Tra Ionio e Tirreno: orizzonti d'archeologia. Omaggio a Elena Lattanzi, 2020
The site of Botromagno in the territory of Gravina in Puglia was occupied in the last half of the... more The site of Botromagno in the territory of Gravina in Puglia was occupied in the last half of the 2nd century BC by clusters of domestic buildings fitted into a loose framework of roads which ran roughly N-S or E-W. The houses which were built of mid-brick on stone socles and roofed with imbrices were arranged around courtyards. Numerous loomweights show that weaving was the main basis of the economy. The principal building in the centre of the settlement can be described as an early villa rustica. Two simple cremation burials mark a break with the burial traditions of the previous period. The settlement was abandoned ca. 70 BC, probably after an assault attested by lead slingshots. The archaeological date for the abandonment is compatible with an attack by the army of Spartacus. Only a small part of the settlement was rebuilt after this event
Excavations of a Roman period cemetery resumed in July 2008 at the site of Vagnari, South Italy 1... more Excavations of a Roman period cemetery resumed in July 2008 at the site of Vagnari, South Italy 1. Vagnari is located 12km west of the modern city of Gravina in Puglia (Bari) (fig. 1). Geophysical survey and excavation of the site, in progress since 2000, has revealed the presence of a large settlement covering approximately 3.5 ha., divided into two by a ravine. Ongoing excavations at the site have uncovered evidence of housing and a large industrial zone, including areas for tile production and iron working 2. Occupation of the site ranged from the 4th c. BC to the 6th c. AD. Most of the settlement was located on the north side of the ravine until the Late Antique period when new buildings were developed on the south side. The cemetery is also located on the south side of the ravine, beyond the industrial zone and the Late Antique buildings (fig. 2). Excavation of it began in 2002 since when 69 burials have been excavated to date. Most of the burials so far excavated can be dated between the late 1 st and the 3 rd century AD, though there were some later intrusions in the 4 th century 3. A number of stamped tiles discovered in and around Vagnari indicate that the settlement and the surrounding territory formed part of an imperial estate 4. The ongoing bioarchaeological investigation of the cemetery provides an opportunity to examine the lives of a relatively unknown segment of the ancient Roman population, the workforce of
The 2008 excavations at the site of Falacrinae (Cittareale) took place over six weeks in July and... more The 2008 excavations at the site of Falacrinae (Cittareale) took place over six weeks in July and August. The project began in 2005 and is directed by the British School at Rome and the Universita di Perugia in collaboration with the Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici ...
The pattern of settlement and land use in this part of the Fossa Bradanica was not uniform. The t... more The pattern of settlement and land use in this part of the Fossa Bradanica was not uniform. The tratturo (drove road) which crossed the area from E to W caused a significant distortion. The overall pattern changed drastically at least four times between the Late Iron Age and Late Antiquity, for although the area was well suited to the production of grain, wine and wool, the relative proportions in which they were produced, and the modes of production, changed from one period to another, depending on pressures of population, social structures, taxes, and the availability of markets
Third interim report on the excavation of the rural villa of the late 2nd / early 1st centuries B... more Third interim report on the excavation of the rural villa of the late 2nd / early 1st centuries BC on Botromagno near Gravina in Puglia, covering the work done in the W and N parts of the site. The excavation revealed the full extent of the building, and defined a range of three rooms, perhaps slave quarters, in the S courtyard of the villa. A small pottery kiln of the same period was excavated outside the building to the N. Further to the W there were the remains of a later house of the Augustan period, partially overlapping the previous building which was destroyed before its construction.
Second interim report on the excavation of the rural villa of the late 2nd / early 1st century BC... more Second interim report on the excavation of the rural villa of the late 2nd / early 1st century BC on Botromagno near Gravina in Puglia, covering the excavation of the central part of the site, and the modifications made to the structures after ca. 70 BC.
