Geochemical methods for sourcing lava paving stones from the Roman roads of Central Italy

M. Worthing; L. Bosworth; J. Bannister; R. Laurence

doi:10.1111/arcm.12321

Geochemical methods for sourcing lava paving stones from the Roman roads of Central Italy

M. Worthing, L. Bosworth, J. Bannister, R. Laurence

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6 Citations (Scopus)

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Abstract

This paper documents the results of in situ analysis of 306 lava paving stones and 74 possible source rocks using pXRF. Data were collected from sites both in the city of Rome—on major roads beyond the city (including the Viae Flaminia, Cassia, Clodia, Praenestina and Appia)—and in the city of Ostia. Comparison of the pXRF data with lava compositional data from the geological literature allows broad identification of possible sources. The results point to quite distinctive patterns of exploitation for the city of Rome and Ostia, utilizing the Alban Hills lava flows, and the roads of the middle Tiber Valley, drawing on lava flows associated with the Vico and Sabatini volcanoes. The results show the potential of pXRF to produce data to elucidate the exploitation of lava flows for paving the Roman roads.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1000-1017
Number of pages	18
Journal	Archaeometry
Volume	59
Issue number	6
Early online date	14 Jul 2017
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/arcm.12321
Publication status	Published - Dec 2017

Bibliographical note

Copyright the Author(s) 2017. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

Keywords

ancient Roman paving stones
Roman roads
material provenance
volcanic rocks
trace elements
pXRF
HHpXRF

Access to Document

10.1111/arcm.12321Licence: CC BY

Publisher version (open access)Final published version, 1.02 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

@article{3f16b241d1ad4eb4bd3b3d7c4275f186,

title = "Geochemical methods for sourcing lava paving stones from the Roman roads of Central Italy",

abstract = "This paper documents the results of in situ analysis of 306 lava paving stones and 74 possible source rocks using pXRF. Data were collected from sites both in the city of Rome—on major roads beyond the city (including the Viae Flaminia, Cassia, Clodia, Praenestina and Appia)—and in the city of Ostia. Comparison of the pXRF data with lava compositional data from the geological literature allows broad identification of possible sources. The results point to quite distinctive patterns of exploitation for the city of Rome and Ostia, utilizing the Alban Hills lava flows, and the roads of the middle Tiber Valley, drawing on lava flows associated with the Vico and Sabatini volcanoes. The results show the potential of pXRF to produce data to elucidate the exploitation of lava flows for paving the Roman roads.",

keywords = "ancient Roman paving stones, Roman roads, material provenance, volcanic rocks, trace elements, pXRF, HHpXRF",

author = "M. Worthing and L. Bosworth and J. Bannister and R. Laurence",

note = "Copyright the Author(s) 2017. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.",

year = "2017",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1111/arcm.12321",

language = "English",

volume = "59",

pages = "1000--1017",

journal = "Archaeometry",

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T1 - Geochemical methods for sourcing lava paving stones from the Roman roads of Central Italy

AU - Worthing, M.

AU - Bosworth, L.

AU - Bannister, J.

AU - Laurence, R.

N1 - Copyright the Author(s) 2017. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

PY - 2017/12

Y1 - 2017/12

N2 - This paper documents the results of in situ analysis of 306 lava paving stones and 74 possible source rocks using pXRF. Data were collected from sites both in the city of Rome—on major roads beyond the city (including the Viae Flaminia, Cassia, Clodia, Praenestina and Appia)—and in the city of Ostia. Comparison of the pXRF data with lava compositional data from the geological literature allows broad identification of possible sources. The results point to quite distinctive patterns of exploitation for the city of Rome and Ostia, utilizing the Alban Hills lava flows, and the roads of the middle Tiber Valley, drawing on lava flows associated with the Vico and Sabatini volcanoes. The results show the potential of pXRF to produce data to elucidate the exploitation of lava flows for paving the Roman roads.

AB - This paper documents the results of in situ analysis of 306 lava paving stones and 74 possible source rocks using pXRF. Data were collected from sites both in the city of Rome—on major roads beyond the city (including the Viae Flaminia, Cassia, Clodia, Praenestina and Appia)—and in the city of Ostia. Comparison of the pXRF data with lava compositional data from the geological literature allows broad identification of possible sources. The results point to quite distinctive patterns of exploitation for the city of Rome and Ostia, utilizing the Alban Hills lava flows, and the roads of the middle Tiber Valley, drawing on lava flows associated with the Vico and Sabatini volcanoes. The results show the potential of pXRF to produce data to elucidate the exploitation of lava flows for paving the Roman roads.

KW - ancient Roman paving stones

KW - Roman roads

KW - material provenance

KW - volcanic rocks

KW - trace elements

KW - pXRF

KW - HHpXRF

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85025176747

U2 - 10.1111/arcm.12321

DO - 10.1111/arcm.12321

M3 - Article

SN - 0003-813X

VL - 59

SP - 1000

EP - 1017

JO - Archaeometry

JF - Archaeometry

IS - 6

ER -

Geochemical methods for sourcing lava paving stones from the Roman roads of Central Italy

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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Land Transport Engineering in the Ancient Mediterranean World – The Example of Rome

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Geochemical methods for sourcing lava paving stones from the Roman roads of Central Italy

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Activities

Land Transport Engineering in the Ancient Mediterranean World – The Example of Rome

Cite this