Vitrified Walls in the Iron Age of Western Iberia: New Research from an Archaeometric Perspective

Rangel, Luis Berrocal; García-Giménez, Rosario; Ruano, Lucía; Villa, Raquel Vigil de la

doi:10.1017/eaa.2018.69

Cited by 6 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Interestingly, these architectural structures are predominantly found in insular Europe, although finds of vitrified structures have been reported over a broad strip developed in the E-W direction of continental Europe between Poland and Portugal. Apart from two cases encountered in the la er country [9,10], the presence of these structures has not yet been consistently observed in Mediterranean European countries.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 85%

Tracing the Origins of an Anthropic Vitrified Structure with “Pre-Bleached with Blue LED” Thermoluminescence Dating: The Enigmatic Serravuda Hilltop Fortification in Calabria, Italy

Galli,

Saleh,

Foggia

et al. 2024

Applied Sciences

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The Serravuda site on a hill near Acri, Calabria in Italy was discovered in 1970. The site presents a unique vitrified lithoid structure. Early theories speculated on its vitrification, ranging from forest fires to extraterrestrial impacts. The structure consists of vitrified Paleozoic rock fragments forming a 45-meter-long wall, possibly once extending further. Analysis suggests that humans transported these fragments for construction, with subsequent partial vitrification occurring due to high temperatures from wood combustion. Thermoluminescence dating, using the innovative “Pre-bleached with Blue LEDs” protocol, indicates origins between the Late Bronze Age and Iron Age, aligning with settlement periods in the region. Fading studies were conducted to correct the error in the age data due to signal loss. The scenario suggests that the vitrification of the structure may have been a consequence of human utilization of timber for construction, with combustion resulting from random events such as forest fires or lightning strikes. This description has remarkable similarities with to those proposed for Iron Age vitrified forts in Northern Europe, suggesting that Serravuda could be seen as a precursor to such forts. Moreover, this prompts intriguing inquiries into the origins and evolution of Nordic engineering techniques focused on fire utilization in construction.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 85%

Tracing the Origins of an Anthropic Vitrified Structure with “Pre-Bleached with Blue LED” Thermoluminescence Dating: The Enigmatic Serravuda Hilltop Fortification in Calabria, Italy

Galli,

Saleh,

Foggia

et al. 2024

Applied Sciences

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“…Various vitrified forts, dated from the Late Bronze Age to the Early Medieval period, have been documented throughout western Europe [31,32]. Interpretations related to the building technique and their function through Bronze and Iron Ages suggest a certain degree of craft specialization and work planning.…”

Section: Prospective Origin Of Serravuda Vitrified Rocksmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Interpretations related to the building technique and their function through Bronze and Iron Ages suggest a certain degree of craft specialization and work planning. Many authors claimed that the vitrification was obtained through the combustion of timber interlacing within the walls and the fire was a deliberate act at the end of the fortification's life [31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38]. Further interpretations of the cause of the vitrification at these sites include ritual destruction (e.g., decommissioning of a site), destructive burning by enemies, incidental melting due to signal fires or lightning strikes [31,32,34,[36][37][38].…”

Section: Prospective Origin Of Serravuda Vitrified Rocksmentioning

confidence: 99%

Insights on the Origin of Vitrified Rocks from Serravuda, Acri (Italy): Rock Fulgurite or Anthropogenic Activity?

et al. 2021

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In this study, twenty five partially vitrified rocks and four samples of vitrified rocks collected on the top hill called Serravuda (Acri, Calabria, Italy) are analyzed. The goal is to shed light on the origin of these enigmatic vitrified materials. The analyzed vitrified rocks are a breccia of cemented rock fragments (gneiss, granitoid, and amphibolite fragments) which extends for more than 10 m, forming a continuous mass along the northern and north-west border of the flat top hill. Surrounded by the vitrified accumulation, exposed Paleozoic granitoid substrate rocks show limited melting or heat-alteration processes. By mapping minerals embedded in the glass matrix via X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), an interpretation of source rock material, reactions, and thermometric indications to form vitrified materials on the top hill of Serravuda, Acri (Italy), is provided. The mineralogical composition of heated or partially vitrified samples is heterogeneous owing to the effects of heating events, but it mostly recalls the parent rock composition (gneiss, granitoid, and amphibolite). The presence of quartz, cristobalite, tridymite, mullite, plagioclase, hercynite, cordierite, and olivine in Serravuda partially vitrified rocks and glasses suggests that samples were subjected to pyrometamorphism and the temperature range at which the glass formed was about 1000–1100 °C in the presence of hydrous gas, burning organic material (e.g., wood), and assuming thermodynamic equilibrium. Lithologies of the heated or partially vitrified rock fragments are a mixture of parent rocks not outcropping on the top of the hill such as gneiss and amphibolite. Data suggest that Serravuda vitrified rocks are most likely the result of anthropic activities and could represent remnants of vitrified fort walls. The mineral assemblage of partially vitrified rocks and glasses suggests that the fort walls were made of slabs derived from the local metamorphic rocks with the addition of Serravuda substrate Paleozoic granitoid rocks to improve the strength and insulation of the fort walls.

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“…The first walled settlements of the Old Iron Age were areas surrounded by stone barriers driven into the ground and wide walls of adobe masonry. Vitrified walls were made with masonry and fired adobes [71][72][73] composed mainly of bones, rubble and earth that served to compact the dry-laid masonry from the late Bronze Age (7th-6th centuries BC) to that of the late Iron Age (2nd century BC).…”

Section: Prehistorymentioning

confidence: 99%

The Forerunners on Heritage Stones Investigation: Historical Synthesis and Evolution

Freire-Lista

2021

Heritage

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Human activity has required, since its origins, stones as raw material for carving, construction and rock art. The study, exploration, use and maintenance of building stones is a global phenomenon that has evolved from the first shelters, manufacture of lithic tools, to the construction of houses, infrastructures and monuments. Druids, philosophers, clergymen, quarrymen, master builders, naturalists, travelers, architects, archaeologists, physicists, chemists, curators, restorers, museologists, engineers and geologists, among other professionals, have worked with stones and they have produced the current knowledge in heritage stones. They are stones that have special significance in human culture. In this way, the connotation of heritage in stones has been acquired over the time. That is, the stones at the time of their historical use were simply stones used for a certain purpose. Therefore, the concept of heritage stone is broad, with cultural, historic, artistic, architectural, and scientific implications. A historical synthesis is presented of the main events that marked the use of stones from prehistory, through ancient history, medieval times, and to the modern period. In addition, the main authors who have written about stones are surveyed from Ancient Roman times to the middle of the twentieth century. Subtle properties of stones have been discovered and exploited by artists and artisans long before rigorous science took notice of them and explained them.

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Vitrified Walls in the Iron Age of Western Iberia: New Research from an Archaeometric Perspective

Cited by 6 publications

References 26 publications

Tracing the Origins of an Anthropic Vitrified Structure with “Pre-Bleached with Blue LED” Thermoluminescence Dating: The Enigmatic Serravuda Hilltop Fortification in Calabria, Italy

Tracing the Origins of an Anthropic Vitrified Structure with “Pre-Bleached with Blue LED” Thermoluminescence Dating: The Enigmatic Serravuda Hilltop Fortification in Calabria, Italy

Insights on the Origin of Vitrified Rocks from Serravuda, Acri (Italy): Rock Fulgurite or Anthropogenic Activity?

The Forerunners on Heritage Stones Investigation: Historical Synthesis and Evolution

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