A few scattered vessels, typologically attributed to the Gata–Wieselburg culture, are known from ... more A few scattered vessels, typologically attributed to the Gata–Wieselburg culture, are known from the Friuli Venezia Giulia region in northeastern Italy. This culture spread during the Early Bronze Age (Reinecke Br A1b and A2, 2100–1700/1600 BC) in present-day eastern Austria, western Hungary and southwestern Slovakia. Rare ceramic artefacts, typically biconical double-handled jugs with well-burnished surfaces, have been discovered in caves of the Trieste Karst (Ciclami, Tartaruga, Teresiana and Ossa) and the Natisone Valley (Velika jama). This study aims to outline the technology, provenance and probable use of these rare jugs from the Trieste Karst. Two of these vessels from the Ciclami and Tartaruga caves have been investigated using various destructive and non-destructive techniques, including optical microscopy, X-ray computed microtomography and promptgamma activation analysis, and chemically compared to contemporaneous vessels from the core region of the Gata–Wieselburg culture in Hungary (10 vessels specifically analysed for this project) and earlier Neolithic and Copper Age vessels, likely produced locally in the Karst, Slovenia and Hungary. Based on the obtained results, the investigated Karst vessels were imported. Tentative identification of plant and animal lipids using organic residue analysis (i.e., gas chromatography–mass spectrometry) sheds light on their possible function.
This paper presents the results of the analyses of three glass beads from three Bronze Age sites,... more This paper presents the results of the analyses of three glass beads from three Bronze Age sites, Medvode-Svetje, Trata near Škofja Loka and Kamna Gorica near Ljubljana. All three sites belong to the Oloris-Podsmreka horizon, which covers the Middle and the beginning of the Late Bronze Age (c. second half of the 16th/first half of the 15th century to 12th century BC). The PIXE and PIGE analyses re- vealed that only two of the examined beads belong to the Bronze Age. The bead from the Medvode-Svetje site is similar to LMHK beads and is most likely an import from the Frattesina production centre in northern Italy, while the bead from the Trata site has similarities with the eastern Mediterranean or even Mesopotamian area HMg glass. The natron glass bead from Kamna Gorica is probably an Iron Age infiltrate in a Bronze Age layer.
As part of the project ON-PILES - Interpretation of Biodiversity and Heritage of Pile Dwellings i... more As part of the project ON-PILES - Interpretation of Biodiversity and Heritage of Pile Dwellings in the Ljubljans- ko barje (Slovene: NA-KOLIH – Interpretacija biotske raznovrstnosti in dediščine kolišč na Ljubljanskem barju), a small pile-dwelling settlement was reconstructed in the vicinity of the village of Ig. The reconstruction con- sists of five huts, three of which will be open to visitors. In these three huts, various crafts and activities of the time will be presented with numerous replicas of finds and other objects. The aim of the reconstruction is to present the way of life and material culture of pile dwellers in the 3rd millennium BC.
We have used multi-scale remote sensing to investigate a little known archaeological site in nort... more We have used multi-scale remote sensing to investigate a little known archaeological site in northern Istria (north-eastern Italy). Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) and archaeological field surveys have allowed us to identify the position and extension of a large Protohistoric hillfort. Its highest and best-preserved sector, corresponding to a modest elevation at the eastern margin of the settlement, has been further investigated through thermal imaging, high-resolution ALS, drone Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry and 3D Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), leading to a detailed identification of unexpected buried features. An excavation campaign conducted in 2022 has confirmed the remote and ground-based sensing results. This excavation has led to the discovery of a Bronze Age fortification, partially reused and modified with the construction of 2 or 3 square towers during the post-Roman period. Our results demonstrate that the combined analysis of multi-scale remote and ground-based sensing is crucial to planning archaeological exploration in the field. Digital methods provide high-resolution topography and detect buried features that assist in monitoring and managing cultural heritage. Keywords: northern Istria; Thermal imaging; Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS); Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry; 3D Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR); Bronze Age and post-Roman periods
Zbirka / Collection MUSEOEUROPE 8 / THE CONVERGENCE OF MILLENNIA, 2023
The replicas of pottery and other objects from the 3rd millennium BC were made for the reconstruc... more The replicas of pottery and other objects from the 3rd millennium BC were made for the reconstruction of pile dwellings as part of the project Na-kolih (On-Piles) – Interpretation of Biodiversity and Heritage of Pile Dwellings in the Ljubljansko barje. We built a pottery kiln and fireplaces for cooking and metallurgical activities in the houses. For the replicas we used only materials that were accessible at that time. The whole process from clay preparation to pottery firing was recorded, and we obtained a significant amount of data that will help us make comparisons with archaeological ceramics. This kind of approach is not only suitable for data collection for further scientific analysis of the objects, but also allows a better and more detailed presentation to visitors.
