Our Team
The Team of LTFAPA laboratory is made up of young scholars engaged in various research that apply traces ad residues analyses to chipped stone tools, macro-lithic tools, pottery, osseous artefacts, metal artefacts.
Cristina Lemorini
LTFAPA Laboratory leader; Use-wear analysis; Residues analysis; Experimental Archaeology
Isabella Caricola
Chipped Stone Tools, Macro-lithic tools, Metal; Use-wear analysis; Residues analysis: Experimental Archaeology

Martina Basile
Mobile Art; Technological Analysis; Experimental Archaeology

Antonella De Angelis
Macro-lithic tools; Use-wear analysis; Experimental Archaeology

Davide D'Errico
Chipped Stone Tools; Use-wear analysis; Experimental Archaeology

Flavia Marinelli
Chipped Stone Tools; Use-wear analysis; Residues analysis; Experimental Archaeology

Anda Petrovic
Chipped Stone Tools; Use-wear analysis; Experimental Archaeology

Francesca Coletti
Textile; Residues Analysis; Experimental Archaeology

Sergio Taranto
Ceramic; Use-wear analysis; Residues analysis; Experimental Archaeology

Pamela Ricci
Ceramic; Technological Analysis;

Sara Stellacci
Osseous Objects; Technological Analysis; Use-Wear Analysis; Experimental Archaeology
Alessio Pellegrini
Metal objects; Technological analysis; Use-Wear Analysis; Experimental Archaeology

