The marble provenance of 24 sculptural artefacts, sampled in the Antiquarium of Cosa, has been established by a multimethod approach using epr and petrographic/morphological information and a database including 10 quarrying sites considered to be possible marble sources. Seven questionable provenances were verified by independent isotopic provenancing, which resulted in the re-assignment of two samples. The overall result is that the use of Carrara marbles at Cosa, although widespread as expected, is not universal. Several other varieties, including 6 Pentelic, 5 Parian and 1 dolomitic Thasian marbles were detected and account for almost half of the total sampled artefacts. Most notable is the presence of the highly prized Parian lychnites used to carve a male torso and a draped female sculpture, both life-sized, or the use of Thasian dolomite for another male torso. The implications of these findings are briefly discussed.
Sculptural marbles from Cosa (Tuscany, Italy) and their provenance by EPR and petrography
Attanasio D;
2008
Abstract
The marble provenance of 24 sculptural artefacts, sampled in the Antiquarium of Cosa, has been established by a multimethod approach using epr and petrographic/morphological information and a database including 10 quarrying sites considered to be possible marble sources. Seven questionable provenances were verified by independent isotopic provenancing, which resulted in the re-assignment of two samples. The overall result is that the use of Carrara marbles at Cosa, although widespread as expected, is not universal. Several other varieties, including 6 Pentelic, 5 Parian and 1 dolomitic Thasian marbles were detected and account for almost half of the total sampled artefacts. Most notable is the presence of the highly prized Parian lychnites used to carve a male torso and a draped female sculpture, both life-sized, or the use of Thasian dolomite for another male torso. The implications of these findings are briefly discussed.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
