Andrea Celestino Montanaro
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), ISPC - Istituto di Scienze del Patrimonio Culturale, Faculty Member
Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca (M.I.U.R.), Italian Ministry of Education, Universities and Research (MIUR)., National scientific qualification (2012) to function as associate professor of Archaeology in Italian Universities
National Scientific Qualification as Associate Professor in Italian Universities - Sector 10/A1 – Archaeology, (04.02.2014 to 04.02.2020, confirmed from 10/05/2019 to 10/05/2029).
Senior Researcher / Primo Ricercatore (2023 - today) in Etruscology and Classical Archaeology at the National Research Council (Institute of Heritage Science - Istituto di Scienze del Patrimonio Culturale -Lecce).
Full-Time Researcher (2020 - 2022) in Etruscology and Classical Archaeology at the National Research Council (Institute of Heritage Science - Istituto di Scienze del Patrimonio Culturale -Lecce).
Researcher (2019-2020) in Archaeology (sectors L-ANT/06 – Etruscology and Italic Antiquities; L-ANT/07 – Classical Archaeology) at the National Research Council - Institute for Applied Mathematics "M. Picone" in Bari.
Collaboration for Research with the J. Paul Getty Museum (Los Angeles - USA) (2018-2019).
Collaboration for Research (2016-2017) with the National Research Council - Institute for Applied Mathematics "M. Picone" in Bari.
Researcher for a fixed term (2012-2015) in Archaeology (sectors L-ANT/06 – Etruscology and Italic Antiquities; L-ANT/07 – Classical Archaeology) at the National Research Council - Institute for Applied Mathematics "M. Picone" in Bari.
Post-Doc (two years scholarship) - University of Bari - Department of Classic.
PhD in Archaeological Sciences and Art History (curriculum Archaeology of Magna Graecia) - XVIII cycle (2004-2006) - met on 25/01/2007 at the University of Naples "Federico II".
Specialization in Classical Archaeology achieved the 28/11/2000 at the University of Bari.
Participation and Member of Scientific Committee for the "T.He.TA” project (Technological Tools for the Promotion of Transadriatic Archaeological
Researcher for a fixed term (2012-2015) in Archaeology (sectors L-ANT/06 – Etruscology and Italic Antiquities; L-ANT/07 – Classical Archaeology) at the National Research Council - Institute for Applied Mathematics "M. Picone" in Bari.
Post-Doc (two years scholarship) - University of Bari - Department of Classic.
PhD in Archaeological Sciences and Art History (curriculum Archaeology of Magna Graecia) - XVIII cycle (2004-2006) - met on 25/01/2007 at the University of Naples "Federico II".
Specialization in Classical Archaeology achieved the 28/11/2000 at the University of Bari.
Participation and Member of Scientific Committee for the "T.He.TA” project (Technological Tools for the Promotion of Transadriatic Archaeological Heritage), in partnership with the IAC-CNR in Bari, the Superintendence for Archaeological Heritage of Puglia, the '8° Ephorate for Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities of Corfu, the Cooperative Society “Iris” and “Theseus Center”. Creativity between art and science, in cross-border cooperation between Greece and Italy 2007-2013, Measure 3.1. Promotion of cultural and social heritage,selected for funding.
Member of the Scientific Committee of the Scientitic Journal "Taras. Rivista di Archeologia" (2009-2012).
Winner of the 13th Award “L’Erma” di Bretschneider for archaeology (2006) with the book “Ruvo di Puglia e il suo territorio. Le necropoli" (Rome 2007, “L’Erma” di Bretschneider).
Silver plate as a "distinguished work" for the 20th edition of "Conversano-Maria Marangelli Award”), with the work "Gli ori di Ruvo di Puglia tra Greci ed Etruschi" (Bari, 2006, Adda Editore).
Address: https://www.ispc.cnr.it/it_it/istituto/personale/
Senior Researcher / Primo Ricercatore (2023 - today) in Etruscology and Classical Archaeology at the National Research Council (Institute of Heritage Science - Istituto di Scienze del Patrimonio Culturale -Lecce).
Full-Time Researcher (2020 - 2022) in Etruscology and Classical Archaeology at the National Research Council (Institute of Heritage Science - Istituto di Scienze del Patrimonio Culturale -Lecce).
Researcher (2019-2020) in Archaeology (sectors L-ANT/06 – Etruscology and Italic Antiquities; L-ANT/07 – Classical Archaeology) at the National Research Council - Institute for Applied Mathematics "M. Picone" in Bari.
Collaboration for Research with the J. Paul Getty Museum (Los Angeles - USA) (2018-2019).
Collaboration for Research (2016-2017) with the National Research Council - Institute for Applied Mathematics "M. Picone" in Bari.