We have used multi-scale remote sensing to investigate a little known archaeological site in nort... more We have used multi-scale remote sensing to investigate a little known archaeological site in northern Istria (north-eastern Italy). Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) and archaeological field surveys have allowed us to identify the position and extension of a large Protohistoric hillfort. Its highest and best-preserved sector, corresponding to a modest elevation at the eastern margin of the settlement, has been further investigated through thermal imaging, high-resolution ALS, drone Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry and 3D Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), leading to a detailed identification of unexpected buried features. An excavation campaign conducted in 2022 has confirmed the remote and ground-based sensing results. This excavation has led to the discovery of a Bronze Age fortification, partially reused and modified with the construction of 2 or 3 square towers during the post-Roman period. Our results demonstrate that the combined analysis of multi-scale remote and ground-based sensing is crucial to planning archaeological exploration in the field. Digital methods provide high-resolution topography and detect buried features that assist in monitoring and managing cultural heritage.
Keywords: northern Istria; Thermal imaging; Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS); Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry; 3D Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR); Bronze Age and post-Roman periods
The contribution presents the results of a comprehensive study of the Late Copper Age Deschmann’s... more The contribution presents the results of a comprehensive study of the Late Copper Age Deschmann’s pile-dwelling sites near Ig in the Ljubljansko barje, central Slovenia. It opens with a history of research and goes on to tackle the main topics associated with the cultural attribution of the sites. A re-examination of the recovered pottery and available archival records, coupled with a new typological and chronological analysis of the small finds has enabled a cultural and chronological redefinition of the Ljubljana culture and its characteristic pottery. In addition to the typical vessel forms, usually decorated with whipped-cord impressions, the newly-defined Ljubljana culture includes common ware that reveals influences primarily from the Somogyvár-Vinkovci culture in the Carpathian Basin. Some of the vessels of the Ljubljana culture also follow the tradition of the Vučedol culture, while others reflect the influences and maybe contacts with the Corded Ware, Globular Amphora and...
Članek obravnava način okraševanja poznobakrenodobne in zgodnjebronastodobne keramike ljubljanske... more Članek obravnava način okraševanja poznobakrenodobne in zgodnjebronastodobne keramike ljubljanske kulture ter pramenaste keramike. O okraševanju izdelkov ljubljanske kulture najdemo v literaturi različne razlage in poimenovanja. Natančna opredelitev tehnike okraševanja je pomembna tako kronološko kot kulturološko. Z eksperimenti smo poskušali dognati, s kakšnimi pripomočki bi bil lahko izdelan značilen okras odtisa niti. Ugotovili smo, da je bil najverjetneje vtisnjen s ploščatim orodjem, okrog katerega so bile navite niti živalskega ali rastlinskega izvora.The article examines the technique used to decorate the Late Copper Age and Early Bronze Age pottery of the Ljubljana culture and the Litzen pottery. In literature, the technique is known under various names and is explained in different ways. A correct explanation being of both chronological and cultural significance, I set out to conduct experiments aimed at determining the tools used to make the characteristic cord impressions...