Veronica Testolini
Experimental Archaeology, Technological analysis , Metal, Ceramic analysis
Cristina Lemorini
LTFAPA Laboratory leader; Use-wear analysis; Residues analysis; Experimental Archaeology
Associate Professor Faculty of Arts and Humanities / Department of Classics, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
I teach Experimental Archaeology for BA and MA in Archaeology (Faculty of Arts and Humanities) and for MA in Science and Technology for the Conservation of Cultural Heritage (Faculty of Mathematical, Physical and Natural Sciences). I founded and I direct LTFAPA Lab. part of the Excellence Centres DTC Lazio https://dtclazio.it/. 1988 Master in Archaeology, Sapienza University; 1997 PhD in Archaeology, Leiden University. From my MA I started to specialize in use-wear analysis and experimental archaeology with the aim to study technology in Prehistory to infer human culture in the past. Thus, my research goals are the investigation of human evolution through lithic tools and the study of technology and, as a consistent extension of the former, the investigation of craft specialization in different raw materials during Prehistory and Historical Past.
Currently, I am leading projects regarding use-wear and residues analysis in Lower Paleolithic in Europe, Asia, and Africa. I am also leading projects in Neolithic, Copper Age and Historical contexts. My commitment for the future is to amplify the role of functional analysis in archaeology contributing to reinforce the methodological standards of use-wear and residues analyses.
PUBLICATIONS 2014 - 2020
Shahack-Gross R., Berna F., Karkanas P., Lemorini C., Gopher A., Barkai R. (2014), Evidence for the repeated use of a central hearth at Middle Pleistocene (300 ky ago) Qesem Cave, Israel, Journal of Archaeological Science 44, pp. 12-21, doi:10.1016/j.jas.2013.11.015.
Lemorini C., Plummer T.W., Braun D.R., Crittenden A.N., Ditchfield P.W., Bishop L.C., Hertel F., Oliver J.S., Marlowe F.W., Schoeninger M.J., Richard Potts R. (2014), Old stones' song: Use-wear experiments and analysis of the Oldowan quartz and quartzite assemblage from Kanjera South (Kenya), Journal of Human Evolution, pp. 10-25, doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2014.03.002.
Lemorini C., Nunziante Cesaro S., Celant A., Nucara A., Maselli P., Skakun N., Gopher A.,
Shahal A. (2014), The function of prehistoric lihtic tools: a combined study of use-wear analysis and FTIR microspectroscipy. Results and open problems. In: C.Lemorini, S.Nunziante Cesaro (eds.), An integration of use-wear and residues analysis for the identification of the function of archaeological stone tools, BAR (I.S.), Oxford, pp. 63-76.
Laurito R., Lemorini C., Perilli A. (2014), Cap. 10, Making Textiles at Arslantepe, Turkey, in the 4th and 3rd Millennia BC. Archaeological Data and Experimental Archaeology. In: C.Breniquet, C.Michel (eds.), Wool economy in the ancient Near East and the Aegean. From the beginnings of sheep husbandry to institutional textile industry, Ancient Textile Series, vol. 17, Oxbow Books, Oxford, pp. 151-168.
Visentini, P.; Castiglioni, E.; Fontana, A.; Lemorini, Cristina; Mazzotti, C.; Petrucci, G.; Tasca, G. 2014. Il sito fortificato di Meduno Sach di Sotto (Pordenone) nel quadro dell'Eneolitico del Friuli e delle regioni vicine. pp.69-123. In GORTANIA. GEOLOGIA PALEONTOLOGIA PALETNOLOGIA - ISSN:2038-0410 vol. 36
N., Solodenko; A., Zupancich; S., Nunziante Cesaro; O., Marder; Lemorini, Cristina; R., Barkai 2015. Fat Residue and Use-Wear Found on Acheulian Biface and Scraper Associated with Butchered Elephant Remains at the Site of Revadim, Israel. pp.1-17. PlosOne. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0118572
Lemorini C., Venditti F., Assaf E., Parush Y., Barkai R., Gopher A. (2015), The function of recycled lithic items at late Lower Paleolithic QesemCave, Israel: An overview of the use-wear data, Quaternary International 361, pp. 103-112, doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2014.07.032.
Barkai R., Lemorini C., Vaquero M. (2015), The origins of recycling: a Paleolithic perspective, Quaternary International 361, pp. 1-3, doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2014.12.044.
Piccione, P.; Alvaro, C.; Bartosiewicz, L.; Lemorini, C.; Masi, A.; Sadori, L. 2015. Distribution of artifacts and ecofacts in an Early Bronze Age house in Eastern Anatolia: Space use and household economy at Arslantepe VI B2 (2900–2750 BCE). In Journal of Archeological Sciences Reports vol 4, pp. 8-22. doi: http//:10.1016/j.jasrep.2015.08.035.
Lemorini C. , Bourguignon L., Zupancich1 A., Gopher A., Barkai R. (2016), A scraper's life history: Morpho-techno-functional and use-wear analysis of Quina and demi-Quina scrapers from Qesem Cave, Israel, Quaternary International 398, pp. 86-93, doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2015.05.013R. (2016), A scraper's life history: Morpho-techno-functional and use-wear analysis of Quina and demi-Quina scrapers from Qesem Cave, Israel, Quaternary International 398, pp. 86-93, doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2015.05.013
Zupancich A., Lemorini C., Gopher A., Barkai R. (2016), On Quina and demi-Quina scraper handling: Preliminary results from the late Lower Paleolithic site of Qesem Cave, Israel, Quaternary International 398, pp. 94-102, doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2015.10.101
Lemorini C., D'Errico D., Archive Reports 2013, 2014, 2015; http://www.catalhoyuk.com/archive_reports/
Santucci E., Marano F., Cerilli E., Fiore I., Lemorini C., Palombo M.R., Anzidei A.P., Bulgarelli G.M., (2016), Palaeoloxodon exploitation in the late Middle Pleistocene site of Polledrara di Cecanibbio (Rome, Italy), Quaternary International 406, pp. 169-182, doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2015.08.042.
Aureli D., Rocca R., Lemorini C., Modesti V., Scaramucci S., Milli S., Giaccio B., Marano F., M:R. Palombo, Contardi A., (2016), Mode 1 or mode 2? “Small tools” in the technical variability of the European Lower Palaeolithic: The site of Ficoncella (Tarquinia, Lazio, central Italy), Quaternary International 393, pp. 169-184, doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2015.07.055.
Nicoud E., Aureli D., Pagli M., Villa V., Chaussé C., Agostini S., Bahain J.-J., Boschian G., Degeai J.-Ph., Fusco F., Giaccio B., Hernandez M., Kuzucuoglu C., Lahaye, C. Lemorini C., Limondin-Lozouet N., Mazza P., Mercier N., Nomade S., Pereira A., Robert V., et al. (2015), Preliminary data from Valle Giumentina Pleistocene site (Abruzzo, Central Italy): A new approach to a Clactonian and Acheulian sequence, Quaternary International 406, pp. 182-194 doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2015.08.080
Aureli A., Contardi A., Giaccio B., Jicha B., Lemorini C., Madonna S., Magri D., Marano F., Milli S., Modesti V., Palombo M.R,Rocca R. (2015), Palaeoloxodon and Human Interaction: Depositional Setting, Chronology and Archaeology at the Middle Pleistocene Ficoncella Site (Tarquinia, Italy). PLOSone, April 21, pp. 1-27. doi: http//:10.1371/journal.pone.0124498
Zupancich A., Nunziante-Cesaro S., Blasco R., Rosell J., Cristiani E., Venditti F., Lemorini C., Barkai R. Gopher A. 2016 Early evidence of stone tool use in bone working activities at Qesem Cave, Israel, Scientific Reports 6. doi: http//:10.1038/srep37686.
Venditti, F., Lemorini, C., Bordigoni, M., Zampetti, D., Amore, M., Taglacozzo, A. 2016. The role of burins and their relationship with art through trace analysis at the Upper Paleolithic site of Plesini Cave (Latium, Italy). pp.7-29 - ISBN:978-88-492-3417-6. In ORIGINI - ISSN:0474-6805 vol. XXXIX.
Rickards, O., Manfredini, A., Allen, R., Biondi, G., Calattini, M., Celant, A., Conati Barbaro C., Craig, O., D’Oronzo, C., Fiorentino, G., Gorgoglione, M., A., Lelli, R., Lemorini, C., Martinez-Labarga, C., Muntoni, I., M., Radina, F., Tozzi, C., 2017. I più antichi agricoltori italiani. Nuove prospettive di ricerca su base multidisciplinare. In Preistoria e Protostoria della Puglia. In STUDI DI PREISTORIA E PROTOSTORIA vol. 4, pp.363-367.
Caricola I., Lemorini C., 2017. Experimentation and traces analysis of macro-lithic tools: the case of Grotta della Monaca Cave (Sant’Agata di Esaro, Italy). In: Playing with the time. Experimental archaeology and the study of the past. 4th. International Experimental Archaeology Conference 08/05/2014, pp.67-72.
Balossi Restelli, F., Conati Barbaro C., Lemorini C., Mori, L., D’Errico D. 2017 Bread in Prehistory. Looking for the path of an extraordinary invention. In Manetti C. , Rufo F. (a cura di) Berad. An Interdisciplinary Perspective. Collana Sudi e Ricerche 57, Università di Roma Sapienza.
Forte, V., Lemorini, C. 2017. Traceological analyses applied to textile implements: an assessment of the method through the case study of the 1st millennium BC ceramic tools in Central Italy. ORIGINI XL, pp.165-182. ISBN10: 977047468000817001
Lemorini C., 2018 Small tools and the Palaeoloxodon - Homo interaction in the Lower Palaeolithic. The contribution of use-wear analysis. In V.Borgia & E.Cristiani (a cura di) Palaeolithic Italy. Advanced studies on early human adaptations in the Apennine peninsula, SidestonePress, Leiden, pp. 27-35. ISBN-10 : 9088905843.
Galli, M., Coletti, F., Lemorini, C., Mitschke, S., 2018 The textile culture at Pompeii project, In Maria Stella Busana, Margarita Gleba, Francesco Meoand Anna Rosa Tricomi (a cura di) Textiles and Dyes in the Mediterranean Economy and Society , Proceedings of the VIth International Symposium on Textiles and Dyes in the Ancient Mediterranean World(Padova - Este - Altino, Italy 17 – 20 October 2016) Libros Portico, Valencia.
Lemorini C., Bishop L. C., Plummer T. W., Braun D. R., Ditchfield P W., Oliver J. S. 2019 Old stones’ song—second verse: use-wear analysis of rhyolite and fenetized andesite artifacts from the Oldowan lithic industry of Kanjera South, Kenya, Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, volume 11, 9, pp 4729–4754. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-019-00800-z
Venditti F., Cristiani E., Nunziante-Cesaro3 S. Agam A., Lemorini C., Barkai R. 2019 Animal residues found on tiny Lower paleolithic tools reveal their use in butchery, Scientific Reports | (2019) 9:13031. Nucara A., Nunziante-Cesaro S., Venditti F., Lemorini C. A multivariate analysis for enhancing the interpretation of infrared spectra of plant residues on lithic artefacts. J. Archaeol. Sci. Rep (2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2020.102526.
Marinelli F., Lemorini C., Zampetti D. 2019 La funzione degli “small tools” nell’ambito delle industrie litiche scheggiate Acheuleane della penisola italiana: il caso studio del sito laziale di Fontana Ranuccio (FR), Ipotesi di Preistoria 11, pp. 57-72.
Lemorini, C. Hunter-gatherers of the Lower and Middle Palaeolithic Levant: the State of the Art of the Functional Perspective In Gibaja J. F., Marreiros J., Mazzucco N., Clemente I. (eds.) Hunter-Gatherers’ Tool-Kit. A Functional Perspective, 178-196 (2020) Cambridge Scholars Press. ISBN-13:978-1-5275-4226-6.
Moncel M.H, , Santagata, C., Pereira, A., Nomade, S., Voinchet, P., Bahain,J.-J., Daujeard, C., Curci, A., Lemorini, C. et al. "The origin of early Acheulean expansion in Europe 700 ka ago: new findings at Notarchirico (Italy). Scientific Reports 10, 13802 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-68617-8
Assaf E, Caricola I, Gopher A, Rosell J, Blasco R, Bar O, Zilberman, E., Lemorini, C., et al. (2020) Shaped stone balls were used for bone marrow extraction at Lower Paleolithic Qesem Cave, Israel. PLoS ONE 15(4): e0230972. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0230972
Nucara A., Nunziante-Cesaro S., Venditti F., Lemorini C. A multivariate analysis for enhancing the interpretation of infrared spectra of plant residues on lithic artefacts. J. Archaeol. Sci. Rep (2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2020.102526.
Editing
C.Lemorini, S.Nunziante Cesaro (eds.), (2014), An integration of use-wear and residues analysis for the identification of the function of archaeological stone tools, BAR (I.S.), Oxford, pp. 63-76. doi: http//:10.30861/9781407312880
- cristina.lemorini@uniroma1.it
- Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
Isabella Caricola
Chipped Stone Tools, Macro-lithic tools, Metal; Use-wear analysis; Residues analysis: Experimental Archaeology
Marie-Sklodowska Curie Fellow at Newcastle University, School of History, Classics and Archaeology. Marie-Curie Fellow at the University of Newcastle (UK) with a project entitled “EuroDag, The first European daggers: Function, meaning, and social significance”. EuroDag is the first ever comparative study of the function of early European stone and metal daggers, c. 3800-1500 BC. The project aims to understand how early daggers were used, for what purposes, and in which social contexts, while also exploring whether meaningful functional differences might be discerned amongst this broad class of objects based on manufacturing technology, chronology, typology, or regional distribution. Having graduated in Archaeology from Bari University (Italy), I moved to Rome for a two-year Master’s course. Subsequently, from 2013 to 2017, I set up a bespoke international collaboration between Rome-Sapienza and Paris-Sorbonne to carry out an original PhD project studying prehistoric western Mediterranean mines and ground stone tools. From 2017 to 2019, I secured 2 years post-doctoral position within the framework of the ERC “Hidden Foods” project. During the years I gained broad research experience through the examination of hundreds of prehistoric stone tools from Italy, Crete, Africa and the Levant, ranging from the Palaeolithic to the Metal Ages. I am particularly interested in the reconstruction of the socio-cultural and economic dynamics of prehistoric communities through the application of new methodologies ¬ ¬¬– micro-wear and residues analysis – in the study of material culture.
- isabellacaricola@gmail.com
Martina Basile
Mobile Art; Technological Analysis; Experimental Archaeology
Graduated in 2011 at the University of Naples “Federico II” with a thesis titled “Lightning stones: history and study of an ancient superstition”, concerning the study of Neolithic arrowheads used as fertility amulets since the Roman age.
In 2014 she obtained a master degree in Experimental Archaeology at “La Sapienza” University of Rome under the supervision of professors Cristina Lemorini and Daniela Zampetti, with a thesis focused on the experimental study of the Parabita Venus (Taranto, Apulia), bone figurines dated to the Gravettian period, acquiring the operative chain that led to their realization.
In 2017 she graduated scuola di specializzazione at “La Sapienza” University of Rome in Economy and Management of Cultural Heritage with a thesis titled: “Little-Authors: the museum guide written by children”, supervised by professor Paolo Serafini, about the compilation/realisation of the best paper guide for an archaeological museum, through a psychological approach.
Currently she is a PhD candidate at the Univesitat de Valencia (Spain) with a joint research in collaboration with “La Sapienza” University of Rome, focused on the multidisciplinary study of the post-Paleolithic art of the Valencian community area that integrates experimental archaeology, traces analysis and 3D technology.
Publications
- Taphonomic processes inconsistent with indigenous Mesolithic acculturation during the transition to the Neolithic in the Western Mediterranean, Salvador Pardo-Gordó, Oreto García Puchol Agustin Diez Castillo, Sarah B. Mcclure.; Joaquim Juan Cabanilles, Manuel Pérez Ripoll, Lluis Molina Balaguer, Joan Bernabeu Aubán, Josep LI Pascual Benito, Douglas J. Kennett, Alfredo Cortell Nicolau, Nefeli Tsante, Martina Basile ,Quaternary International, 2018, Vol. 483, p. 136-147.
- L'Archeologia Sperimentale come metodo di indagine per lo studio delle Veneri del Paleolitico Superiore, Saguntum (P.L.A.V) 48, 2016.
- Propuesta de analisis tridimensional aplicado a la integración de las diferentes actuaciones arqueológicas realizadas en Cueva de la Cocina (Dos aguas, Valencia), Agustin Diez Castillo, Oreto Garcia Puchol, Martina Basile, Alfredo Cortell Nicolau, Nefeli Tsa, Proceedings of the 8th International Congress on Archaeology, Computer Graphics, Cultural Heritage and Innovation 'ARQUEOL'GICA 2.0' in Valencia (Spain), Sept. 5 – 7, 2016.
- Univesitat de Valencia, Spain

