Attestazioni delle classi ceramiche dai contesti arcaici della cinta muraria di Erice. Analisi tipologiche, funzionali e archeometriche

Abstract

The defensive walls of the Elymian site of Erice in Western Sicily have been subject to thorough archaeological research between 2010 and 2014. The project provided the chronology of the construction phases of the walls and enabled a reconstruction of the development of the ancient city. Thus, the first phase of the walls was dated to the beginning of the 5th cent. BC. Furthermore, excavations have shown that the walls were built upon earlier structures, most likely belonging to huts. The Archaic pottery from these stratigraphical contexts has been studied in detail. Their morphological and typological characteristics as well as functional aspects could be clarified. The study of local geometric pottery and Attic black-figure as well as black-glazed pottery has made it possible to reveal trade contacts and cultural exchanges at the indigenous site between the late 7th and early 5th centuries BC. In addition, archaeometric analyses made it possible to identify the production sites of the aforementioned classes.
Keywords: Sicily, Erice, defensive walls, Archaic pottery, archaeometric analyses