Researcher for a fixed term (2012-2015) in Archaeology (sectors L-ANT/06 – Etruscology and Italic Antiquities; L-ANT/07 – Classical Archaeology) at the National Research Council - Institute for Applied Mathematics "M. Picone" in Bari.
Post-Doc (two years scholarship) - University of Bari - Department of Classic.
PhD in Archaeological Sciences and Art History (curriculum Archaeology of Magna Graecia) - XVIII cycle (2004-2006) - met on 25/01/2007 at the University of Naples "Federico II".
Specialization in Classical Archaeology achieved the 28/11/2000 at the University of Bari.
Participation and Member of Scientific Committee for the "T.He.TA” project (Technological Tools for the Promotion of Transadriatic Archaeological
Researcher for a fixed term (2012-2015) in Archaeology (sectors L-ANT/06 – Etruscology and Italic Antiquities; L-ANT/07 – Classical Archaeology) at the National Research Council - Institute for Applied Mathematics "M. Picone" in Bari.
Post-Doc (two years scholarship) - University of Bari - Department of Classic.
PhD in Archaeological Sciences and Art History (curriculum Archaeology of Magna Graecia) - XVIII cycle (2004-2006) - met on 25/01/2007 at the University of Naples "Federico II".
Specialization in Classical Archaeology achieved the 28/11/2000 at the University of Bari.
Participation and Member of Scientific Committee for the "T.He.TA” project (Technological Tools for the Promotion of Transadriatic Archaeological Heritage), in partnership with the IAC-CNR in Bari, the Superintendence for Archaeological Heritage of Puglia, the '8° Ephorate for Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities of Corfu, the Cooperative Society “Iris” and “Theseus Center”. Creativity between art and science, in cross-border cooperation between Greece and Italy 2007-2013, Measure 3.1. Promotion of cultural and social heritage,selected for funding.
Member of the Scientific Committee of the Scientitic Journal "Taras. Rivista di Archeologia" (2009-2012).
Winner of the 13th Award “L’Erma” di Bretschneider for archaeology (2006) with the book “Ruvo di Puglia e il suo territorio. Le necropoli" (Rome 2007, “L’Erma” di Bretschneider).
Silver plate as a "distinguished work" for the 20th edition of "Conversano-Maria Marangelli Award”), with the work "Gli ori di Ruvo di Puglia tra Greci ed Etruschi" (Bari, 2006, Adda Editore).
Address: https://www.ispc.cnr.it/it_it/istituto/personale/
less
InterestsView All (59)
Uploads
Books by Andrea Celestino Montanaro
La diversità del rituale funerario adottato, la quantità dei beni di prestigio contenuti, con pochi confronti in tutta la Daunia, la qualità di una gran parte degli stessi, la presenza di oggetti altrimenti non attestati in Daunia, quali il diadema con decorazione zoomorfa a sbalzo e lo scettro, e la collocazione cronologica nel VII secolo a.C., ne fanno un unicum di cui è sembrata legittima l’anticipazione a ventotto anni dalla sua scoperta.
Nel complesso in esame si manifesta pienamente l’ideologia principesca profondamente influenzata dalla cultura etrusca, testimoniata anche da oggetti in metallo prezioso caratteristici dell’Orientalizzante.
Il contesto rivela anche un altro elemento di grande interesse: esso, infatti, può essere messo in relazione ad un individuo di sesso femminile, il che indica l’emergere anche a livello femminile di alcuni individui detentori del potere economico e politico in un mondo spesso considerato statico, chiuso agli apporti esterni. Si tratta, dunque, di un elemento di rilevante novità che necessariamente deve essere introdotto nel dibattito relativo alle genti indigene della Puglia e della Magna Grecia e al loro rapporto con le culture e le genti greche ed etrusche.
Papers by Andrea Celestino Montanaro
In fact, the current documentation reveals an important presence, at least in central Apulia, of bronze vases produced and imported from the Tyrrhenian area. However, it seems appropriate to point out that these new discoveries are not always followed by the necessary insights accompanied by the related publications.
These shortcomings have limited the research activity of the writer conducted in the deposits with the intention of identifying those metal artifacts belonging to the funerary objects of unpublished tombs, above all due to the poor conditions of conservation and legibility that characterize several finds.
Despite these limitations, it was preferred to avoid creating a simple list of objects, focusing the refl ection on the analysis of these finds, considering them within the context of origin.
them show interesting and relevant formal and stylistic features, which refer mainly to bronze productions of Etruscan or Etruscan-Campanian area.
These are mainly shapes used for food-cooking (basins, lebeti), to pour and contain liquids (oinochoai, olpai, patere, cups, strainers, situlae, stamnoi), all functional for the symposium ritual.
The presence of these specimens in northern Apulia confirms the obvious predilection of Daunian peoples for “agalmata”, such as exotic or unusual “prestige goods”, loaded with deep symbolic values and ritual implications.
