Provenance materials for Vitruvius' harenae fossiciae and pulvis puteolanis : Geochemical signature and historical–archaeological implications

D'Ambrosio, E.; Marra, Fabrizio; Cavallo, Andrea; Gaeta, Mario; Ventura, Guido

doi:10.1016/j.jasrep.2015.01.012

Cited by 18 publications

(47 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…In contrast, given that the technique can more reliably provide a regional geochemical signature at the scale of the volcanic districts, rather than identifying specific products D'Ambrosio et al 2015), a less discriminating result is given by the Th/Ta versus Nb/Zr diagram of Figure 5 (b). Here, partial overlapping between the compositional field of the Monteverde and Portuense samples (shaded area), and the composition of one outcrop sample (PM) and two monument samples (TA-3 and TA-10) of the Aniene facies is observed.…”

Section: Discussion: Trace Element Classification Diagramsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In particular, trace elements with a relatively low mobility, such as Zr, Nb, Y, Th and Ta, can be successfully used to recognize eruptive products and their provenance, even in the deeply altered volcanic rocks employed in ancient Roman masonry (Marra and D'Ambrosio ; D'Ambrosio et al . ; Marra et al . ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The trace element features of the volcanic rocks of Latium provide accurate and reliable identification criteria to discriminate eruptive products and their source areas (e.g., Peccerillo 2005). In particular, trace elements with a relatively low mobility, such as Zr, Nb, Y, Th and Ta, can be successfully used to recognize eruptive products and their provenance, even in the deeply altered volcanic rocks employed in ancient Roman masonry D'Ambrosio et al 2015;Marra et al 2015). In the present study, we have verified the possible occurrence of a geochemical signature characterizing different outcropping areas as a function of the different temporal range of emplacement and the consequent different portion of the original magma involved, allowing a distinction within the products of the same eruption.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Geochemical Fingerprint of Tufo Lionato Blocks from the Area Sacra di Largo Argentina: Implications for the Chronology of Volcanic Building Stones in Ancient Rome

Marra

D'Ambrosio²,

Gaeta

et al. 2018

Archaeometry

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We use trace element discrimination diagrams to provide a geochemical fingerprint for Tufo Lionato, the volcanic rock most commonly used in the ancient Roman dimension stone technique. Based on the comparison of their geochemical signatures, we identify different rock facies of Tufo Lionato employed since the fourth to third centuries and through the second century bce in the construction of the temples of the Area Sacra di Largo Argentina. These rock facies correspond to two previously identified building stones: Aniene Tuff and Monteverde Tuff, named after their supposed source areas located in the Aniene River Valley and in the homonymous locality of the Tiber River Valley, respectively. However, the results of our study demonstrate previous misidentification of these volcanic rocks in the different construction phases of Temple C, providing a revision of the dating system currently accepted for the diffusion of Tufo Lionato architecture. We show that the Aniene facies has been exploited since the end of the fourth century bce and that it was employed along with Tufo Giallo della Via Tiberina in the podium and staircase of Temple C, whereas observations at Largo Argentina suggest that the ‘Monteverde Tuff’ was only sporadically used in the early phases of the dimension stone construction technique.

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Section: Discussion: Trace Element Classification Diagramsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Geochemical Fingerprint of Tufo Lionato Blocks from the Area Sacra di Largo Argentina: Implications for the Chronology of Volcanic Building Stones in Ancient Rome

Marra

D'Ambrosio²,

Gaeta

et al. 2018

Archaeometry

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“…In this respect, the isotopic analyses of 87 Sr/ 86 Sr and 143 Nd/ 144 Nd ratios, which demonstrate significant variations at both regional and local scales within the context of the peri‐Tyrrhenian Quaternary magmatism (e.g., D'Antonio, Tilton, & Civetta, ; Conticelli et al, ; Conticelli et al, ; Peccerillo, ; Peccerillo & Lustrino, ; Boari, Tommasini et al, ; Boari, Avanzinelli et al, ; Giaccio et al, ), may help draw a distinction among different source areas for the flagstones. In the last decade, a further method has been developing and used to fingerprint volcanic rocks and establish their provenance, that is the trace‐element (i.e., Zr, Y, Nb, Th, Ta) signature (e.g., Lancaster, Sottili, Marra, & Ventura, ; Marra & D'Ambrosio, ; Marra et al, ; D'Ambrosio, Marra, Cavallo, Gaeta, & Ventura, ; Farr, Marra, & Terrenato, ; Marra, D'Ambrosio, Gaeta, & Mattei, ; Marra, Anzidei et al, ; Marra, Gaeta et al, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chemical‐petrographic and isotopic characterization of the volcanic pavement along the ancient Appia route at the Aurunci Mountain Pass, Italy: Insights on possible provenance

