Papers by Alba Mazza
ATTI DEL VI CONVEGNO NAZIONALE DI ARCHEOLOGIA SUBACQUEA 10-12 OTTOBRE 2019 PALAZZO CIAMPOLI - TAORMINA, 2023
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Shepherd, G. 2021 ed, Interaction and Identity Sicily and South Italy from the Iron Age to Late Antiquity, 2021
The Aeolian Archipelago is a group of seven volcanic islands located north of
Sicily, in the Sout... more The Aeolian Archipelago is a group of seven volcanic islands located north of
Sicily, in the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea (Fig. 1a). Strong winds, together with marine
currents, unpredictable weather conditions, dangerous reefs and unexpected shallow
rocks make the Archipelago’s waters one of the most dangerous navigation spots
of the Mediterranean (Fig. 1b). Despite such hazardous environmental conditions,
the Archipelago has been one of the most important nodes of the Mediterranean
commercial network for more than 7000 years (Bernabò Brea & Cavalier 1991;
Bernabò Brea et al. 1998).
Mycenaean and Egyptian pottery found on the islands indicates intense prehistoric
crossroads. Greek, Roman, Punic, Arab and Norman archaeological evidence found
on land as well as underwater demonstrates that the islands played a crucial role not
only as the main point of control over the Messina Strait, but also as key logistical
locations for naval battles. Dozens of shipwrecks have been documented on the
seabed of the Aeolian Islands, with dates that span from the Bronze Age to modern
times (Bernabò Brea et al. 1985; Bound 1989, 1992). This chapter focuses on one of
those shipwrecks: the Panarea III. Discovered in 2010 (Gambin et al. 2010; Tisseyre in
press) and investigated in 2014–2015 (La Rocca 2015; 2016; La Rocca & Tusa 2016), the
shipwreck provides insights into the economy and the commercial networks of a very
important moment in the history of the Mediterranean: the end of the Second Punic
War (218–201 BC). Moreover, as the shipwreck lies at a depth of 112m, an innovative
investigative strategy has been adopted in order to investigate it. The strategy
includes remote sensing mapping tools, such as Side Scan Sonar (SSS), a Remotely
Operated Vehicle (ROV), a two-seat deep water submarine, and a team of technical
divers specialising in deep water survey and documentation operating with mixed
gases. The methodological approach was unprecedented and results outstanding.
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Open Archaeology, 2021
This paper investigates water bodies in the Greek colony of Selinus, Western Sicily-Italy. It foc... more This paper investigates water bodies in the Greek colony of Selinus, Western Sicily-Italy. It focuses especially on one of the two rivers of the city: the Cottone. The investigative strategy adopted in this study consists of an interdisciplinary approach based on the analysis of archaeological evidence, Earth Sciences data, and the study of historical cartography. Results indicate that the Cottone River was not a swampy and unhealthy intermittent stream as it was believed so far; it was instead a fully functional water body featuring an active floodplain. Most importantly, research presented in this article indicates several floods occurred in Selinus from the second or third quarter of the sixth century BC to the end of the fifth century BC. These floods, which occurred at the peak of Selinus' cultural and economic life, were related to severe major events, rather than seasonal floods, as suggested by other scholars. The management of these floods and the waterscape was crucial to the city's prosperity. This article also analyzes the relationship between the Cottone River and the fortification walls located at the Cottone River Valley. Results indicate that the fortification walls functioned not only as a defensive infrastructure, but also as a hydraulic engineering solution for flood retention. A better understanding of the environment in which Selinus was settled is now available, and knowledge on the importance of waterscapes and their management has been enhanced.
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in eds. R. Castillo Belinchón, et al. V Congreso Internacional de Arqueologia Subacuática. (IKUWA V), Cartagena, Spain: Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte, pp. 379-91., 2016
Palaeolandscapes are an important aspect of our heritage. Despite palaeolandscape studies address... more Palaeolandscapes are an important aspect of our heritage. Despite palaeolandscape studies addressing interdisciplinary aspects prevail in Europe, Sicily remains constrained to more simplistic approaches. As a result, investigation on coastal archaeological sites in Sicily with a focus on long-term relationships with the sea and the coast has never been undertaken extensively.