Antonella De Angelis
Macro-lithic tools; Use-wear analysis; Experimental Archaeology
Focused her research on use-wear, technological and residues analysis of macro-lithic tools.
She obtained her B.A. in Archaeological Science in 2012 at “Sapienza University” of Rome under the supervision of Prof. C. Lemorini with a thesis on the experimental processing of hulled cereals through both grinding and pounding in level VI B2 of Arslantepe (Malatya, Turkey).
In 2017 she concluded her M.A. in Prehistoric Archaeology at Sapienza, University of Rome, with a dissertation titled: “Technology and function of macro-lithic tools of level VI B2 of Arslantepe (Malatya, Turkey): experimentation, use-wear analysis, organization of domestic spaces” under the supervision of Prof. C. Lemorini and the Prof. M. Frangipane.
Currently she is a PhD candidate at “Sapienza” University of Rome with a research, supervised by Prof. C. Lemorini and Prof. F. Balossi Restelli, focusing on socio-economic dynamics in the Early Bronze Age village of Arslantepe (Eastern Anatolia) analysed through the study of macro-lithic tools. Since 2017 she also carry on the study of macro-lithic tools from the Terramara di Pragatto (BO) in collaboration with the Soprintendenza Archeologia, Belle Arti e Paesaggio per la città metropolitana di Bologna e le province di Modena, Ferrara e Reggio Emilia.
Pubblications
De Angelis A. (in press), Interpreting the use of living space in an Early Bronze Age village in Eastern Anatolia: use-wear and spatial analyses of macro-lithic tools of level VI B2 of Arslantepe (Malatya, Turkey). In: Beyond use-wear traces: Tools and people, 2018, Nice, France.
Lemorini C., D’Errico D., De Angelis A. (in press), Highlighting specialization in Prehistoric Societies with a use-wear approach: Çatalhöyük (Neolithic phases) (Central Anatolia) and Arslantepe (East Anatolia) (EBA phase) in comparison. In: Bulletin de la Société préhistorique française, Paris, France.
- antonella.deangelis@uniroma1.it
- Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

