Hostname: page-component-5d84bcc8dc-x2ktn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-09-11T13:06:34.894Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

High-Resolution Archaeoenvironmental Study of a Cultic Episode at a Statue-Menhir Copper Age Site (Ossimo Anvòia, Italian Alps)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 January 2016

Emilia Allevato ,
Francesco Fedele ,
Filippo Terrasi ,
Manuela Capano  and
Gaetano Di Pasquale
Emilia Allevato*
Affiliation:
1Università di Napoli Federico II, Dip. Arboricoltura Botanica c Patologia Vegetale, Naples, Italy
Francesco Fedele
Affiliation:
3Formerly at Università di Napoli Federico II, Cattedra e laboratorio di Antropologia, Portici (NA), Italy
Filippo Terrasi
Affiliation:
4Dipartimento di Matematica e Fisica, Seconda Università di Napoli, Caserta, Italy 5INNOVA – CIRCE (Centre for Isotopic Research on Cultural and Environmental heritage), Caserta, Italy
Manuela Capano
Affiliation:
5INNOVA – CIRCE (Centre for Isotopic Research on Cultural and Environmental heritage), Caserta, Italy 6Dipartimento di Lettere e Beni Culturali, Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli, Santa Maria Capua Vetere, Caserta, Italy
Gaetano Di Pasquale
Affiliation:
1Università di Napoli Federico II, Dip. Arboricoltura Botanica c Patologia Vegetale, Naples, Italy
*
2Corresponding author. Email: callcvat@unina.it.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Nine excavation seasons at Ossimo Anvòia in the Val Camonica (Central Alps, Italy) have brought to light a Copper Age ceremonial area with symbolic monoliths (statue menhirs) in their original position. Hundreds of artifacts and ecofacts indicate ideological activity during the 3rd millennium BC. A large pit (F18) was discovered that was unusual for its great size and the abundance of well-preserved charcoal. The pit housed a fallen monolith (M9) showing complicated reshaping. A detailed spatial study based on 6 radiocarbon accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) measurements combined with charcoal analysis has untangled key information to define the history of feature F18-M9. 14C data show that the burning event occurred most probably in the 4th century AD, not in prehistory. We infer a unique episode of “reconsecration” during the very latest phases of pagan cult activity in the Val Camonica. Further studies are needed to resolve the relationships with other features of the site. In addition, charcoal analysis has produced paleobotanical information for a scarcely known period in the environmental history of the area. A sparse forest with Picea abies, Larix decidua, and Fagus sylvatica existed, associated with areas likely devoted to grazing. There is a remarkable absence of chestnut.

Information

Type
Articles
Information
Radiocarbon , Volume 55 , Issue 1 , 2013 , pp. 49 - 58
Copyright
Copyright © 2013 by the Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

