Milano University Press
Coral Lies: Unveiling Technological Exchange and Trade in the Early Iron Age
- Giulia Berruto(author)
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| Title | Coral Lies: Unveiling Technological Exchange and Trade in the Early Iron Age |
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| Contributor | Giulia Berruto(author) |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.54103/cisalpinestudies.261 |
| Landing page | https://libri.unimi.it/index.php/cisalpinestudies/catalog/book/261 |
| License | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ |
| Copyright | The Author(s) |
| Publisher | Milano University Press |
| Published on | 2026-04-27 |
| ISBN | 979-12-5510-404-9 (PDF) |
| 979-12-5510-405-6 (EPUB) | |
| Long abstract | This volume presents a study of Iron Age leech fibulae with white inlays, as well as other artefacts made from alleged coral, from northern Italy. A typological, archaeometric and archaeo-technological approach was applied to the archaeological finds: of the 372 artefacts examined, 264 were selected for archaeometric analysis using a novel non- or µ-destructive protocol (Raman and FT-IR spectroscopies, µ-XRD, SEM-EDS). Through a combination of analysis, radiography and experimentation, the study identified the presence of C. rubrum and other materials in the decorations and some evidences of intentional control of the metal alloy composition, suggesting a reconstruction of the production sequences. The study sheds light on the technologies and cultural interactions of Iron Age Europe.
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| Language | English (Original) |
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Contributors
Giulia Berruto
(author)Giulia Berruto is an archaeologist, specialized in diagnostics applied to archaeological heritage, with particular interest in the prehistoric and protohistoric phases. Her current research focuses on the characterisation of decorative materials in presumed coral on Iron Age Italian bronze ornaments. She earned her PhD in Technologies for Cultural Heritage (T4C) from the University of Turin, working on this topic. In 2014, she began her work on ancient coral, but her fascination with archaeometry and archaeology actually started much earlier. From 2009 onwards, as part of her Bachelor's degree (University of Turin) and beyond, she analysed coloured paste decorations on Neolithic and protohistoric ceramics. For her Master's degree in Ferrara in 2011 and her postgraduate Specialisation in Genoa in 2017, she studied the provenance of quartz used as lithic raw material by Neanderthal man in Piedmont (Ciota Ciara cave).