SAR AND MAAD TL DATING OF “CAROSELLI” FROM THREE SITES IN CALABRIA, SOUTH ITALY

Abstract

In this work three types of "Caroselli" from difffferent sites in Calabria have been studied. The “Carosello” is a structural hollow element made of clay, placed in arches, in domes or even in the walls of buildings such as churches and houses, with the function of relieving vaults and main structures. Diagnostic tests have been conducted on the “Caroselli” in order to determine the presence of luminescent material, the fifinal goal being the age assessment of such artifacts using thermoluminescence (TL) techniques. Of course the historical frame of the buildings, to which “Caroselli” belong, is known from their style and architectural considerations. The scope of our dating is to supply additional information to clarify whether “Caroselli” were used from the very beginning of building construction or employed in subsequent restorations. The dating process has been conducted using two protocols, the Multiple Aliquot Additive Dose (MAAD) and the Single Aliquot Regenerative-dose (SAR), both by applying TL. The correction obtained by the SAR TL method is preferred because it allows a more accurate estimate of the equivalent dose and avoids problems arising from sample sensitivity. The results show that the three “Caroselli” can be respectively dated back to 1844±11, 1825±40, 1803±30 A.D.. Such results suggest that for two sites (“Madonna del Buonconsiglio” church and “Torre dello Zuino” colonial house), the “Caroselli”, as structural elements, were used since the beginning of the building construction, while for the remaining site (“Pettoruto” church) probably the “Caroselli” were added in a successive restoration of the building, since the historical context of this building belongs to the fourteenth century.