Davide D'Errico
Chipped Stone Tools; Use-wear analysis; Experimental Archaeology
PhD student at Leiden University with a project related to theuse wear analysis on stone tools of Arslantepe (Turkey) and Tell Leilan (Syria)
Bachelor's Degree in Palethnology 2008, Master Degree in Experimental Archaeology 201.
From 2012 to 2015 I participated in the excavation campaigns in Çatal Hüyük and Arslantepe (Turkey) as Use wear analyst.
In 2016 and 2017 I participated in the study of lithic materials of Portonovo (Italy)
I specialized in use wear analysis on tools used to cutting cereals, especially in Late Chalcolithic / Early Bronze age contexts, with particular attention to the definition of a study method to distinguish polishing due to different types of cereals.
Participation in the study of lithic materials of Esanatoglia (Italy)
Pubblications
D’Errico D., “Analisi degli oggetti in litica scheggiata” in “Il fuoco e la memoria. I forni neolitici di Portonovo” a cura di Cecilia Conati Barbaro. Millenni studi di archeologia preistorica. Museo e istituto fiorentino di preistoria “Paolo Graziosi”: 154-160. 2019
D’Errico D., “Use wear analysis on chipped stone tools” in “Abu Tbeirah Excavations I. Area 1 Last Phase and Building A -Phase 1” a cura di Licia Romano e Franco D’Agostino. University press: 455-462. 2019
D’Errico D., New perspectives for recognizing use wear from cereals, Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, Volume 13, Pages 199-210, ISSN 2352-409X, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2017.03.043. 2017
Lemorini C., D'Errico D., Çatalhöyük Archive Reports 2013, 2014, 2015; http://www.catalhoyuk.com/archive_reports/
Lemorini C., D’Errico D., De Angelis A., Produce for whom? Specialized productions and their role in a Neolithic society and a Final Cacolithic-EBA society: Catalhöyük (Central Anatolia) and Arslantepe (Est Anatolia) in comparison. Atti del XVIII convegno mondiale UISPP – Parigi 4-9 Giugno 2018. In pubblicazione.
D’Errico D., "Glossy tools: innovation in the method of interpretation of use-wear produced by plant processing” in Proceedings of the International Conference on Use-Wear analysis, Use-Wear 2012, Cambridge: Cambridge Publishing Scholars: 24-35. 2014
- Leiden University, Leida - The Netherlands

Flavia Marinelli
Chipped Stone Tools; Use-wear analysis; Residues analysis; Experimental Archaeology
PhD candidate at Tel Aviv University, (Israel) in collaboration with LTFAPA Laboratory, “Sapienza” University of Rome (Italy).
Flavia Marinelli graduated in Prehistoric Science at “Sapienza” University of Rome, in 2014.
In 2016 she obtained her MA in Prehistoric Archaeology at “Sapienza” University of Rome (Italy), with a dissertation on use-wear analysis on small flakes coming from the site of Fontana Ranuccio (Central Italy), under the supervision of Prof. Cristina Lemorini.
Currently Flavia is a PhD candidate at Tel Aviv University in collaboration with LTFAPA laboratory of “Sapienza” University of Rome, with a research project entitled: Small tools and elephant exploitation during the Lower Paleolithic: test cases from Italy and Israel. The project is supervised by Prof. Ran Barkai (Tel Aviv University) and Prof. Cristina Lemorini (“Sapienza” University of Rome).
Pubblications
MARINELLI F., LEMORINI C., ZAMPETTI D., 2019. La funzione degli small “tools” nell’ambito delle industrie litiche scheggiate acheuleane della penisola italiana: il caso studio del sito laziale di Fontana Ranuccio (FR). 1° Incontro di studi “Sezze”, i Monti Lepini e il basso Lazio tra Preistoria e Protostoria. Ipotesi di Preistoria, vol. 11, pp. 57-62.
MARINELLI., ZAMPETTI D., LEMORINI C. Small tools in use: an overview of the use-wear data from the Acheulean site of Fontana Ranuccio (Latium, Italy) (Journal of lithic studies, submitted).
MARINELLI F., LEMORINI C., ZAMPETTI D. Experimental archeology from the interpretation of use-wear: the case study of Fontana Ranuccio Late Lower Palaeolithic site (Central Italy) (Proceedings of Awrana Conference submitted).
MARINELLI F., LEMORINI C., BARKAI R. Lower Paleolithic small flakes and megafauna: the contribution of experimental approach and use-wear analysis to reveal the link (Proceedings of the Hannover Conference, submitted).
- flavia.marinelli09@gmail.com
- Tel Aviv University, (Israel)

Anda Petrovic
Chipped Stone Tools; Use-wear analysis; Experimental Archaeology
Focuses her research on the use-wear and technological analysis of chipped stone artefacts.
Her main interests are human activities during the Late Glacial and Early Holocene period in SE Europe. She graduated in 2015, and in 2016 obtained her MA degree (thesis entitled Transitional period at Lepenski Vir: use-wear analysis on chipped stone artefacts) at University of Belgrade, for which she received the Award of the National Museum in Belgrade. In 2017,
Anđa won the Andrew Sherratt grant (University of Sheffield) for postgraduate students for research projects in Old World Prehistory.
Currently, she is a PhD candidate in joint research between the Belgrade University and the Sapienza University of Rome, with a thesis entitled Mesolithic-Neolithic transition in Iron Gates (Serbia): Human activities from use-wear perspective.
Since 2012, Anđa is involved in various archaeological projects in the Near East, Eastern Turkey, Cyclades, and central Balkan which, among others, include Çatalhöyük Research Project, ERC Prehistoric Anatolia, Stélida Naxos Archaeological Project, Cultural changes and population movement in early prehistory of the Central Balkans, and Lojanik – Chert mine of prehistoric communities in Central Serbia. In 2019, together with colleagues, she started the project ATOS - Archaeological Traces Organization Software, as a collaboration between the Sapienza University of Rome and University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne.
Pubblication:
- 2020. Petrović, A., Nunziante-Cesaro, S. The Curious case of house 54 from Lepenski Vir (Serbia): chipped stone perspective. In Proceedings of AWRANA - Archaeological Wear and Residue Analysts Conference: Beyond use‐wear traces: on tools and people, Nice (France), 29th May ‐ 1st June 2018, Sidestone Press, (in press).
- 2018. Bogosavljević-Petrović, V., Petrović A., Galfi, J., Jovanović D., Radonjić, Đ. Grey zones of production: Discussing the technology of tools at the Lojanik quarry in west-central Serbia. Journal of Lithic Studies (2018), vol. 5 (2). DOI: https://doi.org/10.2218/jls.2804.
- 2018. Petrović, A. Iron Gates (Serbia): Difference in the Use of Stone Raw Materials during Mesolithic-Neolithic Transition. In Proceedings of International conference Through the Eyes of a Stranger - Appropriating Foreign Material Culture and Transforming the Local Context, Zagreb October 14–15, 2016, ed. F. Franković, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Philosophy, Department of Archaeology, 8-17 (ISBN 978-953-48042-0-9).
- 2017. Muzeologija in arheologija; muzej Krasa, book review. Journal of the Serbian Archaeological Society XXXIII, Belgrade, 359-364 (ISSN 0352-5678, UDK 902/904).
- 2016. Petrović, A., Анализа трагова употребе и постдепозиционих промена на артефактима од окресаног камена: терминолошка перспектива (Use-wear analysis and post-depositional surface modifications of chipped stone artefacts: terminology perspective). Journal of the Serbian Archaeological Society XXXII, Belgrade, 205-222 (ISSN 0352-5678, UDK 902/904).
- anda.petrovic@uniroma1.it
- Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