This paper explores the potential of interdisciplinary approaches to investigate coastal landscape of two of the most important Greek and Roman coastal towns of ancient Sicily, namely Lipari and Selinus. By analyzing Sicilian coastal archaeological sites it was possible to investigate strategies adopted in antiquity to cope with environmental changes and natural hazards. Coastal palaeolandscape research on Sicilian archaeological sites finally helped to obtain a clear picture of over time sea-to-human landscape relationships over time and thus it makes a substantial contribution in developing sustainable urban planning and effective coast management plans of modern cities.
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In: GHILARDI, M., LEANDRI, F., BLOEMENDAL, J., LESPEZ, L. & FACHARD, S. (eds.) Géoarchéologie des îles de Méditerranée. Geoarchaeology of the Mediterranean Islands Paris: CNRS Éditions, 177-190.
This paper uses an interdisciplinary methodology to investigate the ancient paleolandscape of the... more This paper uses an interdisciplinary methodology to investigate the ancient paleolandscape of the ancient coastal settlements of Selinus in Sicily and Lipari Sotto Monastero (LSM) in Lipari Island (north of Sicily),
and how these have changed over time. In order to reconstruct the landscape at the time when the cities were inhabited, we focused on the analysis of historical sources and archaeological evidence, which provide insights into the human components of a city. Data from previous geomorphological studies and from geophysical survey were analyzed in order to investigate the physical environment. Additionally, the study focuses on understanding the coastal landscape of these cities, as well as its diachronicity, from antiquity onwards (from the 7th century BC to the 4th century AD). The combination of traditional studies and modern forms of investigation provided remarkable results which enhance our understanding of the coastal landscape of ancient Selinus and LSM and how it has changed over time. In addition, the prediction of future coastal changes, based on this interdisciplinary methodology, offers useful insights into what we should expect in the future.
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Mazza Alba
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Conference Presentations by Alba Mazza
Anzidei, M., Tusa, S., Bosman, A., Casalbore, D., La Rocca, R., Mazza, A., Vecchio, A., Romagnoli, C., Impact of the relative sea level rise on archaeological and cultural heritage sites of Lipari island (Italy), between the Roman period and 2100 AD Geophysical Research Abstracts, 2018
The volcanic island of Lipari belongs to the Aeolian archipelago (Southern Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy)... more The volcanic island of Lipari belongs to the Aeolian archipelago (Southern Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy), which is an active volcanic arc of the Mediterranean basin. This region has been inhabited since Neolithic and particularly
the coasts of Lipari, which is the largest island of the archipelago, have been continuously settled from the Greek period until today, despite the recurrent volcanic activity. Recent geodetic studies highlighted that Lipari is undergoing a continuous land subsidence at rates up to 111.5 mmy-1 during the last two decades, and sea level rise at 2mm/yr during the last century, due to the climate change. The combination of these phenomena is causing the progressive submergence of important archaeological
and cultural heritage sites located along the coasts of Lipari, which date span from the Roman period to the modern times.
In this study, we present and discuss data on the relative sea level changes estimated from a set of submerged archaeological and historical sites dated between 2100100 BP and the last two or three centuries, built along the eastern coast of Lipari, at Marina Lunga, Marina Corta and Pignataro.
The most important structure is a pier of the Roman age, located in the main harbor of Marina Lunga. It is about 140x60 m of size and its foundations are placed at -11.6 0.05 m, above a shoreline placed at -13.0 0.05 m. From the present-day depth of the pier, a relative sea level rise of 12.3 0.7 m with a subsidence rate at 5.79 0.01 mm y-1 (the average value of volcano-tectonic contribution is 5.17 0.01 m y-1) has been inferred for the last 2100 100 years BP. In this area, besides the submerged port, there are historical buildings constructed during the last two-three centuries that have been flooded by the relative sea level rise. The most valuable is the "Anime del Purgatorio" church at Marina Corta, below which storage rooms were located, being now more than 2 m below the present day sea level, and well below the quay level that has been raised accordingly. Based on i) archaeological investigations, ii) aerial photogrammetry and ultra-high resolution multibeam bathymetry, iii) volcano-tectonic land subsidence estimation, iv) IPCC projection of sea level rise for the next decades calibrated for this site and v) the analysis of historical maps, we reconstructed the history of submergence of this coastal tract. Finally, we provide the flooding scenarios up to 2100 AD that will affect coastal sites of cultural heritage importance. Our reconstruction allows us to tentatively show the estimated position in time of the coastline at Lipari between the Roman period and the 2100 AD.
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The Mediterranean Sea is well known to be one of the richest seas in the world in
terms of subm... more The Mediterranean Sea is well known to be one of the richest seas in the world in
terms of submerged cultural heritage.