The study aims to fully review the short list presented by E.M. De Juliis (“Importazioni e influenze etrusche in Puglia”) on the occasion of the 33rd Convegno di Studi sulla Magna Grecia nel 1993 (“Magna Grecia, Etruschi e Fenici”), since numerous studies have been added over the last few decades and several discoveries have been made that deeply changed the framework of testimonies.
alla luce sepolture di grande rilievo, databili tra VI e primi decenni del IV secolo a.C., che si distinguono
per l'esistenza di corredi riferibili a ristretti gruppi familiari posti ai vertici della comunità. Nell’ambito di
queste famiglie si afferma la presenza di individui femminili di spicco che hanno restituito corredi funerari
di grande pregio, i quali documentano il ruolo centrale assunto dalle donne aristocratiche indigene
nell’ambito della comunità, in grado di acquisire beni di prestigio di diversa provenienza, il loro elevato
tenore di vita, l’intensità dei traffici e le ampie relazioni intrattenute dalla clientela peucezia con le diverse
aree del Mediterraneo. Scopo del contributo è quello di offrire alcune riflessioni preliminari in merito ai
corredi inediti più significativi, conservati a Taranto nei depositi della Soprintendenza Nazionale per il
Patrimonio Subacqueo, esaminati da chi scrive, ad oltre quaranta anni dalla scoperta, nell’ambito di una
ricerca sull’intera necropoli, per delineare i comportamenti in ambito funerario delle genti che hanno abitato
questo insediamento.
within their archaeological context, have given new value to these precious objects, now increasingly elements of great interest relating to those “luxury” productions at the center of the social life of the indigenous peoples in South Italy.
The discussion includes the carved ambers of the "Armento Group", characterized by a very refined style, probably made by artisans from different cultural backgrounds (Greek and Etruscans) and settled in the main centers of Basilicata to meet the huge requests from members of the Oenotrian and North-Lucanian aristocracies.
Amongst these specimens, the objects made by a very refined craftsman, the “Master of the Winged Sphinxes”, closely linked to the Armento workshop, stand out. Since there is still no specific study on this group of carved ambers, this work will present a preliminary review of the artifacts relating to this class, widespread especially among the indigenous settlements of Basilicata during the second half of the 6th century BC, outlining the main stylistic elements. The aim is to reconstruct
a general framework as complete as possible of the existing objects so that it can form a basis for future monographic studies, investigating the mechanisms of production, the workshops and the ways of diffusion, with particular attention to contexts and the social models of reference.
workshop) stand out, known as the “Master of the Winged Sphinxes”, stylistically linked to the
“Armento Group”, characterized by an extraordinary delicacy of the design and a remarkable
accuracy in the rendering of every single detail. Since there is still no specific study on these carved
ambers, this work will present the most refined artifacts found within prestigious contexts and
widespread especially among the indigenous settlements of Basilicata, outlining the main stylistic
elements. However, this analysis also includes many specimens found in Campania and Picenum,
which show several common stylistic features such as to suggest the same origin. Here the
proposal for a re-reading of the problem relating to the production of these objects will be addressed
not only considering the stylistic and typological aspects, but also the sociological ones,
framed in a broader context of the issues relating to indigenous handicraft of the Archaic period.
Apennine culture with its sub-Apennine developments, whose funerary ritual
involved burial in “grotticella” tombs with collective inhumations. With the advent
of the Late Bronze Age (12th-11th century BC), the region was shocked by
a series of traumatic events, connected to the traditional arrival of Iapigian people
from Illyria, which put an end to the existence of the villages of the Bronze
Age. The new settlements have totally different characteristics, while the funerary
ritual involves the abandonment of the traditional “grotticella” tombs and
the appearance of new types of burials (mound and pit tombs) that will remain
in use throughout the Iron Age.
Between the 6th and 5th centuries BC Northern Apulia is hit by a strong cultural
current from Etruscan Campania, which introduces numerous artifacts and
a new type of burial, like the artificial grotticella tomb for multiple depositions
reserved for members of the same family. The oldest examples are attested in
Ascoli Satriano and Salapia and date back to the first half of the fifth century BC,
although its wider use will only begin at the beginning of the fourth century. In
this last phase, due to the influence of the Tarentine culture, the large chamber
tombs appear, which, in addition to presenting considerable architectural preparations,
are decorated with elegant often figured paintings that on the one hand
refer to the Etruscan-Campanian territory, from the other are inspired by Macedonian
models of the great royal tombs.
