Abstract

Bitumen was found to occur on archaeological potsherds collected from two Apulia Middle Bronze Age sites, Monopoli and Torre Santa Sabina (Italy). Bitumen from two different areas, Majella (Italy) and Selenice (Albania), were analyzed as potential reference samples to assess the geographic origin of the archaeological bitumen using geochemical analytical techniques. Analysis of the archaeological samples from different layers at both sites showed that the bitumen possesses the same gross composition and biomarker distribution patterns. Sterane and terpane profiles from the archaeological samples were very similar to some of the geological samples collected from Selenice. In both archeological and selected Selenice samples, sterane distributions were dominated by the C-29 homologues (46-54%), followed by the C-27 (26-33%) and C-28 homologues (ca. 21%). Other biomarkers, such as gammacerane and oleanane, as well as the stable carbon isotopic composition of the asphaltene fraction, also suggest that the bitumen from the two archaeological sites was imported from Albania during Middle Bronze Age. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Autore Pugliese

• De Benedetto Giuseppe, Egidio

Tutti gli autori

• Faraco M. , Pennetta A. , Fico D. , Eramo G. , Beqiraj E. , Muntoni I.M. , DE BENEDETTO G.E.

Titolo volume/Rivista

ORGANIC GEOCHEMISTRY

Anno di pubblicazione

2016

ISSN

0146-6380

ISBN

Non Disponibile

Numero di citazioni Wos

1

Ultimo Aggiornamento Citazioni

25/04/2018

Numero di citazioni Scopus

3

Ultimo Aggiornamento Citazioni

25/04/2018

Settori ERC

Non Disponibile

Codici ASJC

Non Disponibile