PROVENANCE OF CALCITE TEMPERED “SERRA D’ALTO” COARSE WARE IN SOUTH EASTERN ITALY: PRELIMINARY RESULTS

Forty samples of Mid-Late Neolithic “Serra d’Alto” coarse pots (V millennium BC) tempered with spathic calcite were analyzed by petrographic, mineralogical and chemical methods to confirm the hypothesis of widespread technological models of production in different areas in south eastern Italy. The analyzed samples were excavated in different archaeological sites across Tavoliere Plain, Murge Plateau and Bradanic Through areas, namely Masseria Fragennaro, Cala Colombo, Santa Barbara, Sette Ponti, Masseria Candelaro and Grotta Scaloria (Apulia) and Trasano (Basilicata). Almost all the coarse wares were produced using eluvial or colluvial deposits in a carbonatic area tempered with speleothemic calcite. The amount of calcite temper seems to be quantized according to different recipes. LA-ICP-MS analysis of over 30 spathic calcite inclusions per thin section revealed some chemical homogeneity within the same sample and interesting differences among samples from the same site with different pottery fabric. Although the number of the analyzed samples was not sufficient to clearly define characteristic fabrics or reference groups, our preliminary results suggest that the calcite tempered Serra d’Alto coarse ware was produced in different sites, starting from different raw materials and using different processing. The strong similarities in technological processes in different sites clearly show a large network of middle-distance exchange of formal and technological production techniques between many Neolithic communities, located in different geographical areas of South Eastern Italy. LA-ICP-MS analysis of calcite inclusions seems to be a promising route to discriminate the provenance of these ceramic vessels. Keywords: Serra d’Alto ware, calcite temper, LA-ICP-MS.