One of biggest Mediterranean Island, Sicily, testifies the intense crossroads from
all over the Mediterranean thanks to continue discover of shipwrecks and
submerged structures. These latest, together with ancient shorelines,
underwater settlements and submerged landscapes, have recently interested the
scientific community which focused the attention on landscape and seascape as
two of the relevant aspects of the our archaeological heritage.
Thanks to this renewed interest, words like frequentation and occupation are
now broadly used for underwater settlements also. Subsequently, the interest in
palaeolandscapes turned on the debate about the importance of a
multidisciplinary approach to the study of past societies and their relation to the
sea, giving stimulus to develop scientific collaboration and data integration.
Taking into consideration this new approach the aim of this paper is to analyze
the nature, origin, evolution and present situation of coastal and submerged
archaeological sites in Sicily (Lipari, Naxos, Selinus) with a focus on the sea‐land
relations and palaeolandscape reconstruction.
Finally I will try to develop a methodology to connect archaeological data to
geographical and geomorphological changes in order to the reconstruct the
submerged landscape and its archaeological significance.
Alba Mazza
amaz6781@uni.sydney.edu.au
alba.mazza@gmail.com
I would like to acknowledge
The Postgraduate Research Support Scheme funded by the University of Sydney
The International Postgraduate Research Scholarships funded by the Australian
Government, The Australian Postgraduate Awards funded by, The Commonwealth Government
The Carlyle Greenwell Research Fund (Archaeology), The Hellenic Club Research Scholarship in
Classical Archaeology
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A new and unpublished study of Phoenician-Punic amphorae (VII-I century B.C.) from
underwater re... more A new and unpublished study of Phoenician-Punic amphorae (VII-I century B.C.) from
underwater recovering in Sicily Strait is the main core of the paper. Chronology, typology and
origin were reviewed on the basis of archaeometrical analysis (XRD, DTA, TGA, FT-IR). Results
demonstrate the variety of amphorae shapes attested in Sicily and their distribution in relation to
the chronology; furthermore new data can be added on ateliers location and to understand trade
dynamics in Central Mediterranean Sea."
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Thesis by Alba Mazza
Riassunto ed indice della mia tesi di dottorato
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Table of contents and abstract of my PhD thesis
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Teaching Documents by Alba Mazza
This is the PPT I used for the class on Conservation of underwater archaeological materials for t... more This is the PPT I used for the class on Conservation of underwater archaeological materials for the AIMA-NAS course.
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Uploads
Papers by Alba Mazza
Sicily, in the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea (Fig. 1a). Strong winds, together with marine
currents, unpredictable weather conditions, dangerous reefs and unexpected shallow
rocks make the Archipelago’s waters one of the most dangerous navigation spots
of the Mediterranean (Fig. 1b). Despite such hazardous environmental conditions,
the Archipelago has been one of the most important nodes of the Mediterranean
commercial network for more than 7000 years (Bernabò Brea & Cavalier 1991;
Bernabò Brea et al. 1998).
Mycenaean and Egyptian pottery found on the islands indicates intense prehistoric
crossroads. Greek, Roman, Punic, Arab and Norman archaeological evidence found
on land as well as underwater demonstrates that the islands played a crucial role not
only as the main point of control over the Messina Strait, but also as key logistical
locations for naval battles. Dozens of shipwrecks have been documented on the
seabed of the Aeolian Islands, with dates that span from the Bronze Age to modern
times (Bernabò Brea et al. 1985; Bound 1989, 1992). This chapter focuses on one of
those shipwrecks: the Panarea III. Discovered in 2010 (Gambin et al. 2010; Tisseyre in
press) and investigated in 2014–2015 (La Rocca 2015; 2016; La Rocca & Tusa 2016), the
shipwreck provides insights into the economy and the commercial networks of a very
important moment in the history of the Mediterranean: the end of the Second Punic
War (218–201 BC). Moreover, as the shipwreck lies at a depth of 112m, an innovative
investigative strategy has been adopted in order to investigate it. The strategy
includes remote sensing mapping tools, such as Side Scan Sonar (SSS), a Remotely
Operated Vehicle (ROV), a two-seat deep water submarine, and a team of technical
divers specialising in deep water survey and documentation operating with mixed
gases. The methodological approach was unprecedented and results outstanding.
