Artisans, moulds and architectural terracottas from Populonia (Tuscany): new insights from archaeometric investigations

Executor: Dott.ssa Simona Raneri (analysis)
Scientific direction: Dott. Andrea Camilli (Soprintendenza Archeologia Toscana)

This contribute aims to provide new insight on the production and circulation of full-figure architectural terracotta images adorning temples, namely fictiles, in northern Etruria. The investigation focuses on the recent discovering of a relevant corpus of architectural terracottas in Populonia, emerged during the excavation in La Casaccia locality, on the eastern slopes of Poggio del Castello (Baratti, Livorno, Tuscany). The review of the typological study and the archaeometric analysis on a selection of representative antefixes and relief plaques disclosed a complex scenario revealing the presence of both local and imported fictiles. Future and already planned investigations of architectural terracottas from Volterra promise to enlarge the frame on the circulation of imported fictiles from the nearby Campanian areas, redrawing the dual interpretation of mobility of goods vs mobility of men for decorating public buildings in northern Etruria.