Trade Networks and Pre-Roman Amphorae Provenance in Ancient Capri: An Archaeometric Study

Aim of this research is to determine the technological features and provenance of a set of 16 samples of amphorae found in Capri. The island stands out due to its strategic position within the Gulf of Naples. However, due to the lack of specialized publications in the field of ceramics, the role of the island in the commercial dynamics of the Roman or pre-Roman period is still unknown. The amphorae investigated were excavated in the area of Gasto and belong to pre-roman types, primarily the so-called “Ionian-Massaliote” amphorae, but also examples of the North Aegean type, belonging to the Miletus-Samos group, or classified within the tradition of Greek-Italian amphorae. The investigation is based on a combined archaeological and archaeometric approach. After a morpho-typological study, the research went on with archaeometric analyses, via mineralogical-petrographic techniques. Two petrographic groups, well matching the archaeological types, have been identified via Polarized light microscope (PLM) analysis. Chemical analysis (XRF) revealed a Ca-rich concentration for most samples and, again, a division in two homogeneous groups that well reflect the associations made with previous analyses. Technological information focused on firing dynamics was obtained through SEM observation of microstructures and mineralogical analysis (XRPD), which identified a group of samples with low-temperature mineral phases (calcite and illite-like phases) and another group of samples fired at higher temperatures, characterized by an abundance of newly-formed Ca-silicates (i.e., gehlenite, Ca-feldspar, pyroxene). These groups again demonstrate a connection with their chemical and petrographic counterparts. Lastly, by comparing petrographic and chemical data with literature sources, it was possible to trace these amphorae back to their production area, offering new insights into the trade routes that likely reached Capri during the ancient Greek period.