Briquetage in early Hellenistic Etruscan Spina (Ferrara, Italy)

Abstract

Excavations in the urban area of the Etruscan port city of Spina near Ferrara (Italy) have shown that the city had a roughly trapezoidal ground plan and covered an area of about 6 ha. In the east it was situated on the ancient course of the river Po (Padus Vetus) and in the west and south-west probably on a lagoon and another smaller river. The study project of the University of Zurich (2008–2017) had the goal of providing a clear stratigraphical sequence of the settlement phases as well as a geophysical investigation of the entire city area and indications of the natural environment. The excavation revealed several phases with wooden houses from the late sixth to the end of the fourth century BCE bordered by orthogonal water canals of different scales. After the violent destruction of the house, built between 375 and 350 B.C., in the third quarter of the fourth century the site changed its character. Not only was the level artificially raised, but the canals were abandoned and the area acquired a new function around 300 BCE. A series of very small, flat, round or oval impressions were found in the floor, in the vicinity of which lay a large quantity of thick, reddish terracotta fragments, coarsely tempered with organic material, very brittle, with cord impressions and finger marks. Fewer in number are accessory supports, round, or oval in section. Given their special technique, their large number, their distribution and the type of accumulation on the site, these fragments can be interpreted as briquetage deliberately smashed after use in order to remove the salt yielded by boiling. The fragments probably belonged to smaller, rectangular basins which stood on the round supports. The deeper channels from earlier phases had become in the last phase shallow gullies which served to supply fresh water.