There are also innovations in the funerary ritual, because in addition to the traditional
burial appears the semi-cremation in situ, the meaning of which is still
unknown. The funerary assemblages yielded from these tombs are of extraordinary
richness, as they also include, in addition to the traditional local pottery,
many red-figure vases of exceptional workmanship, glass vessels, goldsmiths and
other prestige goods coming from the most disparate cultural environments that
attest to the vitality of the aristocratic people of northern Apulia.
the Apulian area was found. Many of them are characterized by a high stylistic level.
Among these ambers is a bird-shaped pendant with spread wings, probably a water-bird, which was part of a necklace
composed of several figured elements found in tomb 10/1976, related to a rich female burial.
The workmanship in carving and engraving involved all sides, except the rear. The head with a long beak is at the
top. At the bottom, the large wings have a straight profile with a few bends and are characterized by thick longitudinal
and transverse incisions representing feathers.
The find can be dated to the late fifth century BC and is held, together with all the other ambers from the same necropolis,
in the National Archaeological Museum of Taranto.
The first amber belongs to Christie’s antiquities collection and comes from a private Swiss collection. The context of origin is unknown, but the stylistic and formal features allow its attribution to the same workshop which created the female figures from Melfi. The carving and engraving processing involved all the sides, except the rear. The face is shown in the top left, in profile and looking back; the hair, made with fine engravings, is partially covered by a hat. At the center is a large wing with a sinuous profile, and the feathers are delineated by fine engravings. The find can be dated around the mid-fifth century BC.
The second amber belongs to the collection of Geneva Phoenix Ancient Art SA, bought at Sotheby’s in London. There are no data about the provenance and the context of discovery. The particular refinement of pendant’s stylistic features allow its attribution to a workshop of the “Satyr and Maenad Group”, and most likely comes from the Canosinan or otherwise Daunian territory. The carving and engraving workmanship involved all sides, except for the rear. The face, crafted with precise detail, is represented in the upper left, in profile and looking back; the hairs are partially covered by a headgear. At the center, there is a large wing with a sinuous profile and clearly defined plumage. The find can be dated between the late sixth and the first half of the fifth century BC.
The third amber, belonging to the collection of London Timeline Auctions, was acquired from a private collection in London. It lacks any data about the place of provenance and the context of discovery. Although less refined in the rendering of details, the pendant can be considered a product of the workshops belonging to the Atelier of the “Winged Warrior Master,” and it was probably found in a burial of the Daunian-Melfese area. The carving and engraving workmanship involved all sides of the pendant, except the rear. The face is represented in the top right in profile and looking back; all the particulars of the face are rendered in a highly detailed manner; the hair is partially covered by a hat. At the center is a large wing with a sinuous profile and clearly defined plumage.
The find can be dated to the second half of the fifth century BC.
The fourth pendant, belonging to Pierre Bergé & Associés galleries in Paris, was acquired from a private collection in Brussels. It lacks any data on the place of origin of the piece and the context to which it belongs. The particular refinement of the stylistic features of the pendant allows its attribution to one of the workshops of the “Satyr and Maenad Group,” whose works are characterized by smooth flowing lines and a fluid molding, and most likely comes from the Canosinan area or otherwise Daunian territory. The workmanship in carving and engraving involved all the sides, except for the rear. The face, rendered in a very detailed manner, is represented in the upper right, in profile and looking back; the hair is partially covered by a hat. The figure wears a chiton made with fine pleats through a refined use of the relief technique. One edge of the chiton held by the left hand of the figure. To the left is a large wing with a sinuous
profile and clearly defined plumage. The find can be dated about the midfifth century BC.
The fifth pendant belongs to Artemis Gallery Auctions in USA (Erie) and was acquired from a private collection in Switzerland (Zurich). It depicts the profile of a winged sphinx with her head in prospect. It lacks any data regarding the place of origin of the piece and the context to which it belongs except a general provenance from South Italy and a chronology fixed at sixth century BC. The particular refinement of the pendant’s stylistic features allows its attribution to one of the workshops of the “Winged Sphinx Master,” whose works are characterized by the shape of the head, rather rounded, with hair made up in a swollen and compact bulk, framing the face with detectable circular lines and with defined features, very thin and minute, obtained through a skillful use of engraving.
The female figure n. 25f, a siren, belonging to the collection of antiquities of Aphrodite Ancient Art auction house in New York (Lot. No. 977), was acquired from an American private collection (which was built around the 80s). It was, however, formerly part of an European private collection. In this case, as for other pieces, useful data to determine the place of origin and the context of discovery are completely absent. The only known data are the generic provenance from southern Italy, the attribution to Greek workmanship, and the chronology, which sets the piece in the second half of the fifth century BC. The particular refinement of facial features and the different hair tresses falling behind and to the sides of the head make it a unique example comparable with a siren from a private collection in New York. The figure finds direct and punctual comparisons with the profile of a female head from tomb 164 of Banzi, dated to the first quarter of the fifth century BC, which shows the same refined and well-modulated treatment of the hair on the forehead; the artifact is attributed to the
workshop of the “Master of Winged Warrior.” Said workshop was probably operated by cultured and refined artisans of different origin (Greek, Magna Graecia, and Etruscan), which would explain the presence of certain stylistic variations in amber sculptures produced within the workshop.
