Aspects of Roman pottery in Canton Ticino (Switzerland)

• Main Author: De Micheli Schulthess, Christiane M. A.
• Published: University of Nottingham 2001
• Subjects: 930.1; DQ Switzerland
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.364441

This work deals with the classification and further study of Roman coarse and thin walled pottery from the Locarno region of Canton Ticino, a district of Switzerland on the southern side of Central Alps, in order to establish a reference typology and chronology which may have wider value in Ticino and the nearer regions of northern Italy. The considered pottery comes from the cemeteries and, to a lesser extent, the settlements of the Locarno region, which contains by far the largest number of burials with datable grave-goods in the Canton. The Roman graves from the region range from the beginning of the 1st century AD to the end of the 4th century AD, with a concentration during the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. The analysis of coarse and thin walled pottery has highlighted the potential of information of these materials, considering various aspects such as forms, fabrics, decoration, chronology, origin and distribution. The analysis of the coarse pottery in the grave-goods, in association with sigillata and glass wares, and with coins, seems to suggest centres with stronger Roman influence and centres with stronger native background linked to the settlement of Locarno-Muralto. Parallels with finds from the Verbano region ,and western Lombardy-eastern Piemonte, in particular the area between the rivers Sesia, Po and Adda were highlighted. Lakes Verbano and Lario lead to the alpine passes and linked the Verbano area to the Raetic and Rhine regions. The same area was easily linked to main centres of the eastern Po region as far as Aquileia and Ravenna by the river Po. The present work is not only intended to fulfil the requirement of a British doctoral thesis, but also to satisfy current approaches in Switzerland and complement the systematic studies of other Roman artefacts of the region.