Roman White Marbles in Northern Marche Region (Italy): An Archaeometric Provenance Study

Abstract

Archaeometric investigations were conducted on Roman marble statues, engraved slabs, and memorial bases discovered in various archaeological sites located in the present Marche Region (Italy), including Fanum Fortunae, Pisaurum, and Potentia. These artefacts are currently housed in the Archaeologic Museum of Fano, the Archaeologic Museum of Pesaro, and the Archaeologic Museum of Porto Recanati (Macerata). Spanning from the Republican age to the Severan dynasty and up until the middle of the fourth century AD, these archaeological artefacts attest to the existence of numerous urbanized Roman colonies adorned with monuments and marble decorations. Mineralogical and petrographic examinations, along with C-O stable isotopic and chemical analyses (MgO and Sr), were carried out to both characterize the marble features and determine their provenance. This research aimed to delineate the specific use and distribution of these marbles across different chronological periods. The results indicated that Proconnesian marble was mainly used in the engraved slabs from Fanum Fortunae, with one exception in which Pentelic marble was identified. The sculptures from Fanum Fortunae and Potentia were carved from white marbles, including Lunense and Parian marbles (Parian-1 and Parian-2 types), with limited use of Pentelic and Thasian marbles, notably the Thasian-3 variety. Memorial bases from Pisaurum were identified to be made from Parian, Proconnesian, and Thasianmarbles. The archaeometric provenance of the different marbles was correlated with the archaeological dating of the artefacts to establish a chronological framework describing their use over time. This work provides an opportunity to appreciate Roman artifacts crafted from precious white marbles, which are housed in various museums throughout the Marche Region. The archaeometric investigation offers a significant contribution to the dissemination of knowledge and serves as a valuable tool for the enhancement of this archaeological and cultural heritage, potentially informing policies aimed at promoting geotourism.