Archaeology and archaeometry of marbles in Roman central Adriatic Italy

This contribution presents the results of an archaeological and archaeometric study of the provenance and use of marble in Roman central Adriatic Italy. During the Late Republic and Early Empire, the area was one of the most urbanised regions in the Roman world. Most towns were extensively equipped with monumental buildings, often lavishly decorated with imported marbles. Provenance determination of polychrome marbles was obtained through macroscopic examination; thin section petrography, X-ray diffraction and stable isotopic analysis (δ18O and δ13C) for white marbles. Results indicate the presence of a wide array of lithotypes from Italy, Greece (mainland and Aegean islands), Asia Minor, North Africa and Egypt, including varieties of white marble from Carrara, Proconnesos, Pentelikon, Thasos, Paros and Dokimeion