Ceramic production and distribution in North-East Italy: Study of a possible trade network between Friuli Venezia Giulia and Veneto regions during the final Bronze Age and early Iron Age through analysis of peculiar “flared rim and flat lip” pottery

•A peculiar pottery type with a flaring rim and flat lip (FRFL) has been studied.•This pottery was tempered with speleothems.•Provenance analysis has been carried out.•This pottery was possibly imported from the Friuli Venezia Giulia.

A particular type of pottery characterised by flaring rims and flat lips (FRFL ware) was widespread across the Friuli Venezia Giulia region in North-East Italy between the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age. A few of these jars have also been found occasionally in sites in the neighbouring Veneto region. Combined petrographic and chemical analyses were carried out on several shards from three settlements in the Veneto region, Concordia Sagittaria, Padova and Castion d'Erbè, in order to distinguish between local and imported varieties. Petrographic analysis revealed that local products and suspected imported artefacts of this type of pottery are compositionally different. The minero-petrographic composition of the FRFL potsherds is also uniform. Specifically, the presence of carbonate fragments with growing and saw teeth structures, showing alternation of growing white and dark-brown laminae, indicates the use of a similar temper, perhaps composed of concretions or speleothems. In addition, comparisons with a few shards from Friuli Venezia Giulia sites show considerable similarities. This evidence, together with the great diffusion and abundance of FRFL in Friuli Venezia Giulia, indicate that this ware originated from this region and was transported to the nearby Veneto.