La diversità del rituale funerario adottato, la quantità dei beni di prestigio contenuti, con pochi confronti in tutta la Daunia, la qualità di una gran parte degli stessi, la presenza di oggetti altrimenti non attestati in Daunia, quali il diadema con decorazione zoomorfa a sbalzo e lo scettro, e la collocazione cronologica nel VII secolo a.C., ne fanno un unicum di cui è sembrata legittima l’anticipazione a ventotto anni dalla sua scoperta.
Nel complesso in esame si manifesta pienamente l’ideologia principesca profondamente influenzata dalla cultura etrusca, testimoniata anche da oggetti in metallo prezioso caratteristici dell’Orientalizzante.
Il contesto rivela anche un altro elemento di grande interesse: esso, infatti, può essere messo in relazione ad un individuo di sesso femminile, il che indica l’emergere anche a livello femminile di alcuni individui detentori del potere economico e politico in un mondo spesso considerato statico, chiuso agli apporti esterni. Si tratta, dunque, di un elemento di rilevante novità che necessariamente deve essere introdotto nel dibattito relativo alle genti indigene della Puglia e della Magna Grecia e al loro rapporto con le culture e le genti greche ed etrusche.
In fact, the current documentation reveals an important presence, at least in central Apulia, of bronze vases produced and imported from the Tyrrhenian area. However, it seems appropriate to point out that these new discoveries are not always followed by the necessary insights accompanied by the related publications.
These shortcomings have limited the research activity of the writer conducted in the deposits with the intention of identifying those metal artifacts belonging to the funerary objects of unpublished tombs, above all due to the poor conditions of conservation and legibility that characterize several finds.
Despite these limitations, it was preferred to avoid creating a simple list of objects, focusing the refl ection on the analysis of these finds, considering them within the context of origin.
them show interesting and relevant formal and stylistic features, which refer mainly to bronze productions of Etruscan or Etruscan-Campanian area.
These are mainly shapes used for food-cooking (basins, lebeti), to pour and contain liquids (oinochoai, olpai, patere, cups, strainers, situlae, stamnoi), all functional for the symposium ritual.
The presence of these specimens in northern Apulia confirms the obvious predilection of Daunian peoples for “agalmata”, such as exotic or unusual “prestige goods”, loaded with deep symbolic values and ritual implications.
The study aims to fully review the short list presented by E.M. De Juliis (“Importazioni e influenze etrusche in Puglia”) on the occasion of the 33rd Convegno di Studi sulla Magna Grecia nel 1993 (“Magna Grecia, Etruschi e Fenici”), since numerous studies have been added over the last few decades and several discoveries have been made that deeply changed the framework of testimonies.
alla luce sepolture di grande rilievo, databili tra VI e primi decenni del IV secolo a.C., che si distinguono
per l'esistenza di corredi riferibili a ristretti gruppi familiari posti ai vertici della comunità. Nell’ambito di
queste famiglie si afferma la presenza di individui femminili di spicco che hanno restituito corredi funerari
di grande pregio, i quali documentano il ruolo centrale assunto dalle donne aristocratiche indigene
nell’ambito della comunità, in grado di acquisire beni di prestigio di diversa provenienza, il loro elevato
tenore di vita, l’intensità dei traffici e le ampie relazioni intrattenute dalla clientela peucezia con le diverse
aree del Mediterraneo. Scopo del contributo è quello di offrire alcune riflessioni preliminari in merito ai
corredi inediti più significativi, conservati a Taranto nei depositi della Soprintendenza Nazionale per il
Patrimonio Subacqueo, esaminati da chi scrive, ad oltre quaranta anni dalla scoperta, nell’ambito di una
ricerca sull’intera necropoli, per delineare i comportamenti in ambito funerario delle genti che hanno abitato
questo insediamento.
within their archaeological context, have given new value to these precious objects, now increasingly elements of great interest relating to those “luxury” productions at the center of the social life of the indigenous peoples in South Italy.
The discussion includes the carved ambers of the "Armento Group", characterized by a very refined style, probably made by artisans from different cultural backgrounds (Greek and Etruscans) and settled in the main centers of Basilicata to meet the huge requests from members of the Oenotrian and North-Lucanian aristocracies.
