Gabii through its Artefacts

This book brings together 15 papers on objects from the excavations of the town of Gabii undertaken since 2007. Objects ranging from the pre-Roman to Imperial periods are examined using a mix of approaches, making an effort to be sensitive to excavation context and formation processes.

Gabii through its Artefacts brings together 15 papers written by as many scholars on objects from the excavations of the town of Gabii undertaken by three different international teams since 2007: The Gabii Project, which is a primarily US-based group of scholars; a team from the Musee du Louvre; and a team from the University of Rome “Tor Vergata” collaborating with the Soprintendenza Speciale per i Beni Archeologici di Roma. The contributions aim to consider artefacts outside the ceramic report and small finds catalogue format in terms of both the wide variety of materials and the possibilities for unique individual stories. Objects ranging from the pre-Roman to Imperial periods are examined using a mix of approaches, making an effort to be sensitive to excavation context and formation processes. Approaches include archaeometric, spatial, and statistical analyses, artefact life history approaches, and archival approaches. Thus, different scales of analysis are also undertaken: in some cases individual objects are focused on, in others whole classes or assemblages. The papers ultimately share the common goal of offering new stories about the inhabitants of Gabii told through their artefacts. Together they enliven the Gabines’ behaviours: their concerns about personal and economic security and status, their productive activities and trade connections to other towns, their aesthetic and ritual concerns, their political affiliations and aspirations.

Prefazione al volume Tales from Gabii. Studies on material culture and beyond - Laura M. Banducci and Mattia D'Acri The Gabii Project Introduction to the "Gabii Project" (2007-2022) - Laura M. Banducci Notes on the Opaque Red Ware at Gabii - Mattia D'Acri Loom Weights as Evidence for Textile Production at Ancient Gabii - Christina Cha Trends in Fine Ware Consumption across Republican and Imperial Gabii - Matt Harder The Distribution of Coins at Gabii: Areas A through F - Shannon Ness and Elizabeth C. Robinson Reimagining Female Property Ownership in the Later Empire: a case study of a Roman Ring Key at Gabii - Brittany Proffitt Hamilton's Forum: A New Center for a Shifting City - Zoe Ortiz Equipe du Louvre Les fouilles du musee du Louvre dans le centre urbain de Gabies - Steve Glisoni Terracotta Artefacts from the Temple of Juno Gabina - Recent Findings - Isabelle Hasselin Rous Reconstruction and Contextualization of the Julio-Claudian Group from the Borghese Excavations at Gabii - Marjolaine Benaich and Martin Szewczyk Progetto "Tor Vergata"- Soprintendenza Speciale di Roma (2007-2012) Premessa: I materiali rinvenuti a Gabii tra il 2007-2012. Analisi di alcune classi di reperti, attualmente in fase di studio - Marco Fabbri Gabii, campagne di scavo 2007-2012: la ceramica di impasto - Paola Ghigliordini Gabii, campagne di scavo 2007-2012: la ceramica di impasto rosso - Rocco Bochicchio Gabii, campagne di scavo 2007-2012: il bucchero - Laura Protani Gabii, campagne di scavo 2007-2012: i materiali fittili da uno scarico votivo sull'arx e dal santuario orientale - Valeria Ducatelli Gabii, campagne di scavo 2007-2012: le anfore - Rocco Bochicchio and Pamela Manzo Gabii, campagne di scavo 2011-2012: i bolli laterizi - Fabrizio A. Terrizzi Gabii, campagne di scavo 2007-2012: i reperti numismatici - Fabrizio A. Terrizzi Bibliography,

Prefazione al volume

Tales from Gabii. Studies on material culture and beyond – Laura M. Banducci and Mattia D’Acri

The Gabii Project

Introduction to the “Gabii Project” (2007-2022) – Laura M. Banducci

Notes on the Opaque Red Ware at Gabii – Mattia D’Acri

Loom Weights as Evidence for Textile Production at Ancient Gabii – Christina Cha

Trends in Fine Ware Consumption across Republican and Imperial Gabii – Matt Harder

The Distribution of Coins at Gabii: Areas A through F – Shannon Ness and Elizabeth C. Robinson

Reimagining Female Property Ownership in the Later Empire: a case study of a Roman Ring Key at Gabii – Brittany Proffitt

Hamilton’s Forum: A New Center for a Shifting City – Zoe Ortiz

Équipe du Louvre

Les fouilles du musée du Louvre dans le centre urbain de Gabies – Steve Glisoni

Terracotta Artefacts from the Temple of Juno Gabina – Recent Findings – Isabelle Hasselin Rous

Reconstruction and Contextualization of the Julio-Claudian Group from the Borghese Excavations at Gabii – Marjolaine Benaich and Martin Szewczyk

Progetto “Tor Vergata”- Soprintendenza Speciale di Roma (2007-2012)

Premessa: I materiali rinvenuti a Gabii tra il 2007-2012. Analisi di alcune classi di reperti, attualmente in fase di studio – Marco Fabbri

Gabii, campagne di scavo 2007-2012: la ceramica di impasto – Paola Ghigliordini

Gabii, campagne di scavo 2007-2012: la ceramica di impasto rosso – Rocco Bochicchio

Gabii, campagne di scavo 2007-2012: il bucchero – Laura Protani

Gabii, campagne di scavo 2007-2012: i materiali fittili da uno scarico votivo sull’arx e dal santuario orientale – Valeria Ducatelli

Gabii, campagne di scavo 2007-2012: le anfore – Rocco Bochicchio and Pamela Manzo

Gabii, campagne di scavo 2011-2012: i bolli laterizi – Fabrizio A. Terrizzi

Gabii, campagne di scavo 2007-2012: i reperti numismatici – Fabrizio A. Terrizzi

Bibliography

• Edited by Laura M. Banducci
• Edited by Mattia D’Acri

‘Overall, Gabii through its Artefacts is a valuable resource for archaeologists, historians, and students interested in Roman material culture. Banducci and D’Acri have curated a volume that not only provides rigorous academic analysis but also brings ancient Gabii to life through its artefacts. The book sets a high standard for future studies of ancient urban centres and demonstrates the power of material culture to tell new and compelling stories about the past.’ – Marcella Boglione (2025): Museum Helveticum Volume 82

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‘This volume stands out for its qualitative analysis of everyday objects, shifting attention away from built structures, which often take centre stage in discussions of ancient cities and urban life. The contributions are of outstanding quality, delivering expert examinations of specific object classes, accompanied by a rich collection of images and maps. One of the volume’s clearest strengths lies in the way it contextualizes artifacts both within Gabii and its immediate environment while also situating them within a wider regional and interregional comparative framework, connecting Gabii with archaeological data from many other sites across Italy and the Roman provinces. As a result, the book is an invaluable resource for scholars studying pre-Roman but particularly Roman and Late Antique material culture. Despite these strengths, some critical observations can be raised. … In conclusion, the individual chapters deserve recognition for highlighting Gabii’s diverse material evidence, but the volume might have been enhanced by a concluding chapter that addresses both this issue and synthesizes its broader contributions to our knowledge of daily life at ancient Gabii.’ - Adeline Hoffelinck (2025): Theoretical Roman Archaeology Journal

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