First Interim report on the excavation of a simple rural villa of the late 2nd and early 1st cent... more First Interim report on the excavation of a simple rural villa of the late 2nd and early 1st centuries BC on the hill of Botromagno near Gravina in Puglia (ancient Silvium). The villa was built over the remains of the preceding Peucetian settlement. The report covers the excavation of the E part of the building including an impluvium, cistern, and stalls for oxen or mules. A grotticella tomb of the late Peucetian period (3rd century BC) was also excavated. It contained three burials, equipped with amphorae and other grave goods
The article presents the evidence for the fortification wall that enclosed the Peucetian settleme... more The article presents the evidence for the fortification wall that enclosed the Peucetian settlement of Silvium, on the hill of Botromagno. It was built in two phases. The main structure, datable to the late 4th century BC, was built as a terrace wall following the edge of the hill, with an outer face of large-square-cut blocks of limestone. In the late 3rd century BC it was reinforced in its weakest stretch by a rampart of earth. The total area enclosed was ca. 140 ha. The original English text of the article is appended here to the published Italian translation. (For the results of subsequent excavations see M. Hassall, J. du P. Taylor and A. Small, "The fortifications" in A.M. Small (ed.) Gravina. An Iron Age and Roman Republican Settlement on Botromagno, Gravina di Puglia. Excavations of 1965–1974. Vol. 1, The Site, pp. 59-71).
Tra Ionio e Tirreno: orizzonti d'archeologia. Omaggio a Elena Lattanzi, 2020
The site of Botromagno in the territory of Gravina in Puglia was occupied in the last half of the... more The site of Botromagno in the territory of Gravina in Puglia was occupied in the last half of the 2nd century BC by clusters of domestic buildings fitted into a loose framework of roads which ran roughly N-S or E-W. The houses which were built of mid-brick on stone socles and roofed with imbrices were arranged around courtyards. Numerous loomweights show that weaving was the main basis of the economy. The principal building in the centre of the settlement can be described as an early villa rustica. Two simple cremation burials mark a break with the burial traditions of the previous period. The settlement was abandoned ca. 70 BC, probably after an assault attested by lead slingshots. The archaeological date for the abandonment is compatible with an attack by the army of Spartacus. Only a small part of the settlement was rebuilt after this event
Excavations of a Roman period cemetery resumed in July 2008 at the site of Vagnari, South Italy 1... more Excavations of a Roman period cemetery resumed in July 2008 at the site of Vagnari, South Italy 1. Vagnari is located 12km west of the modern city of Gravina in Puglia (Bari) (fig. 1). Geophysical survey and excavation of the site, in progress since 2000, has revealed the presence of a large settlement covering approximately 3.5 ha., divided into two by a ravine. Ongoing excavations at the site have uncovered evidence of housing and a large industrial zone, including areas for tile production and iron working 2. Occupation of the site ranged from the 4th c. BC to the 6th c. AD. Most of the settlement was located on the north side of the ravine until the Late Antique period when new buildings were developed on the south side. The cemetery is also located on the south side of the ravine, beyond the industrial zone and the Late Antique buildings (fig. 2). Excavation of it began in 2002 since when 69 burials have been excavated to date. Most of the burials so far excavated can be dated between the late 1 st and the 3 rd century AD, though there were some later intrusions in the 4 th century 3. A number of stamped tiles discovered in and around Vagnari indicate that the settlement and the surrounding territory formed part of an imperial estate 4. The ongoing bioarchaeological investigation of the cemetery provides an opportunity to examine the lives of a relatively unknown segment of the ancient Roman population, the workforce of
The 2008 excavations at the site of Falacrinae (Cittareale) took place over six weeks in July and... more The 2008 excavations at the site of Falacrinae (Cittareale) took place over six weeks in July and August. The project began in 2005 and is directed by the British School at Rome and the Universita di Perugia in collaboration with the Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici ...
The pattern of settlement and land use in this part of the Fossa Bradanica was not uniform. The t... more The pattern of settlement and land use in this part of the Fossa Bradanica was not uniform. The tratturo (drove road) which crossed the area from E to W caused a significant distortion. The overall pattern changed drastically at least four times between the Late Iron Age and Late Antiquity, for although the area was well suited to the production of grain, wine and wool, the relative proportions in which they were produced, and the modes of production, changed from one period to another, depending on pressures of population, social structures, taxes, and the availability of markets
Third interim report on the excavation of the rural villa of the late 2nd / early 1st centuries B... more Third interim report on the excavation of the rural villa of the late 2nd / early 1st centuries BC on Botromagno near Gravina in Puglia, covering the work done in the W and N parts of the site. The excavation revealed the full extent of the building, and defined a range of three rooms, perhaps slave quarters, in the S courtyard of the villa. A small pottery kiln of the same period was excavated outside the building to the N. Further to the W there were the remains of a later house of the Augustan period, partially overlapping the previous building which was destroyed before its construction.