One of the most interesting finds of the III millennium BC are undoubtedly the cross-footed bowls... more One of the most interesting finds of the III millennium BC are undoubtedly the cross-footed bowls distributed over a large area of Central and Southeast Europe. They are particularly numerous in the sites ascribed to the Vu\u10dedol culture and also appear in other closely related contemporary or partly contemporary cultures in Southern and Central Europe. These bowls, which are in a different state of preservation, have also been found in six caves in the Trieste Karst: Ciclami, Cotariova, Pettine, Edera, Zingari and Pettirosso (fig. 1; 2). The main feature of the Karst bowls are the rich decorations, mostly executed with impressions of double twisted cord. Several scientists have linked these bowls, together with other finds from the Trieste Karst, with the finds from the Deschmann's pile-dwellings near Ig in the Ljubljansko barje in central Slovenia. In the latter pile dwellings this type of bowl is particularly numerous (fig. 3) and is related to the recently redefined Ljubljansko barje variant of the Vu\u10dedol culture. According to the latest study (Leghissa, 2017), two main phases in the life of the Deschmann's pile dwellings can be identified: the older phase is characterized by ceramics attributed to the variant of the Vu\u10dedol culture and those indicating an influential sphere of the Central European cultures. The younger phase is attributed to the recently redefined Ljubljana Culture, which comprises fine-grained vessels decorated with impressions of cord wrapped around a plate, and mostly undecorated fine and coarse ware, which bears numerous similarities to the ceramics of the Somogyvar-Vinkovci and Mako-Kosihy-\u10caka cultures. With the aim of identifying possible imports and other links between the areas studied, an international team (University of Trieste; Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste; Multidisciplinary Laboratory of the The "Abdus Salam" International Center for Theoretical Physics; ZRC SAZU, Institute of Archeology, Ljubljana, Slovenia; Budapest Neutron Center, Hungary) has carried out several traditional and innovative scientific analyses on a large number of samples. Mostly non-destructive analyses were carried out, in particular X-ray computed microtomography (microCT) and Prompt Gamma Activation Analysis (PGAA). The analyses showed that only one bowl from the Karst (n. 139461 from Cotariova - fig. 2 n. 4) could have been imported from Ljubljansko barje. Another 4 Karst bowls (n. 20591 from Ciclami - fig. 2 n. 1; n. 20419 from Cotariova - fig. 2 n. 3; nn. 139463 e 139462 from Pettine - fig. 2 nn. 7, 8) were most likely also imported, but not from central Slovenia. According to the results of the PGAA analysis, including a relatively high K2O content, and comparative typological data, two bowls (n. 20591 from Ciclami and n. 20419 from Cotariova; figs. 12, 13) could have been imported from Central Europe
A long-term project has allowed the provenance identification of the main groups of Neolithic and... more A long-term project has allowed the provenance identification of the main groups of Neolithic and Copper Age stone axes from Caput Adriae. Stone artefacts can indeed be scientifically analysed to detect the geological origin of the raw materials and thus try to recognize ancient exchange networks. This contribution summarizes the lithology, typology, distribution and origin of the main groups of Copper Age shaft-hole axes, using their geological signature, together with other available archaeological indicators of medium- and long-distance connections, to reconstruct the main cultural developments that occurred in the investigated area. The main groups of Copper Age shaft-hole axes - Ljubljana type, serpentinite and metadolerite artefacts - were produced from raw materials outcropping in the Eisenkappler Diabaszug complex (Austria), the Hohe Tauern (Austria) and probably the Banija Ophiolite Complex (Croatia) respectively, all areas rich in copper ore deposits. These data demonstrate that since the 4th millennium BC, the exchange network responsible for the distribution of stone axes in the Caput Adriae changed from long-distance Neolithic connection systems based mainly on Italian jades and eclogites to a more complex one, characterized by a new interest for the eastern Alpine and northern Balkan world. The association of lithic raw materials used for axe production and copper minerals shows that the changes in raw material exploitation strategies between the Neolithic and Copper Age are probably related to the development of the first metallurgy. Archaeological evidence, including the distribution of Ljubljana type stone axes, S. Antonino/Kozarac copper axes, and Vu\u10dedol and Ljubljana style pottery, shows that the coastal belt of Caput Adriae, from the Friuli plain to the Istrian peninsula and beyond, was strongly connected with nowadays central Slovenia at least since the last centuries of the 4th millennium BC to the mid 3rd millennium BC
Nella parte italiana del Carso Classico (Italia nord-orientale) le indagini sistematiche in grott... more Nella parte italiana del Carso Classico (Italia nord-orientale) le indagini sistematiche in grotta, iniziate negli ultimi decenni dell’Ottocento, si interruppero quasi del tutto alla fine degli anni 1980, e nei primi anni 1990 ebbero inizio revisioni sistematiche della documentazione e dei reperti di vecchi scavi – condotte con metodo tradizionale, tipologico-comparativo – seguite da pubblicazioni esaustive. Dopo un primo studio interdisciplinare su materiali in pietra levigata conclusosi nel 1996, dal 2006 a oggi ne sono stati effettuati molti altri, inizialmente ancora su reperti litici, poi anche su ceramica. Analisi scientifiche sia tradizionali sia molto innovative – rese possibili dalla collaborazione fra enti scientifici italiani (Università di Trieste; Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste) e stranieri (in particolare, Multidisciplinary Laboratory, The ‘Abdus Salam’ International Centre for Theoretical Physics; ZRC SAZU, Institute of Archaeology, Ljubljana, Slovenia; Budapest Neutron Centre, Ungheria) – hanno acquisito nuovi dati sulle probabili connessioni del Carso con regioni più e meno lontane dal Neolitico al Bronzo Antico. Questo articolo presenta criticamente i risultati degli studi più recenti focalizzati su Età del Rame e Bronzo Antico.
