Systematic sourcing of granite shafts from Gallia Narbonensis and comparison with other western Mediterranean areas

A systematic analysis of granite shafts from the ancient region of Gallia Narbonensis reveals that 75% originated in Turkey, with smaller contributions from Elba (20.5%), Aswan, Sardinia, and Corsica. Using non-invasive techniques like magnetic susceptibility and chemical analysis, researchers identified at least 174 original shafts among 276 fragments across 21 localities, with four key sites accounting for 54% of the corpus. Portable X-ray fluorescence resolved ambiguities between Corsican and Egyptian granites by measuring strontium (Sr) and rubidium (Rb) contents. While most shafts date to medieval or modern contexts, the findings suggest long-distance transport may have occurred after Roman times, complicating interpretations of ancient trade patterns.

Rochette, P., Ambrosi, J. P., Amraoui, T., Andrieu, V., Badie, A., Borgard, Ph., Gattacceca, J., Hartmann-Virnich, A., Panneau, M., & Planchon, J. (2022). Systematic sourcing of granite shafts from Gallia Narbonensis and comparison with other western Mediterranean areas. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 42, 103372. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2022.103372