This paper explores the potential of interdisciplinary approaches to investigate coastal landscape of two of the most important Greek and Roman coastal towns of ancient Sicily, namely Lipari and Selinus. By analyzing Sicilian coastal archaeological sites it was possible to investigate strategies adopted in antiquity to cope with environmental changes and natural hazards. Coastal palaeolandscape research on Sicilian archaeological sites finally helped to obtain a clear picture of over time sea-to-human landscape relationships over time and thus it makes a substantial contribution in developing sustainable urban planning and effective coast management plans of modern cities.
and how these have changed over time. In order to reconstruct the landscape at the time when the cities were inhabited, we focused on the analysis of historical sources and archaeological evidence, which provide insights into the human components of a city. Data from previous geomorphological studies and from geophysical survey were analyzed in order to investigate the physical environment. Additionally, the study focuses on understanding the coastal landscape of these cities, as well as its diachronicity, from antiquity onwards (from the 7th century BC to the 4th century AD). The combination of traditional studies and modern forms of investigation provided remarkable results which enhance our understanding of the coastal landscape of ancient Selinus and LSM and how it has changed over time. In addition, the prediction of future coastal changes, based on this interdisciplinary methodology, offers useful insights into what we should expect in the future.
Conference Presentations by Alba Mazza
the coasts of Lipari, which is the largest island of the archipelago, have been continuously settled from the Greek period until today, despite the recurrent volcanic activity. Recent geodetic studies highlighted that Lipari is undergoing a continuous land subsidence at rates up to 111.5 mmy-1 during the last two decades, and sea level rise at 2mm/yr during the last century, due to the climate change. The combination of these phenomena is causing the progressive submergence of important archaeological
and cultural heritage sites located along the coasts of Lipari, which date span from the Roman period to the modern times.
In this study, we present and discuss data on the relative sea level changes estimated from a set of submerged archaeological and historical sites dated between 2100100 BP and the last two or three centuries, built along the eastern coast of Lipari, at Marina Lunga, Marina Corta and Pignataro.
The most important structure is a pier of the Roman age, located in the main harbor of Marina Lunga. It is about 140x60 m of size and its foundations are placed at -11.6 0.05 m, above a shoreline placed at -13.0 0.05 m. From the present-day depth of the pier, a relative sea level rise of 12.3 0.7 m with a subsidence rate at 5.79 0.01 mm y-1 (the average value of volcano-tectonic contribution is 5.17 0.01 m y-1) has been inferred for the last 2100 100 years BP. In this area, besides the submerged port, there are historical buildings constructed during the last two-three centuries that have been flooded by the relative sea level rise. The most valuable is the "Anime del Purgatorio" church at Marina Corta, below which storage rooms were located, being now more than 2 m below the present day sea level, and well below the quay level that has been raised accordingly. Based on i) archaeological investigations, ii) aerial photogrammetry and ultra-high resolution multibeam bathymetry, iii) volcano-tectonic land subsidence estimation, iv) IPCC projection of sea level rise for the next decades calibrated for this site and v) the analysis of historical maps, we reconstructed the history of submergence of this coastal tract. Finally, we provide the flooding scenarios up to 2100 AD that will affect coastal sites of cultural heritage importance. Our reconstruction allows us to tentatively show the estimated position in time of the coastline at Lipari between the Roman period and the 2100 AD.
terms of submerged cultural heritage.
One of biggest Mediterranean Island, Sicily, testifies the intense crossroads from
all over the Mediterranean thanks to continue discover of shipwrecks and
submerged structures. These latest, together with ancient shorelines,
underwater settlements and submerged landscapes, have recently interested the
scientific community which focused the attention on landscape and seascape as
two of the relevant aspects of the our archaeological heritage.
Thanks to this renewed interest, words like frequentation and occupation are
now broadly used for underwater settlements also. Subsequently, the interest in
palaeolandscapes turned on the debate about the importance of a
multidisciplinary approach to the study of past societies and their relation to the
sea, giving stimulus to develop scientific collaboration and data integration.
Taking into consideration this new approach the aim of this paper is to analyze
the nature, origin, evolution and present situation of coastal and submerged
archaeological sites in Sicily (Lipari, Naxos, Selinus) with a focus on the sea‐land
relations and palaeolandscape reconstruction.
Finally I will try to develop a methodology to connect archaeological data to
geographical and geomorphological changes in order to the reconstruct the
submerged landscape and its archaeological significance.
