From Thursday 6 to Friday 7 November 2025, the University of Sinea will host the final workshop of the project:
The Times of Castles.
Multidisciplinary research for a new chronology of the building sites of incastellamento (11th-13th centuries)
The meeting will represent a crucial moment of scholarly exchange, bringing together the research team and internationally renowned scholars to present and discuss the findings achieved by the project.
Day One: The Project and the Chronologies of Incastellamento
The opening session, chaired by Luigi Provero, will feature a presentation of the research objectives and the multidisciplinary scientific approach adopted by the team coordinated by Giovanna Bianchi (University of Siena), Alessio Fiore (University of Turin), Carlo Alberto Garzonio (University of Florence), and Carmine Lubritto (University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli). The presentation will demonstrate how the project integrates archaeological, historical, geological, and physico-chemical expertise to address one of the most complex questions in European historiography: the chronology of the formation and transformation of medieval castles.
The proceedings will continue with an in-depth analysis of the different chronological phases of incastellamento. Giovanna Bianchi and Alessio Fiore will present findings related to the first incastellamento, highlighting the structural and settlement characteristics of early fortifications and their relationship with the evolution of local powers. The presentation on the second incastellamento will subsequently illustrate the expansion and consolidation phase of the phenomenon, bringing to light the architectural and functional transformations that characterize this period.
In the afternoon, Maria Ginatempo (University of Siena) and Giulia Bellato (Trinity College Cambridge) will present research findings on the third incastellamento, analysing the ways in which the phenomenon evolved in its more mature phases, with particular attention to the dynamics of social and economic transformation that accompanied these processes.
A specific focus will be dedicated to mining castles, the subject of Giovanna Bianchi‘s presentation. These settlements represent a particular typology, in which the defensive function is closely intertwined with the exploitation of the territory’s mineral resources, creating complex settlement systems that require specific interpretative frameworks.
The day will conclude with an extensive discussion featuring the participation of Luc Bourgeois, Sandro Carocci, and Chris Wickham. The debate will enable the contextualisation of Italian research findings within the broader panorama of European studies on incastellamento, highlighting methodological convergences and the specificities of different territorial contexts.
Day Two: Research Protocols
The second day, chaired by Carlo Alberto Garzonio, will examine in depth the methodological aspects that constitute one of the project’s most innovative elements, with particular reference to dating techniques and the characterisation of construction materials.
Elena Pecchioni (University of Florence) will illustrate the contribution of geological disciplines to the study of medieval castles, demonstrating how petrographic analysis of the rocks used in construction enables reconstruction of material procurement strategies and the relationships between building site and territory. The presentation will highlight how geological characterisation is essential to any attempt at scientific dating of structures.
Sara Calandra (University of Florence) will present in detail the mortar characterisation procedure developed within the project and the scientific criteria for selecting samples intended for radiocarbon dating. The presentation will emphasise the importance of a rigorous protocol that ensures the reliability of results, minimising the risks of contamination and erroneous interpretation of chronological data.
Carmine Lubritto (University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli) will present the conceptual model developed by the research group for the management and interpretation of radiocarbon dating of mortars. This represents one of the project’s most significant contributions: whilst the dating of mortars through radiocarbon is technically possible, it presents numerous interpretative challenges that only a rigorous methodological approach can effectively address. The proposed model enables evaluation of the reliability of chronological data and construction of coherent temporal sequences for incastellamento building projects.
Andrea Arrighetti, Mauro Buonincontri, and Andrea Bardi (University of Siena) will offer innovative interpretative insights into the organisation of the medieval building site, analysing the relationship between construction site and surrounding territory. The presentation will demonstrate how the integrated study of local resources and work organisation enables reconstruction of the productive dynamics that made the realisation of these complex architectural structures possible.
The concluding discussion session, enriched by contributions from Michele Secco and Emma Cantisani, will enable an in-depth comparison of analytical methodologies applied to historic construction materials, consolidating the foundations for future research developments and for the systematic application of these protocols to the study of medieval building.