et al. 2019

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The ancient Appia route was built across central‐southern Italy between the fourth and second century before the common era (B.C.E.). At the Aurunci Mountain Pass, the route crosses carbonate ridges that provided the raw material used to pave the road in the first century C.E. This material was replaced with lava blocks of unknown origin in the third century C.E. The study area is at least 50 km from the main volcanic centers along the peri‐Tyrrhenian side of Italy, such as the Colli Albani, Roccamonfina, and Middle Latin Valley volcanoes. The main objective of this research was the chemical–petrographic and isotopic characterization of rock samples from the Appia flagstones to unravel their possible provenance. The analytical procedure included scanning electron microscope and electron microprobe analyses and 87Sr/86Sr–143Nd/144Nd isotopic measurements. Samples taken from unknown quarries found in the Middle Latin Valley volcanic field underwent the same analyses. After comparing the analysis results with data from the literature, the most likely source area was identified with the Roccamonfina precaldera ultrapotassic sequence. The availability and use of volcanic resources for the construction and maintenance of the ancient Appia route in the investigated territories are only outlined in this work and deserve further study.

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“…Trace element features of the Lazio tuffs, however, provide accurate and reliable identification criteria to discriminate eruptive products and their source areas (e.g., Lustrino, Duggen, & Rosenberg, ; Peccerillo, ). In particular, trace elements with a relatively low mobility, such as Zr, Nb, Y, Th, and Ta, can be successfully used to recognize eruptive products and their provenance, even in the deeply altered volcanic rocks used in ancient Roman architecture (D'Ambrosio, Marra, Cavallo, Gaeta, & Ventura, ; Farr et al, ; Marra & D’Ambrosio, ; Marra, D'Ambrosio, Gaeta, & Mattei, ). The combination of trace‐element, petrographic, and other analyses (such as laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry [LA‐ICPMS]) has begun to be used in provenance studies elsewhere in the Roman world (e.g., Germinario, Hanchar, et al, 2018, Germinario, Zara, et al, 2018) that have demonstrated the ability of archaeometry to speak effectively to cultural and historical questions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Combining geochemistry and petrography to provenance Lionato and Lapis Albanus tuffs used in Roman temples at Sant’Omobono, Rome, Italy

et al. 2018

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Tufo Lionato is a volcanic tuff that was used extensively for construction in Rome, Italy, during antiquity and after; at least three varieties can be identified: Anio, Monteverde, and Portuense. The widespread introduction of Tufo Lionato in Roman construction is generally dated to the mid‐second century before the common era (B.C.E.). Another tuff, Lapis Albanus, is held to have been introduced during the third century B.C.E. Due to their similar macroscopic appearance, it is impossible to reliably distinguish visually among varieties of Tufo Lionato, or between Lapis Albanus and other “peperino” tuffs, nor does geochemistry alone always allow definitive identifications. A combination of geochemical and petrographical analyses is presented here, to provenance building stone from the Roman temples of Fortuna and Mater Matuta at Sant’Omobono in Rome. The combination of techniques allows for secure identification of Anio tuff and Lapis Albanus, and their use in structures of the fourth–third and fifth–third centuries B.C.E., respectively, one to two centuries earlier than previously demonstrated. These findings show a diversification of tuffs used by the Roman construction industry earlier than henceforth acknowledged, and suggest the ability of archaeometric techniques to bring new perspectives even to such familiar archaeological contexts as the city of Rome.

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Provenance materials for Vitruvius' harenae fossiciae and pulvis puteolanis : Geochemical signature and historical–archaeological implications

Cited by 18 publications

References 44 publications

The Geochemical Fingerprint of Tufo Lionato Blocks from the Area Sacra di Largo Argentina: Implications for the Chronology of Volcanic Building Stones in Ancient Rome

The Geochemical Fingerprint of Tufo Lionato Blocks from the Area Sacra di Largo Argentina: Implications for the Chronology of Volcanic Building Stones in Ancient Rome

Chemical‐petrographic and isotopic characterization of the volcanic pavement along the ancient Appia route at the Aurunci Mountain Pass, Italy: Insights on possible provenance

Combining geochemistry and petrography to provenance Lionato and Lapis Albanus tuffs used in Roman temples at Sant’Omobono, Rome, Italy

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