Technological Aspects of 16th Century Ceramics Production in Castelnovo del Friuli, Italy

Abstract

The body of Castelnuovo ceramics refers to a local production with clear serial features, which may be attributed to an almost “proto-industrial” management. The production system was mostly designed to meet local needs and had the purpose of providing tableware with a lead-based coating. For the first time in the Friuli region, it was possible to relate ceramic products to the existence of workshops that had a direct link with the sources of raw material. Thanks to the significant contribution given by the archaeometric analyses, carried out at IRTEC-CNR in Faenza, it was possible to carry out a comparative research on some local samples of clay and finished product. The presence of a vast ceramic production in Castelnovo del Friuli in the 16th century has been the driving force behind a series of archaeometric studies analysing the composition of the bodies and coatings of locally produced ceramics and the materials utilized.