Evidence of Circular Economy in Roman Northern Italy: Bronze Casting Technology

Abstract

In several recent excavations carried out in Northern Italy, archaeologists have encountered the remains of metalworkers’ workshops where, in the Roman imperial period, large bronze objects were cast. The significance of these finds is considerable as, although the high levels of craftsmanship achieved by Roman bronze workers in the region are undisputed, little is still known regarding the layout of the workshops and the technologies used. The present research, still in its early stage, deals with the metalworking evidence from two bronze working sites located in Vimercate (Milan) and Verona, where remarkably well-preserved evidence was found, for instance, large casting pits, moulds and metalworking debris. A thorough review of the archaeological stratigraphy was carried out, in order to trace back the working processes and, where possible, the structure of the workshops. Moreover, archaeometric analyses were performed on both refractories and metal residues, aiming at reconstructing technological aspects. Analyses of slags, in particular, are meaningful because they help to retrace technical choices and patterns