The Disc Phenomenon: A Technological Study of 50 Protohistoric Bronze Discs with Concentric Decoration, from the Abruzzo Region in Italy

Discs were made of bronze, bronze/iron or iron, and for centuries, they were used by all the Italic protohistorical cultures. Considered a single class of materials, for a long time, they were misconstrued as a whole, as components of armour; on the contrary, contextual discs with concentric decoration, where gender is recognizable, come from feminine burials. Research explores dynamics related to production, use and management of discs, alongside relations between production centres, local workshops, and technological changes from bronze to iron and vice versa. All 50 discs are sporadic, but the 60% of them indicate Fucino as provenience. This research proposes a diachronic analysis exploring the hypothesis that discs with concentric decoration have both independent origins and different functions from either armour pectorals or figurative samples. Discs with concentric decoration belong to a feminine sphere and, in order to process them in all these aspects, the dress code has been investigated through the study of decorations and suspension systems. About 25% of discs were repaired in the past. Therefore, particular attention was given to chemical compositions and technologies of the various constituent elements or parts of reparation, in order to compare data both inside the same disc or among those showing similar interventions: 1) Methodology and discussion; 2) Quantification of findings and data statistical treatment; 3) Technological and traceological analysis, by stereo Optical Microscope (80×); 4) Chemical characterization, by portable ED-XRF.