Fish and Crustacean from a Roman Amphora in Northern Italy

In this paper, the study of the contents of an amphora dating to the Roman Empire from the city of Vicenza in northern Italy is discussed. The amphora, along with others, formed part of the foundation of a roadway, which probably functioned for rainwater drainage. The residue in the amphora consisted of remains of very small fish mixed with fragments of crus- taceans. Preservation was poor, and only a small proportion of the fragments were identifiable. Due to the small size of the remains, identification was only possible with the use of a micro- scope. Both freshwater and marine species were identified, suggesting that these fish came from a location on the northern Adriatic shore, where lagoons and estuaries are common.

In questo lavoro si discute del contenuto di un'anfora datata al periodo romano imperiale dalla città di Vicenza, in Italia settentrionale. L'anfora, insieme ad altre, costituiva la fondazione di una strada per un probabile drenaggio. Il residuo trovato all'interno dell'anfora consiste in resti molto piccoli di pesci e crostacei. L'identificazione di specie ittiche di ambiente marino e d'acqua dolce fa supporre la pesca e la produzione in una zona di laguna o di estuario, frequenti in Adriatico settentrionale.