Marsala, 'Zona Mura': la ceramica da cucina tardoromana

Abstract

This paper discusses Late Roman cooking wares from recent excavations in the ‘Zona Mura’ (Marsala). A systematic research to investigate monuments and artifacts in detail, focusing on the role of Lilybaeum in the Mediterranean context from Hellenistic to Late Roman times, was planned by the mission of Hamburg and Palermo Universities; the ‘Lilybaeum Archaeological Project’ started in 2007 in collaboration with the Superintendence of Trapani and the Archaeological Museum of Marsala. Hence, an area into the north-eastern sector of the Archaeological Park of Marsala, the so-called ‘Zona Mura’, was identified; in connection with a preliminary geological survey and geophysical prospecting, in 2008-2009 excavations carried out in the area brought to light some architectural remains of a brick wall, belonging to a Late Roman rebuilding of a part of the city wall; remains of insulae, situated in the southern part of the surveyed area (fragments of wall paintings and a white mosaic floor were found still in loco); part of two limestone-paved roads flanked with pavements and ruins of a Late Roman sewer. The preliminary results of the ongoing pottery study are promising. African tableware and cooking ware, Pantellerian ware, African amphoras are well represented products, but there are samples of regional and unknown provenance as well. One prominent research objective for our team is the analysis of the dynamic pattern of relations between different production-centres of ceramics deriving from the ‘Zona Mura’...