Amongst these specimens, the objects made by a very refined craftsman, the “Master of the Winged Sphinxes”, closely linked to the Armento workshop, stand out. Since there is still no specific study on this group of carved ambers, this work will present a preliminary review of the artifacts relating to this class, widespread especially among the indigenous settlements of Basilicata during the second half of the 6th century BC, outlining the main stylistic elements. The aim is to reconstruct
a general framework as complete as possible of the existing objects so that it can form a basis for future monographic studies, investigating the mechanisms of production, the workshops and the ways of diffusion, with particular attention to contexts and the social models of reference.
workshop) stand out, known as the “Master of the Winged Sphinxes”, stylistically linked to the
“Armento Group”, characterized by an extraordinary delicacy of the design and a remarkable
accuracy in the rendering of every single detail. Since there is still no specific study on these carved
ambers, this work will present the most refined artifacts found within prestigious contexts and
widespread especially among the indigenous settlements of Basilicata, outlining the main stylistic
elements. However, this analysis also includes many specimens found in Campania and Picenum,
which show several common stylistic features such as to suggest the same origin. Here the
proposal for a re-reading of the problem relating to the production of these objects will be addressed
not only considering the stylistic and typological aspects, but also the sociological ones,
framed in a broader context of the issues relating to indigenous handicraft of the Archaic period.
Apennine culture with its sub-Apennine developments, whose funerary ritual
involved burial in “grotticella” tombs with collective inhumations. With the advent
of the Late Bronze Age (12th-11th century BC), the region was shocked by
a series of traumatic events, connected to the traditional arrival of Iapigian people
from Illyria, which put an end to the existence of the villages of the Bronze
Age. The new settlements have totally different characteristics, while the funerary
ritual involves the abandonment of the traditional “grotticella” tombs and
the appearance of new types of burials (mound and pit tombs) that will remain
in use throughout the Iron Age.
Between the 6th and 5th centuries BC Northern Apulia is hit by a strong cultural
current from Etruscan Campania, which introduces numerous artifacts and
a new type of burial, like the artificial grotticella tomb for multiple depositions
reserved for members of the same family. The oldest examples are attested in
Ascoli Satriano and Salapia and date back to the first half of the fifth century BC,
although its wider use will only begin at the beginning of the fourth century. In
this last phase, due to the influence of the Tarentine culture, the large chamber
tombs appear, which, in addition to presenting considerable architectural preparations,
are decorated with elegant often figured paintings that on the one hand
refer to the Etruscan-Campanian territory, from the other are inspired by Macedonian
models of the great royal tombs.
There are also innovations in the funerary ritual, because in addition to the traditional
burial appears the semi-cremation in situ, the meaning of which is still
unknown. The funerary assemblages yielded from these tombs are of extraordinary
richness, as they also include, in addition to the traditional local pottery,
many red-figure vases of exceptional workmanship, glass vessels, goldsmiths and
other prestige goods coming from the most disparate cultural environments that
attest to the vitality of the aristocratic people of northern Apulia.
the Apulian area was found. Many of them are characterized by a high stylistic level.
Among these ambers is a bird-shaped pendant with spread wings, probably a water-bird, which was part of a necklace
composed of several figured elements found in tomb 10/1976, related to a rich female burial.
The workmanship in carving and engraving involved all sides, except the rear. The head with a long beak is at the
top. At the bottom, the large wings have a straight profile with a few bends and are characterized by thick longitudinal
and transverse incisions representing feathers.
The find can be dated to the late fifth century BC and is held, together with all the other ambers from the same necropolis,
in the National Archaeological Museum of Taranto.
The first amber belongs to Christie’s antiquities collection and comes from a private Swiss collection. The context of origin is unknown, but the stylistic and formal features allow its attribution to the same workshop which created the female figures from Melfi. The carving and engraving processing involved all the sides, except the rear. The face is shown in the top left, in profile and looking back; the hair, made with fine engravings, is partially covered by a hat. At the center is a large wing with a sinuous profile, and the feathers are delineated by fine engravings. The find can be dated around the mid-fifth century BC.
The second amber belongs to the collection of Geneva Phoenix Ancient Art SA, bought at Sotheby’s in London. There are no data about the provenance and the context of discovery. The particular refinement of pendant’s stylistic features allow its attribution to a workshop of the “Satyr and Maenad Group”, and most likely comes from the Canosinan or otherwise Daunian territory. The carving and engraving workmanship involved all sides, except for the rear. The face, crafted with precise detail, is represented in the upper left, in profile and looking back; the hairs are partially covered by a headgear. At the center, there is a large wing with a sinuous profile and clearly defined plumage. The find can be dated between the late sixth and the first half of the fifth century BC.
The third amber, belonging to the collection of London Timeline Auctions, was acquired from a private collection in London. It lacks any data about the place of provenance and the context of discovery. Although less refined in the rendering of details, the pendant can be considered a product of the workshops belonging to the Atelier of the “Winged Warrior Master,” and it was probably found in a burial of the Daunian-Melfese area. The carving and engraving workmanship involved all sides of the pendant, except the rear. The face is represented in the top right in profile and looking back; all the particulars of the face are rendered in a highly detailed manner; the hair is partially covered by a hat. At the center is a large wing with a sinuous profile and clearly defined plumage.