REFERENCES

Anagnost, SE, Meyer, RW, Zecuw de, C. 1994. Confirmation and significance of Bartholin's method for the identification of the wood of Picea and Larix. IAWA Journal 15(2):171–8.Google Scholar
Bartholin, T. 1979. Picea-Larix problem. IAWA Bulletin 1:7–10.Google Scholar
Bowman, S. 1990. Radiocarbon Dating. Berkeley: University of California Press.Google Scholar
Bronk Ramsey, C. 2009. Bayesian analysis of radiocarbon dates. Radiocarbon 51(1):337–6.Google Scholar
Fedele, F. 2006. Asinino-Anvòia: il Parco archeologico. Cerveno: Cooperativa Archeologica Le Orme dell'Uomo.Google Scholar
Fedele, F. 2008. Statue-menhirs, human remains and mana at the Ossimo ‘Anvòia’ ceremonial site, Val Camonica. Journal of Mediterranean Archaeology 21(1):57–79.Google Scholar
Fedele, F. 2011. Origini dell'ideologia cerimoniale centroalpina dell'età del Rame: una “fase zero” di IV millennio? Notizie Archeologiche Bergomensi 19:77–100.Google Scholar
Fedele, F, Terrasi, F, Capano, M. 2010. Datazioni radiocarboniche AMS per l'area a statue-menhir di Ossimo ‘Anvòia’, Valcamonica: primi risultati. Notizie Archeologiche Bergomensi 18:19–32.Google Scholar
Gehrig, R. 1997. Pollenanalytische Untersuchungen zur Vegetations- und Klimageschichte des Val Camonica (Norditalien). Dissertationes Botanicae 276:1–152.Google Scholar
Greguss, P. 1955. Identification of Living Gymnosperms on the Basis of Xylotomy. Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó.Google Scholar
Greguss, P. 1959. Holzanatomie der Europäischen Laubhölzer und sträucher. Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó.Google Scholar
Grove, AT, Rackham, O. 2001. The Nature of Mediterranean Europe: An Ecological History. New Haven: Yale University Press.Google Scholar
Jagels, R, Le Page, BA, Jiang, M. 2001. Definitive identification of Larix (Pinaceae) wood based on anatomy from the middle Eocene, Axel Heidelberg Island, Canadian High Arctic. IAWA Journal 22(1):73–83.Google Scholar
Marzaioli, F, Borricllo, G, Passariello, I, Lubritto, C, De Cesare, N, D'Onofrio, A, Terrasi, F. 2008. Zinc reduction as an alternative method for AMS radiocarbon dating: process optimization at CIRCE. Radiocarbon 50(1):139–4.Google Scholar
Mori Secci, M. 1995. La storia dell'ambiente: indagini palinologiche nel sito di Ossimo OS4. In: Fedele, F, editor. Ossimo 1: Il contesto rituale delle stele calcolitiche e notizie sugli scavi 1988–1995. Gianico: La Cittadina. p 15–21.Google Scholar
Passariello, I, Marzaioli, F, Lubritto, C, Rubino, M, D'Onofrio, A, De Cesare, N, Borricllo, G, Casa, G, Palmieri, A, Rogalla, D, Sabbarese, C, Terrasi, F. 2007. Radiocarbon sample preparation at CIRCE AMS laboratory in Caserta, Italy. Radiocarbon 49(2):225–3.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pini, R. 2002. A high-resolution Late-Glacial-Holocene pollen diagram from Pian di Gembro (Central Alps, Northern Italy). Vegetation History and Archaeobotany 11(4):251–6.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pini, R, Ravazzi, C. 2009. Boschi, colture e pascoli nella media Valtellina durante gli ultimi 7 mila anni. Notiziario dell'Istituto Archeologico Valtellinese 7:73–81.Google Scholar
Poggiani Keller, R, editor. 2009. La Valle delle Incisioni. Catalogo della mostra, Brescia, marzo-maggio 2009. Brescia: Provincia di Brescia.Google Scholar
Reimer, PJ, Baillie, MGL, Bard, E, Bayliss, A, Beck, JW, Blackwell, PG, Bronk Ramsey, C, Buck, CE, Burr, GS, Edwards, RL, Friedrich, M, Grootes, PM, Guilderson, TP, Hajdas, I, Heaton, TJ, Hogg, AG, Hughen, KA, Kaiser, KF, Kromer, B, McCormac, FG, Manning, SW, Reimer, RW, Richards, DA, Southon, JR, Talamo, S, Turney, CSM, van der Plicht, J, Weyhenmeyer, CE. 2009. IntCal09 and Marine09 radiocarbon age calibration curves, 0–50,000 years cal BP. Radiocarbon 51(4):1111–50.Google Scholar
Schiffer, MB. 1986. Radiocarbon dating and the “old wood” problem: the case of the Hohokam chronology. Journal of Archaeological Science 13(1):13–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schweingruber, FH. 1990. Anatomy of European Woods. Stuttgart: Paul Haupt.Google Scholar
Solano, S. 2007. Forme minori del popolamento della Valcamonica fra tarda età del Ferro e romanizzazione. Insediamenti e luoghi di culto [PhD dissertation], Pavia: University of Pavia.Google Scholar
Solano, S. 2008. L'area archeologica di Capo di Ponte (Brescia), loc. Le Sante: ustrinum o Brandopferplatz? Notizie Archeologiche Bergomensi 16:169–213.Google Scholar
Talon, B. 1997. Etude anatomique et comparative de charbons de bois de Larix decidua Mill, et de Picea Abies (L.) Karst. Compte Rendu de l'Académie des Sciences de Paris. Sciences de la vie 320(7):581–8.Google Scholar
Taylor, RE. 1987. Radiocarbon Dating: An Archaeological Perspective. Orlando: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Terrasi, F, De Cesare, N, D'Onofrio, A, Lubritto, C, Marzaioli, F, Passariello, I, Rogalla, D, Sabbarese, C, Bordello, G, Casa, G, Palmieri, A. 2008. High precision 14C AMS at CIRCE. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B 266(10):2221–4.Google Scholar
Valvo, A. 1991. La più antica testimonianza epigrafica della cristianizzazione della Valcamonica. Aevum 65:211–2.Google Scholar