During the mid-3rd millennium BC central Slovenia, north-eastern Italy and the eastern Adriatic c... more During the mid-3rd millennium BC central Slovenia, north-eastern Italy and the eastern Adriatic coast developed similar cultural traditions in pottery production which have been ascribed to the so-called Ljubljana culture. Among the investigated sites of this period, the Deschmann\u2019s pile dwellings near Ig, in the Ljubljansko barje in central Slovenia, in their younger phase of existence (c. 2600-2400 B.C.), are probably the most famous. As many scholars already pointed out, numerous finds attributed to the Ljubljana culture suggest a potential interaction between this culture and the Bell Beaker one: among them, ceramic vessels with a specific ornamentation technique (the so-called barbed-wire decoration), flint daggers, boar\u2019s tusks, metal daggers and awls, and so on. Nevertheless, a small pear-shaped vessel from the Deschmann\u2019s pile dwellings, decorated with a linear band incised motif reminiscent of the Bell Beaker metope decoration, is the only artefact of this type known from central Slovenia. Despite its similarity with the typical beakers of the Bell Beaker culture, no precise typological analogies have been found in the literature. For these reasons, technological and chemical analysis have been carried out on it and comparative pottery materials attributed to the Ljubljana Culture with the purpose to understand if such beaker was locally produced or imported to central Slovenia. Since thefinds from the Deschmann\u2019s pile dwellings cannot be sampled for destructive analysis, we have adopted a non-destructive approach combining X-ray Computed Microtomography (microCT) and Prompt Gamma Activation Analysis (PGAA) to explore their average structural and compositional (elemental) features, respectively. The results obtained so far will be presented at the Conference
The article represents a short synthesis about settlements from the Middle and the beginning of t... more The article represents a short synthesis about settlements from the Middle and the beginning of the Late Bronze Age in central and eastern regions of Slovenia. Special attention is given to two key-sites, Medvode-Svetje and Trata near Škofja Loka, both from the Gorenjska region. Numerous archaeological excavations and subsequent research publications in the last two decades brought about new insights on dwelling features, forms of housing and on settlement characteristics itself. At the same time, a completely new understanding of the spectre of ceramic repertoire has been obtained, while new radiocarbon dating results enable us to complement the absolute chronology of the given time period.
A few sparse vessels typologically attributed to the G\ue0ta-Wieselburg Culture are known from Fr... more A few sparse vessels typologically attributed to the G\ue0ta-Wieselburg Culture are known from Friuli Venezia Giulia region in north-eastern Italy. Such Culture developed between nowadays western Austria and Hungary during the Early-Middle Bronze Age (Reinecke Br A1b and A2, 2100\u20131700/1600 BC). Single artefacts, generally biconical double-handled jugs with well burnished surfaces, were discovered in caves of the Trieste Karst (Ciclami, Tartaruga, Teresiana and Ossa) and the Natisone valley (Velika jama). Most of them and a similar vessel from a G\ue0ta-Wieselburg site in Hungary (Bu\u308k) have been investigated using several destructive and non-destructive techniques. X-ray computed microtomography, portable X-ray fluorescence, optical microscopy and absorbed lipid residue analyses by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry have been applied in order to study their vessel-forming technique, provenance and probable use. According to the preliminary results the Karst vessels were p...
A few scattered vessels, typologically attributed to the Gata–Wieselburg culture, are known from ... more A few scattered vessels, typologically attributed to the Gata–Wieselburg culture, are known from the Friuli Venezia Giulia region in northeastern Italy. This culture spread during the Early Bronze Age (Reinecke Br A1b and A2, 2100–1700/1600 BC) in present-day eastern Austria, western Hungary and southwestern Slovakia. Rare ceramic artefacts, typically biconical double-handled jugs with well-burnished surfaces, have been discovered in caves of the Trieste Karst (Ciclami, Tartaruga, Teresiana and Ossa) and the Natisone Valley (Velika jama). This study aims to outline the technology, provenance and probable use of these rare jugs from the Trieste Karst. Two of these vessels from the Ciclami and Tartaruga caves have been investigated using various destructive and non-destructive techniques, including optical microscopy, X-ray computed microtomography and promptgamma activation analysis, and chemically compared to contemporaneous vessels from the core region of the Gata–Wieselburg culture in Hungary (10 vessels specifically analysed for this project) and earlier Neolithic and Copper Age vessels, likely produced locally in the Karst, Slovenia and Hungary. Based on the obtained results, the investigated Karst vessels were imported. Tentative identification of plant and animal lipids using organic residue analysis (i.e., gas chromatography–mass spectrometry) sheds light on their possible function.
