A06_10

A meta-analysis of available radiocarbon dates for the Early Iron Age in Italy

Oddo M¹

¹University Of Pavia, Pavia, Italy

Over the past thirty years, the traditional chronology of the Late Bronze Age - Early Iron Age transition in Italy has been the object of a complex debate. Dendrochronology dates of Swiss lake-dwellings, as well as radiocarbon dates from Central Europe and the Mediterranean area prompted a lively dispute which is yet to be resolved.

In this paper the author collects and compares a large number of radiocarbon dates produced in the latest 30 years. Besides providing a list of samples collected in Italian Early Iron Age archaeological sites, the author also analyzes samples taken in the Mediterranean region and in Central Europe, related to Italian Early Iron Age contexts by means of cross-dating or historical texts.

This research then focuses on the time-units associated to each date: the phase of a settlement, an archaeological period in the region, a specific ceramic class or type, etc.

After verifying the validity of the radiocarbon dates as indicators for the intended time-units, the author proceeds to test whether the above-mentioned units can be organized and used as Bayesian priors.

The results will provide a much needed overview of relevant radiocarbon dates for the Italian Iron Age, while clarifying their relation with archaeological and historical data in a schematic and interoperable manner.