The find can be dated to the second half of the fifth century BC.
The fourth pendant, belonging to Pierre Bergé & Associés galleries in Paris, was acquired from a private collection in Brussels. It lacks any data on the place of origin of the piece and the context to which it belongs. The particular refinement of the stylistic features of the pendant allows its attribution to one of the workshops of the “Satyr and Maenad Group,” whose works are characterized by smooth flowing lines and a fluid molding, and most likely comes from the Canosinan area or otherwise Daunian territory. The workmanship in carving and engraving involved all the sides, except for the rear. The face, rendered in a very detailed manner, is represented in the upper right, in profile and looking back; the hair is partially covered by a hat. The figure wears a chiton made with fine pleats through a refined use of the relief technique. One edge of the chiton held by the left hand of the figure. To the left is a large wing with a sinuous
profile and clearly defined plumage. The find can be dated about the midfifth century BC.
The fifth pendant belongs to Artemis Gallery Auctions in USA (Erie) and was acquired from a private collection in Switzerland (Zurich). It depicts the profile of a winged sphinx with her head in prospect. It lacks any data regarding the place of origin of the piece and the context to which it belongs except a general provenance from South Italy and a chronology fixed at sixth century BC. The particular refinement of the pendant’s stylistic features allows its attribution to one of the workshops of the “Winged Sphinx Master,” whose works are characterized by the shape of the head, rather rounded, with hair made up in a swollen and compact bulk, framing the face with detectable circular lines and with defined features, very thin and minute, obtained through a skillful use of engraving.
The female figure n. 25f, a siren, belonging to the collection of antiquities of Aphrodite Ancient Art auction house in New York (Lot. No. 977), was acquired from an American private collection (which was built around the 80s). It was, however, formerly part of an European private collection. In this case, as for other pieces, useful data to determine the place of origin and the context of discovery are completely absent. The only known data are the generic provenance from southern Italy, the attribution to Greek workmanship, and the chronology, which sets the piece in the second half of the fifth century BC. The particular refinement of facial features and the different hair tresses falling behind and to the sides of the head make it a unique example comparable with a siren from a private collection in New York. The figure finds direct and punctual comparisons with the profile of a female head from tomb 164 of Banzi, dated to the first quarter of the fifth century BC, which shows the same refined and well-modulated treatment of the hair on the forehead; the artifact is attributed to the
workshop of the “Master of Winged Warrior.” Said workshop was probably operated by cultured and refined artisans of different origin (Greek, Magna Graecia, and Etruscan), which would explain the presence of certain stylistic variations in amber sculptures produced within the workshop.
In fact, it has some formal and stylistic features that are commonly
recognizable on the figured ambers found at that site. The carving and engraving process involved all the sides, except the rear. The figure is resting on a small rectangular base and is crouched on her haunches. The head is carved in all round, and it is addressed in profile facing left; her hair is made with undulating features on the forehead, stopped by a diadem and partially covered by a hat. At the top, on the right, there is a large wing with a sinuous profile, with the feathers delineated by a series of engravings.
The find has been dated to the late sixth century BC.
A winged female head in profile showing specific characteristics stands out in a particular way among the ambers of our interest, especially in the treatment of some anatomical details. These details call to mind the female protomes from Canosa and Melfese area, framed in the context of the production of the “Master of the Winged Warrior,” one of the workshops operating within the famous “Satyr and Maenad Group.” Particularly interesting is the rendering of the hair on the forehead, made out in clumps or in wavy bands, which brings in a clear manner this protome to a similar artifact from the tomb 164 of Banzi.
The other two winged female heads of the Getty Museum are characterized by a high tutulus and diadem that cover all the hair, big eyes profiled by a deep, almost lozenge-shaped groove, big pyramid-shape nose, small mouth, and tight lips. These figures fully fall, from a stylistic point of view, within the group of female heads gathered under the so-called “Roccanova Group”, and in particular between the protomes of type B in the classification of Montanaro, widespread especially in Canosa area.
The refined formal and stylistic features that characterize the pendant, permits its attribution to one of the workshops belonging to the atelier of the “Winged Warrior Master.” Most likely, it comes from a funerary context of the Daunian or North-Lucanian territory.
The carving and engraving process involves all the sides of the piece, except the rear. The face is represented in the top right, in profile and looking back; all anatomical particulars are rendered in great detail; the hairs are partially covered by a hat. A large wing is at the center, carachterized by a sinuous profile and a plumage well-delineated by delicate engravings.
The find can be dated about to the mid-fifth century BC.
among which there are two pendants in the form of a winged female figure.
