I ripostigli da ‘fonditore’ e il ‘tesoretto’ di Frattesina: aggiornamenti e considerazioni

This work concerns the five Hoards of the protohistoric settlement of Frattesina di Fratta Polesine, site dated between the Recent Bronze Age 2 and the Early Iron Age - phase 1A (12th – 10th/early 9th c. BC). The Hoards, datable to the central phase of the final Bronze Age (FBA2 – ca. 11th c. BC) have been studied (and written about) from the typological, chronological and functional point of view. In this work, the Hoards are analysed with different approaches, starting from the renewed chrono-typological analysis of the so called ‘tesoretto’, the Hoard composed of bronze, amber, glass, ivory, Ostrich eggshell and stone objects (mainly ornaments) published in 1971. As regards the so called ‘Founder’s hoards’ (nos. 1-4) formed of ingots and different kinds of object fragments (instruments, weapons, ornaments), the metrological and weigh system aspects are investigated. After weighing each component (included the minimal fragments hitherto unpublished) we compared them with other similar Italian and European ensembles. Finally, we propose some considerations about the function and the meaning of the Hoards on the base of the review of the materials, the rare and scarce notes on the discovery (unfortunately not in stratigraphic context) and in the light of the research carried out on this site since 2014, aimed at the structural and infrastructural features of the settlement. On this base, and considering the comparison with hoards coming from both inside and outside the settlements, the paper addresses the issue of whether to attribute to these items a profane or ritual function, and underlines how the boundaries between the two are often blurred, as demonstrated by the analogies between the Hoards nos.1-4 of Frattesina and those from some Apennine peaks, most likely of votive nature. Overall, we confirm what was expressed by Anna Maria Bietti Sestieri and Luciano Salzani on the Hoards 1-4, namely that they must have been connected with metallurgical workshops, and we propose a possible symbolic and/or sacred value for the ‘tesoretto’.