 11 moreMonastic Archaeology, Medieval Monasticism, Romanesque Archaeology, Benedictine Monasticism, Architettura Medievale, Medieval church architecture, Architettura Romanica, Architecture Médiévale, Storia Dell'architettura Medievale, Archéologie Du Bâti Médiéval, and Archeologie Medieval
More than a literal succession of dates and opinions or abstruse theoretical principles, it is an eloquent series of encounters with different periods and contexts, buildings and materials, techniques and tools.
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Archeologia dei Paesaggi Medievali - CD Multimediale a cura di G. Bianchi e R. Belcari
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Organizator izložbe:
NVO MNEMOSINA
edd. D. RADOVIĆ - M. ŽIVANOVIĆ
NVO MNEMOSINA
edd. D. RADOVIĆ - M. ŽIVANOVIĆ
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Research Interests:
Research Interests:
edd. G. Bianchi, R. Belcari.
Contiene i risultati delle ricerche svolte nella città di Piombino e nel suo territorio con particolare riferimento agli scavi archeologici del "castello" che ospita il museo della città.
Contiene i risultati delle ricerche svolte nella città di Piombino e nel suo territorio con particolare riferimento agli scavi archeologici del "castello" che ospita il museo della città.