The carving and engraving were carried out on all the sides of the first item with
the exception of the rear. The face of the winged figure is shown in the upper left
in profile and looking back; the hairs were rendered through a series of parallel
engraved lines, vertical on the front and horizontal on the nape, and are partially
covered by a hat. On the right there is a large wing with a sinuous profile, with
individual feathers delineated by a series of parallel incisions.
The discovery can be dated in the last decades of the fifth century BC. The workmanship
in the carving and engraving of the second pendant involves the front
side and the lower, in part. All of the face’s details and those of the figure’s wings
are not readable due to the corroded surface of the pendant. The discovery can
be dated in the second quarter of the fifth century BC. The two pendants belong
to the collections of the Museo Archeologico della Città Metropolitana di Bari.
For the first time in over four decades, these compelling vase paintings are brought together in one volume, with detailed commentaries and ample illustrations. The catalogue is accompanied by a series of essays by leading experts in the field, which provides a framework for understanding these intriguing scenes and their contexts. Topics include attitudes toward the afterlife in Greek ritual and myth, inscriptions on leaves of gold that provided guidance for the deceased, funerary practices and religious beliefs in Apulia, and the importance accorded to Orpheus and Dionysos. Drawing from a variety of textual and archaeological sources, this volume is an essential source for anyone interested in religion and belief in the ancient Mediterranean.
autonomously, in which the presence of high-ranking people able to use weapons is affirmed. The latter are not considered as a mere instrument of war, but also become prestige symbols of a privileged minority. At the same time, these communities, especially those of Peucezia, seem to play a fundamental role in the formation process of Italiote figurative tradition which will develop themes particularly linked to the role of warrior. Within the cemeteries of these aristocracies there were several male figures of exceptional rank whose status was expressed through the monumentality of their tomb structure as well as through the complexity and richness of
the funerary assemblage. The objects within these assemblages were not merely evidence of lavish opulence but were intended to mirror the social standing of the deceased in order to project a specific image and ideology and express social behavior. These are people of aristocratic rank, placed at the top of the community, real fighters, whose graves were furnished with the weapons and armors that they took with them at the moment of death – weapons and armors of great value, probably imported from Greece and from the colonies of Magna Graecia (Metapontum and Taranto). Although often ceremonial, they highlight the position of both leader and chief that the deceased held in life. These weapons, along with Italic vases decorated with scenes reflecting a warlike ideology,
and imported bronze vases (Etruscan and Greek) and metal tools for the symposium, constitute a homogeneous set in terms of the contents and messages they are intended to evoke and transmit. As a whole the funerary assemblages represent the desire on the part of the aristocracy to be distinguished from the rest of society and to achieve an afterlife like that of the heroes of myth.
1980, at “contrada” Purgatorio, 367 burials of different types were identified, datable between the 7th and the 4th century BC. Particularly interesting were the discoveries in the northern sector of the necropolis (excavated in 1976-1977) with the finding of 133 burials, still substantially unpublished, which have yielded an impressive amount of pottery and valuable objects. In all likelihood, this is an area reserved for the dominant aristocratic group. In the analysis of the funerary assemblages – many of which are composed of hundreds finds - the presence of a large quantity of metal, ceramic, glass paste, bone and amber objects, both locally produced and imported from the most varied geographical and cultural areas, such as Etruria, Magna Grecia, Greece and Near East, is particularly striking. The remarkable variety of Attic and Italiote vases is surprising: to these specimens a “key role” was probably entrusted, comparable only with that played by precious bronze vases and weapons, those objects inserted since the Archaic Age in burials of the Peucetian aristocracies of central Apulia as a sign of prestige and an expression of high status.
typologies were identified, datable between the 7th and 4th century BC. The researches in the northern sector of the necropolis (excavated in 1976-1977) were particularly interesting, with the discovery of 131 burials, still substantially unpublished, which have returned an impressive
quantity of ceramics and valuable objects. In all likelihood, this is an area reserved for the dominant aristocratic group. In the analysis of funerary assemblages - many of which are composed of hundreds of finds - the extremely large presence of metal, ceramic, glass paste, bone and amber
objects, both locally produced and imported from the most various geographic and cultural areas, such as Etruria, Magna Grecia, Greece and the Near East, is particularly striking. The remarkable variety of Attic and Italiote vases, to which a “key role” was probably entrusted, is truly amazing. They have played a role comparable only with that performed by the precious bronze vases and weapons, that is those objects inserted since the Archaic age in the burials of the warrior aristocracies of central Apulia as a sign of prestige and an expression of status.
Enti organizzatori: CNR-ISMA (Istituto di Studi sul Mediterraneo Antico), British School at Rome, Ecole Francaise de Rome, Deutsches Archäologisches Institut in Rom.