Second interim report on the excavation of the rural villa of the late 2nd / early 1st century BC... more Second interim report on the excavation of the rural villa of the late 2nd / early 1st century BC on Botromagno near Gravina in Puglia, covering the excavation of the central part of the site, and the modifications made to the structures after ca. 70 BC.
First Interim report on the excavation of a simple rural villa of the late 2nd and early 1st cent... more First Interim report on the excavation of a simple rural villa of the late 2nd and early 1st centuries BC on the hill of Botromagno near Gravina in Puglia (ancient Silvium). The villa was built over the remains of the preceding Peucetian settlement. The report covers the excavation of the E part of the building including an impluvium, cistern, and stalls for oxen or mules. A grotticella tomb of the late Peucetian period (3rd century BC) was also excavated. It contained three burials, equipped with amphorae and other grave goods
The article presents the evidence for the fortification wall that enclosed the Peucetian settleme... more The article presents the evidence for the fortification wall that enclosed the Peucetian settlement of Silvium, on the hill of Botromagno. It was built in two phases. The main structure, datable to the late 4th century BC, was built as a terrace wall following the edge of the hill, with an outer face of large-square-cut blocks of limestone. In the late 3rd century BC it was reinforced in its weakest stretch by a rampart of earth. The total area enclosed was ca. 140 ha. The original English text of the article is appended here to the published Italian translation. (For the results of subsequent excavations see M. Hassall, J. du P. Taylor and A. Small, "The fortifications" in A.M. Small (ed.) Gravina. An Iron Age and Roman Republican Settlement on Botromagno, Gravina di Puglia. Excavations of 1965–1974. Vol. 1, The Site, pp. 59-71).
Le attività di sorveglianza e scavo archeologico svolte nell’ambito dei lavori per la realizzazio... more Le attività di sorveglianza e scavo archeologico svolte nell’ambito dei lavori per la realizzazione del Parco eolico “Gravina-Poggiorsini” hanno offerto una preziosa occasione per arricchire il panorama delle testimonianze storico-archeologiche relative alla piana di San Felice, ampio terrazzo inserito all’interno di un vasto comprensorio collinare coltivato a grano, degradante verso la valle del Basentello. Al quadro già delineato dalle ricognizioni territoriali dirette dal prof. A. Small, si sono aggiunti dati rilevanti che consentono di evidenziare una continuità di frequentazione della piana dall’Età del ferro al IV sec. a.C., insieme alla rarefazione delle testimonianze a partire dal III sec. a.C., conformemente a quanto documentato per Botromagno come conseguenza del sacco di Silvium nel 306 a.C. Emerge il V sec. a.C. come momento di floruit dell’insediamento, documentato da un edificio, ragguardevole per dimensioni e articolazione planimetrica e funzionale. Il complesso presenta due macrofasi, inquadrate rispettivamente nella seconda metà del V sec. a.C. e nella seconda metà del IV sec. a.C., intervallate da un periodo di abbandono determinato da un evento improvviso. La documentazione archeologica documenta una ripresa del popolamento del pianoro – sia pure limitato al settore occidentale – a partire dall’età tardoantica e soprattutto in età medievale tra XII e XV secolo. Le evidenze sono costituite, in particolare, da circa sessanta buche utilizzate come fosse di scarico, che hanno restituito una notevole quantità di ceramiche da mensa, da cucina e da dispensa, tra cui non mancano pregevoli prodotti di importazione, che rinviano ad un’ampia rete di rapporti e scambi commerciali in cui era inserito l’insediamento, presumibilmente appartenente al patrimonio fondiario dell’abbazia di Santa Maria di Banzi.
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The original English text of the article is appended here to the published Italian translation. (For the results of subsequent excavations see M. Hassall, J. du P. Taylor and A. Small, "The fortifications" in A.M. Small (ed.) Gravina. An Iron Age and Roman Republican Settlement on Botromagno, Gravina di Puglia. Excavations of 1965–1974. Vol. 1, The Site, pp. 59-71).
The original English text of the article is appended here to the published Italian translation. (For the results of subsequent excavations see M. Hassall, J. du P. Taylor and A. Small, "The fortifications" in A.M. Small (ed.) Gravina. An Iron Age and Roman Republican Settlement on Botromagno, Gravina di Puglia. Excavations of 1965–1974. Vol. 1, The Site, pp. 59-71).