Francesca Coletti
Textile; Residues Analysis; Experimental Archaeology
Classical Archaeologist specialised in textile and fibers analysis. Contract professor in Methodology of Archaeological Research at Sapienza University of Rome. Francesca Coletti is a Classical Archaeologist specialised in textile and fibers analysis. She obtained her BA and MA in Archaeology at Sapienza University where she began to study textiles productions and fashion in the ancient Mediterranean. Since 2013, she obtains several national and international fellowships (funded by MiBACT, EU programs), acquiring experience in microscopy and scientific analysis applied to textile material. In 2020, she obtained her PhD in cotutelle de thèse at Ruprecht Karl university of Heidelberg and Sapienza University of Rome with a dissertation “I tessuti di Pompei: materiali, tecniche di realizzazione e contesti”, investigating the textile remains and imprint on the human plaster cast from Pompeii and the vesuvian area, aiming to reconstruct technological and functional choices of textile production in the I century AD. Her research is part of “textile culture at Pompeii” project in partnership agreement by Parco Archeologico di Pompei, with which today she collaborates for the study of the textile found in the new excavation. She currently held the course “Archaeology and Archaeometry of Textiles” at Sapienza University of Rome and is involved in several projects as “SAAFT - Scientific analysis of archaeological textile fibers and tools” at the INFN, LNF laboratory (Frascati), and the project “AAT- Archaeology and Archaeometry of textiles. Continuity and Transformations of textile technologies in the Ancient and Post-Antique Mediterranean” (Sapienza Awards 2018), in which she studied textile from Italy, Turkey, Greece. Publications: Scientific Journals Coletti F., Cestelli Guidi M., Romani M., Ceres A., Zammit U. In press. Evaluation of microscopy techniques and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy on textile fibers from the Vesuvian area: a pilot study on degradation processes that prevent the characterization of bast fibers. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports. Caggia P., Laforest C., Coletti F. 2021, The Roman and the Middle-Byzantine Necropolis of St. Philipat Hierapolis of Phrygia. ASIA MINOR. An International Journal of Anatolian Archaeology and History, I, pp. 119-140. M. Galli M., Coletti F., Ciccola A., Serafini I. 2020, Archeologia e archeometria del tessuto antico: un gruppo di manufatti aurei dall’area vesuviana (Pompei, Ercolano, Oplontis). Scienze dell’Antichità, 26.1, pp. 205-223. Ciccola A., Serafini I., Ripanti F., Coletti F., Vincenti F., Bianco A., Galli M., Curini R., Postorino P. 2020, Dyes from the ashes: discovering and characterizing natural dyes from mineralized textiles. Molecules, 25(6), 1417. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25061417. Galli M., Coletti F., Casa G. 2019, Cultura tessile a Pompei: impianti e materiali per la lavorazione della lana (lanariae). Analysis Archaeologica, an International Journal of Western Mediterranean Archaeology, 5. ISSN 2421-6380; ISBN 9788854910997. Forte V., Coletti F., Ciccarelli E., Lemorini C. 2019. The contribution of experimental archaeology in addressing the analysis of residues on spindle-whorls. EXARC Journal, 4. Galli M., Coletti F., Mitschke S., Döppes D., Lemorini L., Siegmund C. 2017. Auf den Spuren antiker Textilkultur. RESTAURO, vol. 4, pp. 40-45. ISSN:0933-4017. Conference Proceedings Cardarelli V., Coletti F., Failli F., Galli M., Montali I.¸Morretta S. In press, Tra archeologia e archeometria. Analisi preliminare degli indicatori di attività tessile e conciaria dagli scavi della Metropolitana C per la stazione Amba Aradam (Roma), Purpureae Vestes VII. Redefining Textiles Handcraft, Structures, Tools and Production Processes”, International Symposium 02-04 ottobre, Università di Granada, Spagna 2019. Galli M., Coletti F., Lemorini C., Mitschke S. 2018. The “Textile Culture at Pompeii“ Project, in Busana, M.S., Gleba, M., Meo, F. (Eds.), Purpureae Vestes VI. Textiles and Dyes in the Mediterranean Society and Economy. International Symposium 17-20 ottobre, Padova 2018, pp. 275-293. ISBN: 978-84-7956-179-6. Book chapters Galli M., Coletti F., Mitschke M. In press, I tessuti, in M. Osanna (a cura di), I calchi di Pompei, Collana di Studi e Ricerche del Parco Archeologico di Pompei. Galli M., Coletti F., Mitschke M. In press, I calchi di Civita Giuliana: impronte tessili, in M. Osanna (a cura di), I calchi di Pompei, Collana di Studi e Ricerche del Parco Archeologico di Pompei. Caggia M.P., Laforest C., Coletti F. In press, The Roman and Byzantine burials from the Sanctuary of Saint Philip. An archaeological, anthropological and archaeometric perspective, in Brandt J.R. (ed.), The North-East Necropolis of Hierapolis. Ciccola A., Serafinia I., Coletti F., Postorino P., Curini R., Nucara A. In press, FTIR and Raman spectroscopies for Hierapolis: an archaeometric study of ancient textiles, in in Brandt J.R. (ed.), The North-East Necropolis of Hierapolis. Bruijn E., Alterauge A., Zesch S., Heggelman B., Mitschke S., Coletti F., Rosendahl W., Albert Z., Vilsteren Vincent T. Van, 2015. Die Mumie im Inneren: eine übermodellierte Mumie eines buddhistischen Mönchs, in Wieczorek A., Rosendahl W. (Eds.), Mumien - Der Traum vom ewigen Leben, vol. 24, Darmstadt, pp. 337-342. ISBN 13: 9783805337793.
- francesca.coletti@uniroma1.it

Sergio Taranto
Ceramic; Use-wear analysis; Residues analysis; Experimental Archaeology
Sergio is currently a PhD candidate in the Prehistory Department of the Autonomous University of Barcelona in joint research with Sapienza University of Rome. In 2013, he graduated in Archaeological Sciences at the Sapienza University of Rome with a thesis about "Salting and fish sauces in Punic Sicily". In 2016, at the same Athenaeum, he obtained a Master's degree discussing a thesis titled "The husking tray: a pan for baking bread? Interpretation of the ceramic typology of Neolithic Upper Mesopotamia through an experimental approach". Sergio is further developing the topic of his Master's thesis during the PhD studies. By analyzing the technological and functional traces of "husking tray" surfaces, he investigates their function and role in the Neolithic communities. His field of research focuses on the comprehension of pottery artefacts production sequences and uses through experimental activity along with microscopic trace analysis on their surface. Specifically, he is interested in investigating past societies by means of food behaviors and customs. ▪ Taranto S., Forte V., Gómez, A., Lemorini C., Molist M., (in press): “A first assessment of technological and functional traces on late Neolithic husking trays from the Near East”, Proceedings III International Workshop on Ceramics from Late Neolithic Near East (March 2019 Antalya). ▪ Taranto S. 2020 “The Husking tray: a shared cooking technology between the Late Neolithic communities of the Near East?”, Proceedings of XI ICAANE, Munich.
- sergio.taranto@uniroma1.it

