Absolute radiocarbon chronology of the archaeological site of Lio Piccolo (Cavallino-Treporti): a multidisciplinary approach to a submerged Roman context

Enrico Chiorrini, Carlo Beltrame, Elisa Costa, Eugenia Mintz, Johanna Regev, Lior Regev, Elisabetta Boaretto

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The archaeological site of Lio Piccolo is situated in the northeastern region of the Venice lagoon, at depths ranging from 1.5 to 3.5 meters along Canale Rigà. Initially discovered by Er-nesto Canal in 1988, it has, since then, been the subject of in-vestigation, including a publication by Valentina Goti Vola (2019), who proposed an initial dating based on the stylistic examination of the numerous fresco fragments found on the channel bed surface. During the excavation campaigns led by Carlo Beltrame in the summers of 2021 and 2022, a platform of foundation piles tied to a brick-lined basin, covered with wooden planks and posts, was uncovered. A plinth was also discovered, the func-tion of which remains enigmatic. To establish a precise chro-nology, a particular radiocarbon-based dating program was undertaken under the guidance of Elisabetta Boaretto at the Weizmann Institute of Science. This program involved a comprehensive characterization of the contextual setting and ma-terials, employing techniques such as Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, wood analysis, dendrochronology, and 14 C dating, enabling accurate determination of wood sample ages with a margin of error of ±20 years. In line with our research objectives, samples were obtained from various construction materials throughout the site, along with two sections of posts: one retrieved from the wooden pil-ing and another from the plinth. By comparing the14C dates obtained from different growth rings within a given tree trunk, it was possible to ascertain the date closest to when the tree was employed in construction. This comprehensive study aims to establish the precise year of the structure’s construction and elucidate the duration of the basin's utilization period.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)107-117
Number of pages11
JournalRivista di Archeologia
Volume47
DOIs
StatePublished - 2023

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Archaeology
  • Archaeology

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