l consumo di molluschi nell’insediamento fortificato del Bronzo medio di Scogli di Apani (Brindisi)

The alimentary use of molluscs in the Middle Bronze Age fortified settlement of Scogli di Apani (Brindisi) - The Bronze Age fortified settlement of Scogli di Apani is placed in the State Natural Reserve and Marine Protected Area of Torre Guaceto (Brindisi, Italy). Archaeological investigations started in 2008 focusing on two different sectors at the greater islet of Scogli di Apani; these two islands have a total extension of about 1,5 ha and they probably are what today still remains of a larger peninsula slowly eroded and partially submerged by the rising of the sea level during the last millennia. In the Sector A (about 30 m2) the investigation allowed to provide the evidence of a small part of a dwelling structure (hut 1) destroyed by fire; many fragments of daub, the remains of a mud-hearth plate and some handmade impasto containers were found still in situ. In the Sector B (about 95 m2) it was possible to recognize the remains of a large dwell- ing construction (hut 2) destroyed by fire too; the structural evidences are several postholes, some remains of stonework bases, 5 different mud-hearth plates and a large quantity of daub fragments. Moreover many artefacts were found on the floor of the hut in a good state of preservation for their functional state. In 2011 also started the investigation of the hut 3 which was uncovered under the floor of the hut 2. The analysis of the handmade local pottery allows dating these contexts between the local Late Protoapennine and the Ancient Apennine phases. A high proportion of mammal bones and marine mollusc remains, often gathered in well-defined deposits, were recovered from the two huts of the settlement. Preliminary results from the analysis of sea shells are here presented; 80% of those came from hut 2, while only 20% refers to hut 3. The remains mainly belong to rocky shore intertidal species, among which gastropods (Patella caerulea, Hexaplex trunculus, Phorcus turbi- natus) and bivalve (Mytilus galloprovincialis) prevail. An interesting result concerns the state of preservation of Hexaplex trunculus shells that appear highly fragmented. Their state suggests that murex were collected for purple-dye production. Of particular interest is also the shape of the mussel valves that provides important information on environment.