This paper presents the results of the analyses of three glass beads from three Bronze Age sites,... more This paper presents the results of the analyses of three glass beads from three Bronze Age sites, Medvode-Svetje, Trata near Škofja Loka and Kamna Gorica near Ljubljana. All three sites belong to the Oloris-Podsmreka horizon, which covers the Middle and the beginning of the Late Bronze Age (c. second half of the 16th/first half of the 15th century to 12th century BC). The PIXE and PIGE analyses re- vealed that only two of the examined beads belong to the Bronze Age. The bead from the Medvode-Svetje site is similar to LMHK beads and is most likely an import from the Frattesina production centre in northern Italy, while the bead from the Trata site has similarities with the eastern Mediterranean or even Mesopotamian area HMg glass. The natron glass bead from Kamna Gorica is probably an Iron Age infiltrate in a Bronze Age layer.
As part of the project ON-PILES - Interpretation of Biodiversity and Heritage of Pile Dwellings i... more As part of the project ON-PILES - Interpretation of Biodiversity and Heritage of Pile Dwellings in the Ljubljans- ko barje (Slovene: NA-KOLIH – Interpretacija biotske raznovrstnosti in dediščine kolišč na Ljubljanskem barju), a small pile-dwelling settlement was reconstructed in the vicinity of the village of Ig. The reconstruction con- sists of five huts, three of which will be open to visitors. In these three huts, various crafts and activities of the time will be presented with numerous replicas of finds and other objects. The aim of the reconstruction is to present the way of life and material culture of pile dwellers in the 3rd millennium BC.
We have used multi-scale remote sensing to investigate a little known archaeological site in nort... more We have used multi-scale remote sensing to investigate a little known archaeological site in northern Istria (north-eastern Italy). Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) and archaeological field surveys have allowed us to identify the position and extension of a large Protohistoric hillfort. Its highest and best-preserved sector, corresponding to a modest elevation at the eastern margin of the settlement, has been further investigated through thermal imaging, high-resolution ALS, drone Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry and 3D Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), leading to a detailed identification of unexpected buried features. An excavation campaign conducted in 2022 has confirmed the remote and ground-based sensing results. This excavation has led to the discovery of a Bronze Age fortification, partially reused and modified with the construction of 2 or 3 square towers during the post-Roman period. Our results demonstrate that the combined analysis of multi-scale remote and ground-based sensing is crucial to planning archaeological exploration in the field. Digital methods provide high-resolution topography and detect buried features that assist in monitoring and managing cultural heritage. Keywords: northern Istria; Thermal imaging; Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS); Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry; 3D Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR); Bronze Age and post-Roman periods
Zbirka / Collection MUSEOEUROPE 8 / THE CONVERGENCE OF MILLENNIA, 2023
The replicas of pottery and other objects from the 3rd millennium BC were made for the reconstruc... more The replicas of pottery and other objects from the 3rd millennium BC were made for the reconstruction of pile dwellings as part of the project Na-kolih (On-Piles) – Interpretation of Biodiversity and Heritage of Pile Dwellings in the Ljubljansko barje. We built a pottery kiln and fireplaces for cooking and metallurgical activities in the houses. For the replicas we used only materials that were accessible at that time. The whole process from clay preparation to pottery firing was recorded, and we obtained a significant amount of data that will help us make comparisons with archaeological ceramics. This kind of approach is not only suitable for data collection for further scientific analysis of the objects, but also allows a better and more detailed presentation to visitors.
We have used multi-scale remote sensing to investigate a little known archaeological site in nort... more We have used multi-scale remote sensing to investigate a little known archaeological site in northern Istria (north-eastern Italy). Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) and archaeological field surveys have allowed us to identify the position and extension of a large Protohistoric hillfort. Its highest and best-preserved sector, corresponding to a modest elevation at the eastern margin of the settlement, has been further investigated through thermal imaging, high-resolution ALS, drone Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry and 3D Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), leading to a detailed identification of unexpected buried features. An excavation campaign conducted in 2022 has confirmed the remote and ground-based sensing results. This excavation has led to the discovery of a Bronze Age fortification, partially reused and modified with the construction of 2 or 3 square towers during the post-Roman period. Our results demonstrate that the combined analysis of multi-scale remote and ground-based sensing is crucial to planning archaeological exploration in the field. Digital methods provide high-resolution topography and detect buried features that assist in monitoring and managing cultural heritage.
