New insights into Early Iron Age connections between Sardinia and Etruria: Archaeometric analyses of ceramics from Tavolara

The island of Tavolara off the coast of northeastern Sardinia (Italy) was intermittently occupied from Neolithic to modern times, and recent excavations at the site of Spalmatore di Terra have revealed the presence of Villanovan ceramics on the island dating to the 9th century BCE (according to the traditional chronology). Contacts between Etruria and Sardinia during the Early Iron Age are well documented by the recovery of Nuragic vessels and metal objects in Etrurian burial contexts, but the presence of Villanovan artefacts in Sardinia is comparably rare. Indeed, discoveries from Spalamatore di Terra represent the first evidence of Villanovan ceramics in Sardinia, likely originating from Tyrrhenian Etruria. To investigate the provenance of the ceramics found at Spalamatore di Terra, a representative sample of these materials was chosen to be studied through a combination of petrographic and geochemical characterisation. A particular emphasis was placed on the Villanovan materials that were most abundant, but a selection of Nuragic sherds was also included. The results of these analyses are significant in that they reveal a surprisingly diverse range of ceramic fabrics that can be linked to Etruria, thus providing insights into Tavolara's place within a broader trans-marine network of interaction.