Consumption, working and trade of Late Antique glass from north Adriatic Italy: an archaeometric perspective

The present chapter aims to investigate the circulation of glass in north Adriatic Italy during Late Antiquity. The assemblages considered are composed of vessels and working waste (including chunks) and come from Aquileia (sites: ‘Domus delle Bestie Ferite’ and ‘Domus of Tito Macro’) and Classe (sites: ‘Building 6’ and ‘US 4381’, located in the productive area of the harbour), both Late Antique cities located on the north Adriatic coast and connected with the Levant and North Africa by means of commercial routes. An integrated approach, which involves archaeological characterisation, geochemical study and statistical analysis, has been applied. In both cities glass of Late Antique compositional groups already established in the published literature – HIMT, série 3.2 and Levantine 1 – were identified. The trade of raw glass and the secondary working activities of glass of the HIMT and série 3.2 groups were attested in both locations while Levantine 1 glass, less represented in both cities, was probably worked only in Classe and no evidence of raw glass trade was identified. The chemical and isotopic results allow us to hypothesise, for the two cities, similar trade routes and analogous supply of raw materials and raw glass from the eastern Mediterranean.