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Exploring pottery technology and mineralogical, petrographic and chemical composition at the Neolithic pile-dwelling site of Palù di Livenza in north-east Italy

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Abstract

Palù di Livenza is a Neolithic pile-dwelling site located in north-east Italy, inscribed since 2011 on the World Heritage List of UNESCO in the transnational serial property “Prehistoric pile-dwellings around the Alps”. Its study is crucial for investigating the transition from the Recent to Late Neolithic periods in the region. Eighteen vessels from 5 structural phases, dated approximately between 4300/4200 and 3600 BC, have been analysed using X-ray computed microtomography, X-ray diffraction, inductively coupled plasma optical emission and mass spectrometry, as well as portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF), in order to investigate the pottery forming techniques, the technology and the provenance of the vessels based on their minero-petrographic and chemical characteristics. The results of pXRF analyses have been further evaluated through principal component analysis (PCA). The results obtained indicate that most of the vessels, including the four-spouted vessels typical of the Square Mouthed Pottery culture, were locally produced using the coiling technique. The vessels were tempered with carbonate material that has dissolved due to taphonomic factors and/or large fragments of other rocks originating form geological formations outcropping nearby the archaeological site. The identified fabric groups, in use throughout the entire duration of the settlement, seem to suggest that no significant technological changes occurred at the transition between Recent and Late Neolithic. Interestingly, the PCA analysis of reliable chemical elements revealed that, despite the overall similarity of the assemblage, certain samples with distinct chronology and typology demonstrate remarkably homogeneous chemical characteristics. This suggests slight variations in the raw materials and/or recipes used over time.

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Acknowledgements

This research was funded by Assegnazioni Dipartimentali per la Ricerca–AdiR and Fondo scavi of Ca’ Foscari Venezia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Humanistic Studies, Università Ca’Foscari Venezia, Dorsoduro 3484/D, Venezia, 30123, Italy

    F. Bernardini

  2. Multidisciplinary Laboratory, The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Strada Costiera 11, Trieste, 34151, Italy

    F. Bernardini

  3. Department of Mathematics, Informatics and Geosciences, University of Trieste, Via Weiss 8, Trieste, 34127, Italy

    M. Velicogna, A. De Min & N. Barago

  4. LAMA - Laboratory for Analysing Materials of Ancient origin, University Iuav of Venice, San Polo 2468/B, Venezia, 30125, Italy

    F. Antonelli

  5. Soprintendenza Archeologia, Belle Arti e Paesaggio del Friuli Venezia Giulia, Piazza della Libertà 7, Trieste, 34135, Italy

    R. Micheli

  6. C/O Museo Friulano di Storia Naturale, via C. Gradenigo Sabbadini 24-32, Udine, 34100, Italy

    M. Piorico & S. Roma

  7. Museo Friulano di Storia Naturale, via C. Gradenigo Sabbadini 24-32, Udine, 34100, Italy

    P. Visentini

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Contributions

FB designed and led the study; RM, PV and FB wrote the introduction and the archaeological background; FB and PV wrote the archaeological part of the conclusions; PV, SR and MP wrote the description of pottery assemblage; FB, MV, ADM and NB wrote all the other parts of the paper; all authors reviewed the manuscript.

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Correspondence to F. Bernardini.

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Bernardini, F., Velicogna, M., De Min, A. et al. Exploring pottery technology and mineralogical, petrographic and chemical composition at the Neolithic pile-dwelling site of Palù di Livenza in north-east Italy. Archaeol Anthropol Sci 16, 145 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-024-02043-z

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