“Tra un piroscafo e l’altro...”. Le ricerche di Francesco Zorzi alle Tremiti e la loro attualità.

The history of research on the Tremiti Islands is fragmented, with sporadic studies that, in some cases, lack adequate scientific rigor. However, the pioneering investigations of Francesco Zorzi (1949-1961) were fundamental for understanding the early phases of settlement in the archipelago. The interdisciplinary approach employed, integrating archaeology, history, anthropology, and natural sciences, highlighted the importance of the interaction between humans and the environment. His research serves as an essential starting point for anyone wishing to undertake territorial studies of the Tremiti Islands, particularly regarding the dynamics of Neolithic settlement, through investigations conducted at Prato Don Michele, Cala degli Inglesi, and Cala Tramontana on the island of San Domino, where Neolithic materials and burials were discovered. In recent years, the Universities of Bologna and Foggia have resumed research on the Tremiti Islands, revisiting old archaeological finds and conducting new investigations to illuminate the settlement dynamics of the archipelago further. Initially, through the Survey Tremiti Project by the Scuola di Specializzazione in Beni Archeologici of the University of Bologna, and now with new joint research, the islands of San Domino, San Nicola, and Capraia are being explored, identifying numerous occupation areas from Prehistory to the Middle Ages. This work is significantly enriching the understanding of Adriatic history and the evolution of the societies that settled there.