The Neolithic Site of Piano dei Cardoni in the Island of Ustica (Italy): Minero-Petrographic and Chemical Characterization of the Ceramic Finds and Clayey Raw Materials

Abstract

This paper presents the results of minero‐petrographic and chemical analyses of pottery and potential local raw materials from Ustica, a small volcanic island off the coast of Palermo (Sicily), inhabited during the Middle Neolithic. Typologically, the pottery shows cultural connections to the Bicromica and Serra d'Alto traditions, linking Ustica to Sicily and Southern Italy, as well as to the Late Neolithic Diana pottery from the Aeolian Archipelago. The archaeometric study aims to determine whether the island's inhabitants during the 5th millennium BCE engaged in the exchange of ceramics in addition to obsidian and chert. This research investigates raw material sources, technological knowledge, and pottery‐making traditions on the island by analyzing the compositional, textural, and structural characteristics of the ceramic assemblage. The experimental results indicate the use of local raw materials from areas near the archaeological site and provide insights into firing techniques, helping to establish the petrographic and chemical profiles of the ceramics. These findings contribute to a broader understanding of Neolithic pottery production in the central Mediterranean.