Pamela Ricci
Ceramic; Technological Analysis;
PhD student in the archaeology department with a major in classical studies.
My job concern the study of Vesuvian contexts, in particular Pompeii with attention to the production system of ancient textile through the analysis and experimentation of the instruments used.
The three-year thesis focused on the study of the house of Minucii in Pompeii, called domus-textrina for the presence of various certificates related to the processing of fabrics.
During my Master’s degree I deepened the theme of weaving analyzing all the contexts of Pompeii that led to the presence of weavers and spinners starting from the cataloguing of about 3500 textilia instruments: clay loom weights , spindle whorl and spindle in bone and lead weights found in the city of Pompeii.
In 2018 I won my PhD - currently in progress - with a project entitled "Textile culture in Pompeii: materials and contexts" which is part of a larger project directed by Prof. M. Galli (Sapienza University of Rome) on the study of all the evidence related to the processing of tissues in the Vesuvian area. The research work aims to understand the phases of textile processing with their contexts of interest.
The most interesting part concerns the study of weaving materials through experimental archaeology. In particular, we are investigating, from an experimental point of view, the clay loom weights for the understanding of the traces of use and technology present on the objects found in Pompeii.
A preliminary report was presented in October 2019 in Granada (Spain) on the occasion of the important specific conference on the theme of ancient weaving called Purpurae Vestas with a poster that shows the results achieved until then. In detail, the interesting context of the house of Polybius in Pompeii was presented.
A lesson entitled: "Textile culture in Pompeii: documentation and archaeological experimentation on tools for spinning and weaving" was presented in November 2020 at the Department of Cultural Heritage: archaeology, art history, the cinema and music of the University of Padua.
- pamela.ricci@uniroma1.it
- Sapienza Unversity of Rome, Italy

Sara Stellacci
Osseous Objects; Technological Analysis; Use-Wear Analysis; Experimental Archaeology
Archaeologist and Specialist in experimental archaeology and technological and functional traces analysis on hard animals material tools.
I’m specialist in experimental archaeology and in technological and functional traces analysis on hard animal material tools.
I have Holder of Specialisation Archaeological Heritage School diplomas at S.I.S.B.A. Specialisation Inter- University School of Archaeological Heritage (Trieste University, Udine University and Ca’ Foscari University of Venice).
I have a Bachelor and Master Degree in experimental archaeology at “Sapienza” Rome University.
I’ am currently working on documentation, cataloguing and archaeological and experimental analysis of weaving Pompei’s tools (spindle and spindle whorl in hard animal material tools) with technological-functional traces and residues analysis.
Other work is documentation, cataloguing and archaeological and experimental analysis of hard material animals tools of Pragatto’s Bronze Age site (Bologna, Italy).
My pubblications are:
“Gli strumenti in materia dura animale: l’analisi delle tracce tacno-funzionali”. In: C. Conati Barbaro (eds.) “Il Fuoco e la Memoria. I forni neolitici di Portonovo”. MILLENNI, studi di Archeologia preistorica. Istituto fiorentino di Preistoria “Paolo Graziosi”, Firenze, 2019; pp.164-171.
“L’industria in materia dura animale. Studio delle tracce tecno-funzionali dei materiali dei siti Casetta Mistici e Osteria del Curato-via Cinquefrondi”. In: A.P. Anzidei e G. Carboni (eds.) “Roma prima del mito. Abitati e necropoli dal Neolitico alla prima età dei metalli nel territorio di Roma (VI-III millennio a.C.). Vol. 2. aspetti culturali e contributi specialistici. Archeopress, Oxford, 2020; pp. 773-784.
- sara.stellacci89@gmail.com
- Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

Alessio Pellegrini
Metal objects; Technological analysis; Use-Wear Analysis; Experimental Archaeology
Student in Experimental Archaeology and focuses his research on use-wear and technological analysis of metal artifacts. Special interest for bronze.
His main interests concern the technological production processes of ancient metals using historically accurate tools and techniques, studying the traces left by the working phases. He also focuses on the use-wear traces in order to investigate the uses and the functions of metal objects and their interaction with other materials.
He developed competences on metal working using both modern and ancient techniques and tools on copper, bronze, iron and steel, specializing in the production and the use of blades. For this tasks he applied in the study of metal casting, metal forging, pyrotechnology, grinding and polishing techniques.
He also has experience in the working of wood, antler, bone, horn and basic flint knapping competences.
In 2015 Alessio participated as technical assistant for the realization of two experimental replicas of Copper Age musical instruments for the MA thesis of Dr. Martina Nicole Cerri.
Alessio graduated in 2016 at “Sapienza” University of Rome in Experimental Archaeology under the supervision of Prof. Cristina Lemorini with the thesis “Studio sperimentale delle tracce di lavorazione post fusione di manufatti in bronzo: il ripostiglio di Piediluco (TR), Bronzo finale.”.
He also intervened during various experimental activities in the BA degree courses held by Prof. Cristina Lemorini as technical assistant for practical activities.
He’s currently working on his BA thesis under the supervision of Prof. Cristina Lemorini at the LTFAPA, concerning the technological and use-wear traces on Bronze Age daggers from the Terramara di Pragatto (BO).
- pellegrini.1535342@studenti.uniroma1.it
- Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
Veronica Testolini
Experimental Archaeology, Technological analysis , Metal, Ceramic analysis
Experimental Archaeology. Wider Dissemination. Technological analysis and reconstruction. Metal and Ceramic Analysis. Petrography, SEM-EDS
I have been awarded with the SEAL of SAPIExcellence fellowship for the year 2021 to carry out a pilot version of my research project: RecRAAFT (Reconstructing Recipes from Ancient Artefacts to develop Future Technologies).
RecRAAFT pilot for SAPIExcellence will reconstruct ancient technologies to produce innovative and sustainable craft objects. Archaeological artefacts made of ceramic and metal will be analysed employing scientific tools with the aim of informing artisans on manufacturing techniques. We want to obtain innovative objects (not copies) inspired by the cultural heritage in which the artisans work. I have a strong commitment to external engagement and RecRAAFT reflects this interest as it also focuses on the fundamental role of research dissemination and communication, in a time of rising populism and misinformation.
I took my BA in 2009 and my MA in 2013 from the University of Siena, Department of Archaeology, where I collaborated with the LIAAM and the LAUM teams. In 2013 I took part in the excavation of the Roman Forum in Butrint (Albania) and I worked in commercial archaeology for an Austrian Company.
In 2014 I completed a MSc in Archaeological Materials at the University of Sheffield with a dissertation on the petrographic analysis of Islamic pottery from the medieval town of Guadix (Spain). In 2019 I was awarded a PhD by the University of Sheffield on the ceramic technological changes in Sicily between the Byzantine and the Islamic period (DOI: http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/24131/.). My PhD research applied the chaîne opératoire approach to reconstruct technological choices made by the people living such a cultural transition in Medieval Sicily. Thesis data DOI: https://doi.org/10.15131/shef.data.11567910.
Publications
Testolini, V., & Day, P.M. In Press. Islamicate Material Culture in Sicily. In Archaeology, Politics and Islamicate Cultural Heritage in Europe, Sheffield: Equinox
Sebastiani, A., Testolini, V., & Chirico, E. 2021. Database Archive Roman Bricks off the Wall. Available at: http://ubir.buffalo.edu/xmlui/handle/10477/82647
Capelli, C., Arcifa, L., Bagnera A., Cabella R., Sacco V., Testolini V., Waksman Y. 2020. Caratterizzazione archeometrica e archeologica della ceramica invetriata di età islamica a Palermo (fine IX-metà XI secolo) : nuovi dati e problemi aperti. Archeologia Medievale XLVII: p. 249-273
Sacco, V., Testolini, V., & Day, P.M. 2020. Islamic ceramics and rural economy in the Trapani Mountains during the 11th century. Journal of Islamic Archaeology 7 (1): p. 39-77
Testolini, V. 2018. Petrographic Analysis of a Globular Amphorae assemblage from the settlement of Rocchicella (Mineo). Archeologia Medievale XLV: p.145–148.

