New Insights on Material Use for Roman and Late Antique Sarcophagi in the Basilica of San Apollinare in Classe (Ravenna, Italy)

This paper presents the provenance of white marble used in late antique sarcophagi from the Basilica of San Apollinare in Classe (Ravenna), challenging the long-held assumption that most marble came from the quarries of Proconnesos (Marmara Island, Turkey) in the Eastern Mediterranean. While previous studies have relied primarily on stylistic, typological analysis and historical presumptions, the research of this project uses a combination of non-destructive and minimally invasive methods, including macroscopic and microscopic examination, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, δ18O and δ13C stable isotope analysis. The analysis of sarcophagi from the Basilica of San Apollinare in Classe reveals the use of different types of marble, showing a combination of marbles from different quarries. The results of the analyses indicate that in addition to Proconnesos marble, material from quarries on Thassos and Paros was also used in the Ravenna region. The results emphasise the diversity of marble sources beyond Proconnesos, including quarries in Asia Minor, Thassos and Paros. This study contributes to a broader understanding of Mediterranean trade networks and artistic production in Late Antiquity, and also highlights the need for further research into the marble trade in the northern Adriatic.