Fire and sand: an archaeometric analysis of the roman architectonic glass found during the excavation of Lamia’s Gardens

Abstract

Abstract: This thesis presents the results of an archaeometric research performed, through a multi-analytical approach, on a series of Roman architectonic glasses dated from the second half of the 1st to the 2nd century AD and excavated in Lamia’s Gardens, located in Rome. Chemical analyses of glass samples of different colours were performed to define the glass-making technology and study the raw material provenance. Optical microscopy and SEM-EDS were used to identify homogeneity and glass morphological features like bubbles, inclusions and corrosion. Chemical analysis was performed by SEM-EDS and EMPA for major and minor elements, whereas trace elements were analysed by means of LA-ICP-MS. The results obtained show that all the samples analysed have the typical composition of natron-lime-silica glass. Furthermore, the comparison between the samples analysed and known compositions of Roman glass demonstrated that the raw glass was produced in two different locations, possibly in Egypt and on the Syro-Palestinian coast.