LTFAPA laboratory collaborates with scholars experienced in various branches of the traces and residues analyses

Flavia Venditti
Chipped Stone Tools; Use-wear analysis; Residues analysis; Experimental Archaeology

Vanessa Forte
Ceramic; Technological Analysis; Residues Analysis; Experimental Archaeology

Stella Nunziante Cesaro
Infrared Spectroscopy
Flavia Venditti
Chipped Stone Tools; Use-wear analysis; Residues analysis; Experimental Archaeology
I am an archaeologist, expert in use-wear and residue analyses of lithic tools and currently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Tel Aviv University since October 2017.
My research interests focus on the technology and the reconstruction of the function of ancient stone tools during the Paleolithic for understanding the evolution of human behaviors. I am specialized on the adoption of experimental archaeology principles and the microscopic and chemical techniques for use-wear and residues investigation.
I started working in this field during my MA with a project focused on the analysis of a quartz lithic industry from the Middle Palaeolithic site of Coudoulous, France. Later, during the Master Course in Cultural Heritage, I carried out a methodological work on the identification and evaluation of mechanical wear traces on quartz assemblages, presenting the case study of the Sai Island, Sudan. My collaboration with “LTFAPA” developed in 2014 in the framework of the “MAECI and Accordi Internazionali Qesem Cave project”, when I moved my interest toward the Levantine Acheuleo-Yabrudian Cultural Complex. The Late Lower Palaeolithic Qesem Cave site (Israel) and the small recycled flakes production were the focus of my PhD research project. By means of experiments, use-wear and chemical investigation of residues I shed new light on a well-developed and planned technological and functional behaviour related to the recycling production.
I currently continue to collaborate with “LTFAPA” working on lithic materials from the Late Lower Palaeolithic sites of Jajulia and Revadim as Postdoctoral Fellow at the Tel Aviv University.
Pubblications
Venditti, F., 2019. Understanding Lithic Recycling at the Late Lower Palaeolithic Qesem Cave (Israel): A Functional and Chemical Investigation of Small Flakes. Oxford, Archaeopress Publishing.
Venditti, F., Agam, A., Barkai, R. 2019. Venditti, F., Agam, A., Barkai, R., 2019. Techno-functional analysis of small recycled flakes from Late Acheulian Revadim (Israel) demonstrates a link between morphology and function. Journal of Archaeological Science
Reports 28, 102039. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2019.102039.
Venditti, F., Nunziante-Cesaro, S., Parush, Y., Gopher, A., Barkai, R., 2019. Recycling for a purpose in the late Lower Paleolithic Levant: Use-wear and residue analyses of small sharp flint items indicate a planned and integrated subsistence behavior at Qesem Cave (Israel). Journal of Human Evolution 131, 109-128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2019.03.016.
Venditti, F., Cristiani, E., Nunziante-Cesaro, S., Agam, A., Lemorini, C., Barkai, R., 2019. Animal residues found on tiny Lower Paleolithic tools reveal their use in butchery. Scientific Report 9:13031, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-49650-8.
- fv1@mail.tau.ac.i
- Institute of Archaeology, Tel Aviv University - Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel

Vanessa Forte
Ceramic; Technological Analysis; Residues Analysis; Experimental Archaeology
Prehistoric Archaeologists and material culture analyst currently working as a post doc researcher at the Department of Civilisations and Forms of Knowledge of the University of Pisa where she is a member of PROCESS project “Pharaonic Rescission: Objects as Crucibles of ancient Egyptian Societies” funded by MIUR- PRIN 2017. She obtained her BA and MA in Archaeology at Sapienza University of Rome. During this period she began to study technology and ancient craft productions combining scientific analyses, traces analyses (technological traces and use wear) and experimental archaeology in order to investigate cultural behaviours and social aspects of production. In 2014 she obtained her PhD at Sapienza University of Rome with a dissertation comparing Copper Age ceramic assemblages from the current Rome area to reconstruct technological and functional choices of production among the 4th and the 3rd mill. BC. After her PhD, she obtained a Post Doc as Marie Curie Fellow at the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, Cambridge University with a project focusing on social dynamics behind craft production and pottery use within the European copper age communities. She is currently a Honorary Fellow at the Department of Classics, Sapienza University and collaborates with diverse national and international projects. Publications: Book Forte V. 2020. Scelte tecnologiche, expertise e aspetti sociali della produzione: una metodologia multidisciplinare applicata allo studio della ceramica eneolitica. Oxford: Archaeopress. Journals Bajeot J., Caricola I., Vinciguerra V., Medeghini L., Forte V. 2020. An integrated approach based on archaeometry, use wear analysis and experimental archaeology to investigate the function of a specific type of basin diffused in the predynastic sites of Lower Egypt (4th mill. BC), Quaternary International, doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2020.03.023 Forte V, Tarquini O., Botticelli M., Medeghini L. 2020. The technology of Copper Age funerary pottery from central Italy: an integrated study of compositional analyses and manufacturing traces. Archaeometry, DOI:10.1111/arcm.12559. Conati Barbaro C., Forte V., Rossi A. 2020. The experimental reconstruction of an Early Neolithic underground oven of Portonovo (Italy). Exarc Journal, 1. Forte V., Coletti F., Ciccarelli E., Lemorini C. 2019. The contribution of experimental archaeology in addressing the analysis of residues on spindle-whorls. EXARC Journal, 4. Forte V. 2019. Skilled people or specialists? Knowledge and expertise in copper age vessels from central Italy, Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, 55,101072. Festa G., Andreani C., D’Agostino F., Forte V., Nardini M., Scherillo A., Scatigno C., Senesi R., Romano L.. 2019 Sumerian pottery technology studied through neutron diffraction and chemometrics at Abu Tbeirah (Iraq). Geosciences, 9, 74; doi:10.3390/geosciences9020074. Forte V, Cesaro, S.N. and Medeghini, L., 2018. Cooking traces on Copper Age pottery from central Italy: An integrated approach comprising use wear analysis, spectroscopic analysis and experimental archaeology. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 18, pp.121-138. Forte V, Lemorini C, 2017. Traceological analysis applied to textile implements: an assessment of the method through the case study of the 1st millennium BCE ceramic tools in central Italy. Origini XL, 165-182. Forte V, Medeghini L, 2017. A preliminary study of ceramic pastes in the copper age pottery production of the Rome area. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 9:209-222. Forte, V, Medeghini. L., 2013. Capo Mannu Project - Analisi composizionali e scelte tecnologiche della ceramica preistorica nell'area del Capo Mannu (Oristano, Sardegna)/ Compositional analyses and technological choices of prehistoric pottery production from Capo Mannu (Oristano, Sardinia). Traces in Time, 3: 1-13. Conference Proceedings Ricci P., Forte V. In press. Cultura Tessile a Pompei: Intrumenta Textilia. Proceedings VII Purpurae Vestes International Symposium, Redefining textile handcraft, structures, tools and production processes. Taranto S., Forte V., Gómez Bach A., Lemorini C., Molist Montaña M.. In press.A first assessment of technological and functional traces on late Neolithic husking trays from the near east. Proccedings of the Third International Workshop on Ceramics from the Late Neolithic Near East, Koç University - Antalya 7-9 March 2019. Forte V., Nunziante Cesaro S., Medeghini (In Press). Traceological Analises and Functional Interpretation: vessels used for food processing from Tor Pagnotta and Osteria del Curato-Via Cinquefrondi. Conference Proceedings, Preistoria del Cibo, IIPP 2015. Carboni G, Celant A, Forte V, Magri D, Nunziante Cesaro S, Anzidei AP (In Press). Inebriated to the afterlife: Ritual drinks in the necropolises of the Rinaldone and Gaudo Facies in the Roman Area. Conference Proceedings, Preistoria del Cibo, IIPP 2015. Forte V. (In Press) Craft Identities in Copper Age Communities: a multidisciplinary approach to the pottery production of Central Italy. Proceedings Awrana conference, Sidestone Press. Forte V, Lemorini C. 2019. L’analisi delle tracce tecnologiche e d’uso su strumenti in ceramica per la tessitura: lo sviluppo di una metodologia di indagine applicata ai contesti del I millennio a.C. in Italia centrale. Proceedings Archeofest 2017 Forte V. 2019. Tracce di identità: un contributo metodologico al dibattito sul concetto di facies. In Danckers J., Cavazzuti C., Cattani M. (Eds) Facies and Culture dell’eta’ del bronzo Italiana?, Brepols Publishers. Forte V 2014. Investigating pottery technological pattern through macrowear analysis: The chalcolithic village of Maccarese (Italy). In Marreiros J., Bicho N., Gibaja Bao J. (eds.) International conference on Use-wear analysis: Use Wear 2012. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 619-629. Book chapters Conati Barbaro C., La Marca C., Forte V., Eramo G., Muntoni I. M., Rossi A. (2019), Firing the earth. The early Neolithic ovens of Portonovo (Marche, Italy), in Architecture of fire: Processes, Space and Agency of Pyrotechnologies (Ed. by) Gheorghiou D., Archaeopress. Forte V. (2020). Ceramica: Analisi tecnologica delle produzioni ceramiche eneolitiche del territorio di Roma (IV-III millennio a.C.), pp. 551-589. In Anzidei A.P. and Carboni G. (Eds) Roma Prima del Mito: Abitati e Necropoli dal Neolitico alla prima eta’ dei metalli nel territorio di Roma VI-III millennio a.C. Archaeopress. Forte V., Medeghini L. (2020). Analisi petrografica e chimica delle ceramiche preistoriche del territorio di Roma (IV-III millennio a.C.), pp. 545-550. In Anzidei A.P. and Carboni G. (Eds) Roma Prima del Mito: Abitati e Necropoli dal Neolitico alla prima eta’ dei metalli nel territorio di Roma VI-III millennio a.C. Archaeopress. Anastasia A., Forte V., Lemorini C. (2020). Pesi e fusaiole: la tessitura nelle comunità neo-eneolitiche del territorio di Roma. In Anzidei A.P. and Carboni G. (Eds) Roma Prima del Mito: Abitati e Necropoli dal Neolitico alla prima eta’ dei metalli nel territorio di Roma VI-III millennio a.C. Archaeopress. Forte V., Pulitani G. (2020). Analisi tecnologica delle ceramiche decorate a stralucido della facies di Rinaldone del territorio di Roma. In Anzidei A.P. and Carboni G. (Eds) Roma Prima del Mito: Abitati e Necropoli dal Neolitico alla prima eta’ dei metalli nel territorio di Roma VI-III millennio a.C., Archaeopress. Carboni G., Celant A., Forte V, Magri D., Nunziante Cesaro S., Anzidei A.P. (2020).I residui anidri contenuti nei vasi delle necropoli della Romanina e di Torre della Chiesaccia-necropoli (Roma) e la più antica attestazione di una bevanda fermentata nell’Eneolitico italiano: l’idromele. In Anzidei A.P. and Carboni G. (Eds) Roma Prima del Mito: Abitati e Necropoli dal Neolitico alla prima eta’ dei metalli nel territorio di Roma VI-III millennio a.C.. Archaeopress. Festa G., Romano L., Forte V. (2019). Area 1Pottery – part 2 Clay, Fabrics and Firing Technology, 401-415. In Romano L. – D’Agostino F. (eds), Abu Tbeirah Excavation I. Area 1 Last Phase and Building A Phase 1, Sapienza Universita’ Editrice, Rome 2019.

Stella Nunziante Cesaro
Infrared Spectroscopy
Infrared Spectroscopy
Senior Researcher, President of the Italian section of the Cultural Association “ Scientific Methodologies Applied to Cultural Heritage (SMATCH-Italy).
Graduated in Physics and Chemistry was researcher of the National Council of Research at the Department of Chemistry of the Sapienza University until 2009.
At present, she is president of the Italian Section of the Cultural Association “ Scientific Methodologies Applied to Cultural Heritage (www. smatch-international.com)” having a cooperation agreement with the Department of Classics of the ‘Sapienza’ University in Rome (Italy). In this frame she applies the Fourier Transform InfraRed Spectroscopy (FT-IR ), a non invasive and non destructive technique, in order to ascertain the presence of micro residues on archaeological artifacts, mainly lithic tools, and to characterize their nature. The data obtained are always compared to use wear and elemental analysis results.
Publications
V. Forte, S. Nunziante Cesaro and L. Medeghini
Cooking traces on Copper Age pottery from central Italy: An integrated approach comprising use wear analysis, spectroscopic analysis and experimental archaeology.
J. of Archaeological Science. Reports 18 (2018) 121-138
Flavia Venditti, Stella Nunziante-Cesaro, Yoni Parush, Avi Gopher, Ran Barkai
Recycling for a purpose in the late Lower Paleolithic Levant: Use-wear and residue analyses of small sharp flint items indicate a planned and integrated subsistence behavior at Qesem Cave (Israel).
Journal of Human Evolution 131(2019) 109-123
Flavia Venditti, Emanuela Cristiani, Stella Nunziante-Cesaro, Aviad Agam, Cristina Lemorini & Ran Barkai
Animal residues found on tiny Lower Paleolithic tools reveal their use in butchery
Scientific Reports | (2019) 9:13031 | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-49650-8
A. Nucara, S. Nunziante Cesaro, F. Venditti, C. Lemorini
A multivariate analysis for enhancing the interpretation of infrared spectra of plant residues on lithic artefacts
J. Archeological Science: Reports 33, October 2020, 102526
- snunziantecesaro@gmail.com

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Université Paris X, Nanterre (France)
Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU) (Spain)
Universidad de Burgos (Spain)