Alba Mazza
amaz6781@uni.sydney.edu.au
alba.mazza@gmail.com
I would like to acknowledge
The Postgraduate Research Support Scheme funded by the University of Sydney
The International Postgraduate Research Scholarships funded by the Australian
Government, The Australian Postgraduate Awards funded by, The Commonwealth Government
The Carlyle Greenwell Research Fund (Archaeology), The Hellenic Club Research Scholarship in
Classical Archaeology
underwater recovering in Sicily Strait is the main core of the paper. Chronology, typology and
origin were reviewed on the basis of archaeometrical analysis (XRD, DTA, TGA, FT-IR). Results
demonstrate the variety of amphorae shapes attested in Sicily and their distribution in relation to
the chronology; furthermore new data can be added on ateliers location and to understand trade
dynamics in Central Mediterranean Sea."
Thesis by Alba Mazza
Teaching Documents by Alba Mazza
Sicily, in the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea (Fig. 1a). Strong winds, together with marine
currents, unpredictable weather conditions, dangerous reefs and unexpected shallow
rocks make the Archipelago’s waters one of the most dangerous navigation spots
of the Mediterranean (Fig. 1b). Despite such hazardous environmental conditions,
the Archipelago has been one of the most important nodes of the Mediterranean
commercial network for more than 7000 years (Bernabò Brea & Cavalier 1991;
Bernabò Brea et al. 1998).
Mycenaean and Egyptian pottery found on the islands indicates intense prehistoric
crossroads. Greek, Roman, Punic, Arab and Norman archaeological evidence found
on land as well as underwater demonstrates that the islands played a crucial role not
only as the main point of control over the Messina Strait, but also as key logistical
locations for naval battles. Dozens of shipwrecks have been documented on the
seabed of the Aeolian Islands, with dates that span from the Bronze Age to modern
times (Bernabò Brea et al. 1985; Bound 1989, 1992). This chapter focuses on one of
those shipwrecks: the Panarea III. Discovered in 2010 (Gambin et al. 2010; Tisseyre in
press) and investigated in 2014–2015 (La Rocca 2015; 2016; La Rocca & Tusa 2016), the
shipwreck provides insights into the economy and the commercial networks of a very
important moment in the history of the Mediterranean: the end of the Second Punic
War (218–201 BC). Moreover, as the shipwreck lies at a depth of 112m, an innovative
investigative strategy has been adopted in order to investigate it. The strategy
includes remote sensing mapping tools, such as Side Scan Sonar (SSS), a Remotely
Operated Vehicle (ROV), a two-seat deep water submarine, and a team of technical
divers specialising in deep water survey and documentation operating with mixed
gases. The methodological approach was unprecedented and results outstanding.
This paper explores the potential of interdisciplinary approaches to investigate coastal landscape of two of the most important Greek and Roman coastal towns of ancient Sicily, namely Lipari and Selinus. By analyzing Sicilian coastal archaeological sites it was possible to investigate strategies adopted in antiquity to cope with environmental changes and natural hazards. Coastal palaeolandscape research on Sicilian archaeological sites finally helped to obtain a clear picture of over time sea-to-human landscape relationships over time and thus it makes a substantial contribution in developing sustainable urban planning and effective coast management plans of modern cities.
and how these have changed over time. In order to reconstruct the landscape at the time when the cities were inhabited, we focused on the analysis of historical sources and archaeological evidence, which provide insights into the human components of a city. Data from previous geomorphological studies and from geophysical survey were analyzed in order to investigate the physical environment. Additionally, the study focuses on understanding the coastal landscape of these cities, as well as its diachronicity, from antiquity onwards (from the 7th century BC to the 4th century AD). The combination of traditional studies and modern forms of investigation provided remarkable results which enhance our understanding of the coastal landscape of ancient Selinus and LSM and how it has changed over time. In addition, the prediction of future coastal changes, based on this interdisciplinary methodology, offers useful insights into what we should expect in the future.
the coasts of Lipari, which is the largest island of the archipelago, have been continuously settled from the Greek period until today, despite the recurrent volcanic activity. Recent geodetic studies highlighted that Lipari is undergoing a continuous land subsidence at rates up to 111.5 mmy-1 during the last two decades, and sea level rise at 2mm/yr during the last century, due to the climate change. The combination of these phenomena is causing the progressive submergence of important archaeological
and cultural heritage sites located along the coasts of Lipari, which date span from the Roman period to the modern times.
