Counting the pieces: a quantitative approach to cultural changes from Roman Karales (Sardinia, Italy)

Abstract

A single urban excavation can’t allow understand the evolution of an ancient city because of its usual small extension. Alas, a good way to get all the data from a small-scale dig is to analyse and understand archaeological finds from different perspectives. An interesting approach to understand trade and cultural changes can be found in quantitative analysis. Accounting archaeological finds can be made in many ways but a common method is to calculate the percentage of MNI of pottery sherds per decades to trace trend graphics. Peaks and lows tell a lot about commercial trade but also changes related to cultural phenomena. The aim of the paper is the comparison of the results about amphorae and fine-ware sherds – both local and imported –, to trace historical-political shifting and to verify how cultural changes influence, or get influenced by, in Sardinia in the moment of transition between Punic and Roman phases.