Keywords: northern Istria; Thermal imaging; Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS); Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry; 3D Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR); Bronze Age and post-Roman periods
The contribution presents the results of a comprehensive study of the Late Copper Age Deschmann’s... more The contribution presents the results of a comprehensive study of the Late Copper Age Deschmann’s pile-dwelling sites near Ig in the Ljubljansko barje, central Slovenia. It opens with a history of research and goes on to tackle the main topics associated with the cultural attribution of the sites. A re-examination of the recovered pottery and available archival records, coupled with a new typological and chronological analysis of the small finds has enabled a cultural and chronological redefinition of the Ljubljana culture and its characteristic pottery. In addition to the typical vessel forms, usually decorated with whipped-cord impressions, the newly-defined Ljubljana culture includes common ware that reveals influences primarily from the Somogyvár-Vinkovci culture in the Carpathian Basin. Some of the vessels of the Ljubljana culture also follow the tradition of the Vučedol culture, while others reflect the influences and maybe contacts with the Corded Ware, Globular Amphora and...
Članek obravnava način okraševanja poznobakrenodobne in zgodnjebronastodobne keramike ljubljanske... more Članek obravnava način okraševanja poznobakrenodobne in zgodnjebronastodobne keramike ljubljanske kulture ter pramenaste keramike. O okraševanju izdelkov ljubljanske kulture najdemo v literaturi različne razlage in poimenovanja. Natančna opredelitev tehnike okraševanja je pomembna tako kronološko kot kulturološko. Z eksperimenti smo poskušali dognati, s kakšnimi pripomočki bi bil lahko izdelan značilen okras odtisa niti. Ugotovili smo, da je bil najverjetneje vtisnjen s ploščatim orodjem, okrog katerega so bile navite niti živalskega ali rastlinskega izvora.The article examines the technique used to decorate the Late Copper Age and Early Bronze Age pottery of the Ljubljana culture and the Litzen pottery. In literature, the technique is known under various names and is explained in different ways. A correct explanation being of both chronological and cultural significance, I set out to conduct experiments aimed at determining the tools used to make the characteristic cord impressions...
One of the most interesting finds of the III millennium BC are undoubtedly the cross-footed bowls... more One of the most interesting finds of the III millennium BC are undoubtedly the cross-footed bowls distributed over a large area of Central and Southeast Europe. They are particularly numerous in the sites ascribed to the Vu\u10dedol culture and also appear in other closely related contemporary or partly contemporary cultures in Southern and Central Europe. These bowls, which are in a different state of preservation, have also been found in six caves in the Trieste Karst: Ciclami, Cotariova, Pettine, Edera, Zingari and Pettirosso (fig. 1; 2). The main feature of the Karst bowls are the rich decorations, mostly executed with impressions of double twisted cord. Several scientists have linked these bowls, together with other finds from the Trieste Karst, with the finds from the Deschmann's pile-dwellings near Ig in the Ljubljansko barje in central Slovenia. In the latter pile dwellings this type of bowl is particularly numerous (fig. 3) and is related to the recently redefined Ljubljansko barje variant of the Vu\u10dedol culture. According to the latest study (Leghissa, 2017), two main phases in the life of the Deschmann's pile dwellings can be identified: the older phase is characterized by ceramics attributed to the variant of the Vu\u10dedol culture and those indicating an influential sphere of the Central European cultures. The younger phase is attributed to the recently redefined Ljubljana Culture, which comprises fine-grained vessels decorated with impressions of cord wrapped around a plate, and mostly undecorated fine and coarse ware, which bears numerous similarities to the ceramics of the Somogyvar-Vinkovci and Mako-Kosihy-\u10caka cultures. With the aim of identifying possible imports and other links between the areas studied, an international team (University of Trieste; Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste; Multidisciplinary Laboratory of the The "Abdus