Una rilettura del ripostiglio di Falda della Guardiola, Populonia (LI)
In: Archeologia Classica: 62, 2011
Permalink: http://digital.casalini.it/2634583
The Falda della Guardiola bronze hoard was found at Populonia in 1924 during the massive
and uncontrolled retrieval due to recycling of the slag near a tower of the lower walls of the city, the
chronology of which remains uncertain, dating somewhere between the Archaic and the Hellenistic
period, but probably built on an earlier wall course. It now consists of five Northern Etruria types
winged axes, a Monte Sa Idda type sword and a Nuragic miniature bronze boat. In the first edition
of the hoard, Antonio Minto also reported the presence of a fibula, but at present there is no sign
of it.
The deposition of the hoard dates to the advanced third quarter of the
8th
century BC, but the
Nuragic bronzes are older, dating to the Late Bronze Age. This important context evidences the
close relationship between Populonia and Sardinia, based on a continuous and mutual exchange
of mining and metallurgy technological know-how, which had started in earlier periods, as attested
by the discovery of many Nuragic objects in the necropolis of the Gulf of Baratti (Poggio e Piano
delle Granate, San Cerbone-Casone-Porcareccia) and in the village of Poggio del Telegrafo, on the
historical acropolis of Populonia. The persistence of this relationship is demonstrated by the influence of the Nuragic tradition on bronze and pottery productions of Northern Etruria, particularly
Populonia and Vetulonia. This can be seen in some local imitations of Nuragic models, such as the
so called 'quiver' pendants, the 'buttons' and the askoid jugs.