Provenance of the white and polychrome marbles used for the architecture and sculpture of roman Sentinum (Sassoferrato, Marche, Italy)

Abstract

Samples from 22 white crystalline and one greco scritto‐like marble artefacts (first–third centuries ce) from Roman Sentinum (Sassoferrato, Italy) were analysed to determine their provenance by thin‐section microscopy, X‐ray diffraction and stable isotope ratio analysis (δ18O and δ13C). Polychrome marbles were provenanced through macroscopic examination. Results show that relief sculpture and statuary were carved in white marble from Carrara, Paros, Thasos and Naxos. Architectural white marbles were identified as Proconnesian for veneer, and Proconnesian, Parian, Dokimeion and Thasian for capitals and pediments. Polychrome lithotypes include foremost africano, breccia di Sciro, cipollino verde, giallo antico, bardiglio and greco scritto (from Ephesos‐Hasançavuslar).

On the Use of White Marbles in Roman Forum Sempronii (Fossombrone, Marche, Italy): An Overview of the Archaeometric Data on Architectural Elements

“…Further, the relative importance of cipollino verde is to be noted, especially in reference to its overall occurrence at Forum Sempronii. A similar observation of the relative importance of cipollino verde in bath complexes is, for example, also made at the terme di Santa Lucia in the nearby Roman town Sentinum [11].…”

“…Even though most of these stones have been documented only in small volumes, they clearly illustrate that Forum Sempronii had access to the main marble trade networks of the Roman Mediterranean, with imports coming from Asia Minor, Greece (mainland and Aegean islands), North Africa, and Egypt. The only polychrome stone discovered of regional origin is the so-called rosso ammonitico from the central Adriatic Apennine region or from the Southern Alps, near Verona, a stone which figures also among the polychrome marbles used at nearby Roman sites such as Sentinum, Suasa, Urbs Salvia and Urvinum Mataurense [1,3,10,11] Overall, these observations are in line with those for the wider central Adriatic Italy and the rest of the Italian Peninsula [12,50]. As for chronology, the results obtained for architectural, sculptural, and relief materials indicate that imports arrived at Forum Sempronii already as early as the Augustan period, in particular for the decoration of the augusteum.…”

“…This paper presents the results of the characterisation, identification, provenance determination, and quantification of the white, greco scritto-like and polychrome marbles used at Forum Sempronii, a medium-sized Roman town located along the Metauro river, about 2 km east of the modern town Fossombrone (Marche region, Italy) (Figure 1). The study is part of a project that examines the import and use of decorative stones in the wider region of central Adriatic Italy in Roman times (published marble provenance studies for central Adriatic Italy are [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]). Because very few stone resources of sufficient quality for decorative purposes are geologically present in the region, almost all high-quality decorative stones had to be imported.…”

Trading Marble for Steel: Early Roman Import of Carrara Marble into the Alps—The Example of the Magdalensberg Trading Post in Noricum

“…Several occurrences are known, e.g., in the Mani peninsula, in Chios, Teos, Ephesos, Aphrodisias, or Tunisia and many more. Many of these deposits were studied in the past and a series of authors mention the use of Bardiglio in Roman times, evidently by visual examination but without proof or presentation of numerical analytical data [34][35][36][37][38][39][40]. In general, only scarce analytical data are available, and the data at hand are far away from being a comprehensive databank.…”

Archaeometric analysis of the ‘greco scritto’ marble slabs from the Edificio dei Triclinii at Murecine (Pompeii, Italy)

“…Therefore, the evidence from the quarries suggests that Ephesian greco scritto marble must have been largely exported (Prochaska & Grillo, 2012). Although it is still exceedingly difficult to assess the extent of the use of Ephesian greco scritto compared with the similar non-Ephesian varieties, several archaeometric studies conducted on artefacts from Italy, North Africa and as far as the North-Western provinces (e.g., Xanten in modern North-Westphalia, Germany) have made apparent that it was more widespread than originally believed, and that it was often used together with non-Turkish varieties (Prochaska & Grillo, 2012: 589;Attanasio et al, 2012: 253;Antonelli et al, 2014Antonelli et al, , 2016Taelman & Antonelli, 2022). With the macroscopic identification of the Murecine marble slabs pointing to an almost certain Ephesian origin, it was essential to assess such identification through archaeometric analysis, which was carried out by the LAMA Laboratory of the University of Venice (IUAV).…”