Salam" International Center for Theoretical Physics; ZRC SAZU, Institute of Archeology, Ljubljana, Slovenia; Budapest Neutron Center, Hungary) has carried out several traditional and innovative scientific analyses on a large number of samples. Mostly non-destructive analyses were carried out, in particular X-ray computed microtomography (microCT) and Prompt Gamma Activation Analysis (PGAA). The analyses showed that only one bowl from the Karst (n. 139461 from Cotariova - fig. 2 n. 4) could have been imported from Ljubljansko barje. Another 4 Karst bowls (n. 20591 from Ciclami - fig. 2 n. 1; n. 20419 from Cotariova - fig. 2 n. 3; nn. 139463 e 139462 from Pettine - fig. 2 nn. 7, 8) were most likely also imported, but not from central Slovenia. According to the results of the PGAA analysis, including a relatively high K2O content, and comparative typological data, two bowls (n. 20591 from Ciclami and n. 20419 from Cotariova; figs. 12, 13) could have been imported from Central Europe
A long-term project has allowed the provenance identification of the main groups of Neolithic and... more A long-term project has allowed the provenance identification of the main groups of Neolithic and Copper Age stone axes from Caput Adriae. Stone artefacts can indeed be scientifically analysed to detect the geological origin of the raw materials and thus try to recognize ancient exchange networks. This contribution summarizes the lithology, typology, distribution and origin of the main groups of Copper Age shaft-hole axes, using their geological signature, together with other available archaeological indicators of medium- and long-distance connections, to reconstruct the main cultural developments that occurred in the investigated area. The main groups of Copper Age shaft-hole axes - Ljubljana type, serpentinite and metadolerite artefacts - were produced from raw materials outcropping in the Eisenkappler Diabaszug complex (Austria), the Hohe Tauern (Austria) and probably the Banija Ophiolite Complex (Croatia) respectively, all areas rich in copper ore deposits. These data demonstrate that since the 4th millennium BC, the exchange network responsible for the distribution of stone axes in the Caput Adriae changed from long-distance Neolithic connection systems based mainly on Italian jades and eclogites to a more complex one, characterized by a new interest for the eastern Alpine and northern Balkan world. The association of lithic raw materials used for axe production and copper minerals shows that the changes in raw material exploitation strategies between the Neolithic and Copper Age are probably related to the development of the first metallurgy. Archaeological evidence, including the distribution of Ljubljana type stone axes, S. Antonino/Kozarac copper axes, and Vu\u10dedol and Ljubljana style pottery, shows that the coastal belt of Caput Adriae, from the Friuli plain to the Istrian peninsula and beyond, was strongly connected with nowadays central Slovenia at least since the last centuries of the 4th millennium BC to the mid 3rd millennium BC
Nella parte italiana del Carso Classico (Italia nord-orientale) le indagini sistematiche in grott... more Nella parte italiana del Carso Classico (Italia nord-orientale) le indagini sistematiche in grotta, iniziate negli ultimi decenni dell’Ottocento, si interruppero quasi del tutto alla fine degli anni 1980, e nei primi anni 1990 ebbero inizio revisioni sistematiche della documentazione e dei reperti di vecchi scavi – condotte con metodo tradizionale, tipologico-comparativo – seguite da pubblicazioni esaustive. Dopo un primo studio interdisciplinare su materiali in pietra levigata conclusosi nel 1996, dal 2006 a oggi ne sono stati effettuati molti altri, inizialmente ancora su reperti litici, poi anche su ceramica. Analisi scientifiche sia tradizionali sia molto innovative – rese possibili dalla collaborazione fra enti scientifici italiani (Università di Trieste; Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste) e stranieri (in particolare, Multidisciplinary Laboratory, The ‘Abdus Salam’ International Centre for Theoretical Physics; ZRC SAZU, Institute of Archaeology, Ljubljana, Slovenia; Budapest Neutron Centre, Ungheria) – hanno acquisito nuovi dati sulle probabili connessioni del Carso con regioni più e meno lontane dal Neolitico al Bronzo Antico. Questo articolo presenta criticamente i risultati degli studi più recenti focalizzati su Età del Rame e Bronzo Antico.
