Crocevia di uomini e merci: il contributo dello studio dei materiali emersi dallo scavo della basilica paleocristiana di Capo Don a Riva Ligure (IM)

The Basilica of Capo Don in Riva Ligure (IM) has been excavated for several years by the Pontifical Institute of Christian Archaeology, the Soprintendenza Archeologica della Liguria and the Nino Lamboglia Onlus Foundation. The Basilica is located near the seashore along the coastal road and is presumably identifiable with the Costa Balenae of the Tabula Peutingeriana. During the investigations traces of a Roman villa emerged; later a multifunctional Christian Basilica was established, which remained in use throughout the Middle Ages. The numerous artifacts found cover the life span of the site, including both local productions and long distance imports. The vessels transported through maritime trade routes were certainly unloaded in a port nearby, which guaranteed a steady supply of amphorae, fine, coarse and cooking wares from Africa (between the 3rd and 6th centuries AD), as well as of eastern amphorae (5th-8th century AD). At the same time, coarse ware produced between Liguria and Provence and soapstone vessels coming from the Alps were traded by land. The study of the large amount of pottery discovered is inserted in a territorial context - the area between Provence and the region of Ventimiglia-Albintimilium - where such researches benefit from a long-standing tradition. Hence, it can provide a substantial contribution to the known panorama, with particular regard to the period between the 5th and 8th centuries AD. Local and non-local elements concur to outline one of the most interesting ceramic assemblages recently excavated in Liguria, and in Italy.