Alberese Archaeological Project

04/07/2020

What is happening at Cannicci? Read the full story of the 10th day of excavation!

Today, we spent most of the day removing US 2 in the western part of the trench. This allowed to reveal another section of the earth-beaten floor, partially exposed last year. The removal of the co…

16/12/2017

Time has come!
Call for Paper for our (European Association of Archaeologists) session titled:
"From Corruption to Connection and Back. New Archaeological Insights in the Mediterranean Seascape"
organized by Sandro Sebastiani and Edoardo Vanni
We look forward to receiving your abstracts by February 15, 2018!
Barcelona calls you!

06/07/2017

The project's own Sandro Sebastiani and Tom Derrick will be delivering a paper entitled 'A regional economy of recycling over four centuries at Spolverino (Tuscany) and environs' at All Souls College, Oxford in September. If anyone would like to come, the event is free to attend but you need to register in advance as places are limited. See the link for more information.

Registration is now open for 'Recycling and the Ancient Economy', 22-23 September 2017, Oxford.
http://oxrep.classics.ox.ac.uk/pages/recycling_and_the_ancient_economy/

05/06/2017

10/03/2017

11/02/2017

Day 20 - 2017 Winter School

On what was the final full day in Grosseto for the 2017 Winter school program, turned out to be the most breath taking. After a whirlwind experience over the past four weeks the study tour ended with a visit to Pitigliano, and Sorano. With their breath taking vistas, panoramas and architectural structures these to cities highlighted the scenic qualities of the southern Tuscan area. Whilst continuing to learn, in detail, about the early Etruscan settlements through the the late medieval dwellings, the students continued to delve into the rich and engaging history of the local regions. With passionate and knowledgeable guides, Matteo and Elena, and their assistants, Edoardo and Stefano, the group was in very capable hands, and had the privilege to experience the deeply proud and culturally centred cities with immense intrigue.

As well as experiencing a wonderful scenic drive home and a day of breathtaking panoramas the students also came to the stage at the completion of all great tasks when we must review. As the sheer expanse of this once in a lifetime experience is so great I will surmise with a brief note. As a child I fell in love with the art of history. I did not, however, believe that my passion and drive would lead to me the beautiful town of Grosseto. Over the past four weeks, I speak candidly on behalf of my fellow colleagues in saying, it has been a truly eye opening experience. As a group, with the help of expert academics, we have been able to study the very artifacts we spend our days researching in catalogues and books, but to hold and draw, as well as research first hand the objects is a whole other story. We have gone past our usual research patterns and been enlightened in the material cultural studies of history. As well as the incredible knowledge we have learnt, we have also made friendships that are bound with a common love for history, which in my opinion is a friendship worth savouring for many years to come.

On a final, parting note, as a collective we would like to thank all of those associated with the Alberese project, for without their efforts this program wouldn't be possible. As well as a huge thanks to our mentor and professor Dr Janette McWilliams whose tireless efforts have given us the chance to partake in this wonderful endeavour.

Dominic C Ragonesi

10/02/2017

Still some time for the last trip.. Pitigliano and Sovana!

09/02/2017

Day 19 – 2017 Winter School

We all have mixed emotions today, our last day in the labs (and the penultimate day of our course). What a wonderful journey this has been, meeting and working with the academics from the University of Sheffield, Leicester, Siena and the Alberese Archaeological Project including the delightful and learned Valentina Pica who has taught us so much about small finds this week.

Having handled, drawn and researched small objects ranging from nails of all sizes and descriptions to hairpins; keys and locks to tiny tintinnabulum (bells with an apotropaic function) and precious stones we continued today to research typology, and find comparisons for recently recovered finds from Pod Toninelli. This is an archaeological rescue site and it has been such a treat, and also a challenge, to think laterally and attempt to identify these rare finds.

We were honoured this morning to meet the charming new councillor of the Province of Grosseto, Olga Ciaramella and the esteemed President of the Polo Universitario Sede Grosseto (University of Siena), Gabriella Morelli. Olga is responsible for the cultural office in the Province. Both graciously welcomed our presence in Grosseto and stressed the importance to the town of the Alberese Archaeological Project of which we are extremely privileged to be a part. Elena and Matteo both spoke of the valued relationship between the Commune of Grosseto and the Project and thanked Janette for organising and supervising the Winter School. Janette then thanked the Commune, the Polo Universitario Sede Grosseto, the University of Siena and the Alberese Archaeological Project for their hospitality in hosting students from University of Queensland (UQ) for the past four years. She also spoke about the importance of the Winter School because of the opportunity it gives us, students from UQ, not only to work on the finds from the excavation, but also to learn from international experts and to experience the wonderful culture and history of the Maremma region. All parties look forward to ongoing collaboration.

It is sad to be leaving this environment where we have enjoyed such generous hospitality and been given excellent learning opportunities, but we also look forward to our final field trip tomorrow then returning home.

Vivien Muller

09/02/2017

Cerimonia di consegna degli attestati partecipazione agli studenti dell'Università del Queensland in Australia presso il Dipartimento di Scienze storiche e dei beni culturali in via Zanardelli 2 (Aula magna), che hanno partecipato alla winter school internazionale sullo studio della cultura materiale degli scavi di Alberese.

09/02/2017

Day 19 - 2017 Winter School

Today in the workshops we moved on from drawing the small finds and began to analyse and identify the fragments. We collected our drawings and through a series of documents compared diagnostic pieces with those previously identified. My group identified different types of nails, hairpins, and lead weights. At the same time, it could be challenging to find objects in the library with the same shape and features as the ones we had. Many times, they were almost right but not quite. After lunch Valentina pulled out some new finds. These objects were first dug up by a tomb raider, which I thought was really cool, and then returned to the site. Despite these objects not having a context we still drew them as they are still important. My group looked at several interesting pieces, including bells, decorations, handles and more.

Zabrynn Lander