During the mid-3rd millennium BC central Slovenia, north-eastern Italy and the eastern Adriatic c... more During the mid-3rd millennium BC central Slovenia, north-eastern Italy and the eastern Adriatic coast developed similar cultural traditions in pottery production which have been ascribed to the so-called Ljubljana culture. Among the investigated sites of this period, the Deschmann\u2019s pile dwellings near Ig, in the Ljubljansko barje in central Slovenia, in their younger phase of existence (c. 2600-2400 B.C.), are probably the most famous. As many scholars already pointed out, numerous finds attributed to the Ljubljana culture suggest a potential interaction between this culture and the Bell Beaker one: among them, ceramic vessels with a specific ornamentation technique (the so-called barbed-wire decoration), flint daggers, boar\u2019s tusks, metal daggers and awls, and so on. Nevertheless, a small pear-shaped vessel from the Deschmann\u2019s pile dwellings, decorated with a linear band incised motif reminiscent of the Bell Beaker metope decoration, is the only artefact of this type known from central Slovenia. Despite its similarity with the typical beakers of the Bell Beaker culture, no precise typological analogies have been found in the literature. For these reasons, technological and chemical analysis have been carried out on it and comparative pottery materials attributed to the Ljubljana Culture with the purpose to understand if such beaker was locally produced or imported to central Slovenia. Since thefinds from the Deschmann\u2019s pile dwellings cannot be sampled for destructive analysis, we have adopted a non-destructive approach combining X-ray Computed Microtomography (microCT) and Prompt Gamma Activation Analysis (PGAA) to explore their average structural and compositional (elemental) features, respectively. The results obtained so far will be presented at the Conference
The article represents a short synthesis about settlements from the Middle and the beginning of t... more The article represents a short synthesis about settlements from the Middle and the beginning of the Late Bronze Age in central and eastern regions of Slovenia. Special attention is given to two key-sites, Medvode-Svetje and Trata near Škofja Loka, both from the Gorenjska region. Numerous archaeological excavations and subsequent research publications in the last two decades brought about new insights on dwelling features, forms of housing and on settlement characteristics itself. At the same time, a completely new understanding of the spectre of ceramic repertoire has been obtained, while new radiocarbon dating results enable us to complement the absolute chronology of the given time period.
A few sparse vessels typologically attributed to the G\ue0ta-Wieselburg Culture are known from Fr... more A few sparse vessels typologically attributed to the G\ue0ta-Wieselburg Culture are known from Friuli Venezia Giulia region in north-eastern Italy. Such Culture developed between nowadays western Austria and Hungary during the Early-Middle Bronze Age (Reinecke Br A1b and A2, 2100\u20131700/1600 BC). Single artefacts, generally biconical double-handled jugs with well burnished surfaces, were discovered in caves of the Trieste Karst (Ciclami, Tartaruga, Teresiana and Ossa) and the Natisone valley (Velika jama). Most of them and a similar vessel from a G\ue0ta-Wieselburg site in Hungary (Bu\u308k) have been investigated using several destructive and non-destructive techniques. X-ray computed microtomography, portable X-ray fluorescence, optical microscopy and absorbed lipid residue analyses by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry have been applied in order to study their vessel-forming technique, provenance and probable use. According to the preliminary results the Karst vessels were p...
A few sparse vessels typologically attributed to the Gàta-Wieselburg Culture are known from Friul... more A few sparse vessels typologically attributed to the Gàta-Wieselburg Culture are known from Friuli Venezia Giulia region in north-eastern Italy. Such Culture developed between nowadays western Austria and Hungary during the Early-Middle Bronze Age (Reinecke Br A1b and A2, 2100–1700/1600 BC). Single artefacts, generally biconical double-handled jugs with well burnished surfaces, were discovered in caves of the Trieste Karst (Ciclami, Tartaruga, Teresiana and Ossa) and the Natisone valley (Velika jama). Most of them and a similar vessel from a Gàta-Wieselburg site in Hungary (Bük) have been investigated using several destructive and non-destructive techniques. X-ray computed micro-tomography, portable X-ray fluorescence, optical microscopy and absorbed lipid residue analyses by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry have been applied in order to study their vessel-forming technique, provenance and probable use. According to the preliminary results the Karst vessels were probably imported and the identification of rather uncommon lipids, whose precise identification is still ongoing, opens interesting questions about their possible function.
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Papers by Elena Leghissa
ko barje (Slovene: NA-KOLIH – Interpretacija biotske raznovrstnosti in dediščine kolišč na Ljubljanskem barju),
a small pile-dwelling settlement was reconstructed in the vicinity of the village of Ig. The reconstruction con-
sists of five huts, three of which will be open to visitors. In these three huts, various crafts and activities of
the time will be presented with numerous replicas of finds and other objects. The aim of the reconstruction
is to present the way of life and material culture of pile dwellers in the 3rd millennium BC.
Keywords: northern Istria; Thermal imaging; Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS); Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry; 3D Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR); Bronze Age and post-Roman periods
ko barje (Slovene: NA-KOLIH – Interpretacija biotske raznovrstnosti in dediščine kolišč na Ljubljanskem barju),
a small pile-dwelling settlement was reconstructed in the vicinity of the village of Ig. The reconstruction con-
sists of five huts, three of which will be open to visitors. In these three huts, various crafts and activities of
the time will be presented with numerous replicas of finds and other objects. The aim of the reconstruction
is to present the way of life and material culture of pile dwellers in the 3rd millennium BC.
Keywords: northern Istria; Thermal imaging; Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS); Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry; 3D Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR); Bronze Age and post-Roman periods