In this study, we present and discuss data on the relative sea level changes estimated from a set of submerged archaeological and historical sites dated between 2100100 BP and the last two or three centuries, built along the eastern coast of Lipari, at Marina Lunga, Marina Corta and Pignataro.
The most important structure is a pier of the Roman age, located in the main harbor of Marina Lunga. It is about 140x60 m of size and its foundations are placed at -11.6 0.05 m, above a shoreline placed at -13.0 0.05 m. From the present-day depth of the pier, a relative sea level rise of 12.3 0.7 m with a subsidence rate at 5.79 0.01 mm y-1 (the average value of volcano-tectonic contribution is 5.17 0.01 m y-1) has been inferred for the last 2100 100 years BP. In this area, besides the submerged port, there are historical buildings constructed during the last two-three centuries that have been flooded by the relative sea level rise. The most valuable is the "Anime del Purgatorio" church at Marina Corta, below which storage rooms were located, being now more than 2 m below the present day sea level, and well below the quay level that has been raised accordingly. Based on i) archaeological investigations, ii) aerial photogrammetry and ultra-high resolution multibeam bathymetry, iii) volcano-tectonic land subsidence estimation, iv) IPCC projection of sea level rise for the next decades calibrated for this site and v) the analysis of historical maps, we reconstructed the history of submergence of this coastal tract. Finally, we provide the flooding scenarios up to 2100 AD that will affect coastal sites of cultural heritage importance. Our reconstruction allows us to tentatively show the estimated position in time of the coastline at Lipari between the Roman period and the 2100 AD.
terms of submerged cultural heritage.
One of biggest Mediterranean Island, Sicily, testifies the intense crossroads from
all over the Mediterranean thanks to continue discover of shipwrecks and
submerged structures. These latest, together with ancient shorelines,
underwater settlements and submerged landscapes, have recently interested the
scientific community which focused the attention on landscape and seascape as
two of the relevant aspects of the our archaeological heritage.
Thanks to this renewed interest, words like frequentation and occupation are
now broadly used for underwater settlements also. Subsequently, the interest in
palaeolandscapes turned on the debate about the importance of a
multidisciplinary approach to the study of past societies and their relation to the
sea, giving stimulus to develop scientific collaboration and data integration.
Taking into consideration this new approach the aim of this paper is to analyze
the nature, origin, evolution and present situation of coastal and submerged
archaeological sites in Sicily (Lipari, Naxos, Selinus) with a focus on the sea‐land
relations and palaeolandscape reconstruction.
Finally I will try to develop a methodology to connect archaeological data to
geographical and geomorphological changes in order to the reconstruct the
submerged landscape and its archaeological significance.
Alba Mazza
amaz6781@uni.sydney.edu.au
alba.mazza@gmail.com
I would like to acknowledge
The Postgraduate Research Support Scheme funded by the University of Sydney
The International Postgraduate Research Scholarships funded by the Australian
Government, The Australian Postgraduate Awards funded by, The Commonwealth Government
The Carlyle Greenwell Research Fund (Archaeology), The Hellenic Club Research Scholarship in
Classical Archaeology
underwater recovering in Sicily Strait is the main core of the paper. Chronology, typology and
origin were reviewed on the basis of archaeometrical analysis (XRD, DTA, TGA, FT-IR). Results
demonstrate the variety of amphorae shapes attested in Sicily and their distribution in relation to
the chronology; furthermore new data can be added on ateliers location and to understand trade
dynamics in Central Mediterranean Sea."
One of biggest Mediterranean Island, Sicily, testifies the intense crossroads from all over the Mediterranean thanks to continue discover of shipwrecks and submerged structures. These latest, together with ancient shorelines, underwater settlements and submerged landscapes, have recently interested the scientific community which focused the attention on landscape and seascape as two of the relevant aspects of the our archaeological heritage.
Thanks to this renewed interest, words like frequentation and occupation are now broadly used for underwater settlements also. Subsequently, the interest in palaeolandscapes turned on the debate about the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to the study of past societies and their relation to the sea, giving stimulus to develop scientific collaboration and data integration.
Taking into consideration this new approach the aim of this paper is to analyze the nature, origin, evolution and present situation of coastal and submerged archaeological sites in Sicily (Lipari, Naxos, Selinus) with a focus on the sea-land relations and palaeolandscape reconstruction.
Finally I will try to develop a methodology to connect archaeological data to geographical and geomorphological changes in order to the reconstruct the submerged landscape and its archaeological significance.