Origini dei materiali vetrosi italiani: esotismi e localismi.

The investigation of ltalian protohistoric glassy materials has so far been mostly focused on Northern Italy and only a few materials from Central and Southern Italy have been studied. A critical review of the available literature and the study of recently discovered materials enabled an overall chrono-typological assessment of the materials, and the reasoned sampling of the specimens for archaeometric analysis. The results obtained so far indicate that the early ornamental objects (faience, glassy faience and glass) developed along 4 main historical phases, The earliest faiences (segmented beads, biconical beads) appeared at the beginning of the EBA in Northern Iraly, probably derived from the Danube area. In the MBA 1-2 phase, glassyfaiences of LMHK com position (Low Magnesium High Potassium) were locally produced in Northern -and Central Italy, particularly conical buttons. This phase also mcludes the first glassy rnarerials in Southern. Italy; often associated with Aegean-type ceramic materials. The 'MBA3-RBA phase is more varied in terms of type and technology, showing faience, glassy faience and glass imported from the Aegean and Near Eastern areas, although some may be locally produced imitations (HMBG - High Magnesium Brown Glasses - which to date seem to be typical af REA Northern Italian "Terramare' culture). Hence, given the absence of the LMHK recipe in this period, it is not possible to directly link the FBA LMHK glass objects to the faience and glassy faience of EBA / MBA 1-2age.