Raman microspectroscopy as a complementary technique for a complete petro-chemical characterization of ceramic amphorae found in the roman harbour of Pisa (italy)

In December 1998 the excavation for the construction of a building near the S. Rossore (Pisa) railway station allowed to discover the ancient remains of the Pisa Harbour where a thick layer of sand levels includes the remains of the ancient harbour’s structures and 16 wreckages with their load. These findings can be dated from the end of X century B.C. to the V century A.C.. In this work, ceramic amphorae used not only for the carriage of food-stuff as oil and wine but also for other materials (volcanic sand and pigments) and belonging to the “Southern Extension” of the excavation, have been analyzed, in particular the different archaeological typologies Dressel 1A, Dressel 1B, Dressel 1C. The aim of this work has been the petro-chemical characterization of the ceramic body of the Roman amphorae, mainly by the micro-Raman spectroscopy application in the investigation of the ceramic’s matrix, in order to individuate the typologies of the original clays and the manufacturing techniques utilized.