Castiglione di Marano (Modena), 114 by 64, and 3 mètres thick. (B. 422, p. 19.)
Pragatto (Bologna), 200 by 150, and 3 mètres thick. (B. 372, p. 138.)
In his description of Bellanda (Mantua), Chierici observes that the bacino was a rectangle 96 mètres across, giving an area of about two acres, to which he adds "ampiezza ordinaria delle terremare." (B. 372, p. 80.) On the other hand, the two whose measurements have been accurately given by Parazzi, viz. Cogozzo and Casale Zaffanella, show a superficial area of only half this size, a fact which induced Parazzi to observe that the terremare in Viadana seemed to be smaller than those of Emilia and that at Bellanda. (B. 451, p. 4.)
Number.—The total number of terramara stations in the Po valley is over 100, which are thus (approximately) distributed among the provinces:—Parma, 30; Reggio, 25; Modena, 16; Bologna, 5 or 6; Mantua, about 20; and Brescia, 8.
Relics.—More trustworthy knowledge of the social conditions and general culture of the terramaricoli is to be derived from a study of the remains of their villages than if they had come within the scope of the earliest written records. The ordinary débris here accumulated, such as the more imperishable portions of food refuse, stray objects, etc., are arranged in chronological sequence like geological strata, the more recent being on the surface, and the oldest at the bottom. Wherever an object of human industry happened to drop there it remained, marking in all time coming its relative place in the duration of the community. The industrial remains show that these people founded their dwellings in the early Bronze Age. The existence of a few flint implements and other objects of the Stone Age is quite in harmony with the usual overlap of the relics of dying customs in the transition period. That the weaving of cloth was largely practised by them is proved by the extraordinary variety and abundance of spindle-whorls and loom-weights. They made ornamental buttons of terra-cotta, horn, and bone; as well as pins, combs, and other objects of the latter materials. Wood was also largely used in the manufacture of a great variety of things, as handles, dishes, spoons, floorings, etc. (B. 328e.) That they worked their implements and ornaments of bronze is proved by the number of foundry objects collected, as bronze slag, stone moulds, etc. ([Fig. 83], Nos. 14 to 17).
We have already seen that the terramaricoli had an extensive knowledge of the ceramic art. The vessels in daily use were no less varied and elegant in shape than our modern jugs, teapots, cups, bowls, basins, saucers, flower-vases, etc. Some had everted rims and the majority flat bases. The ornamentation consisted of parallel and wavy ridges, knobs (sometimes perforated), triangles, and crosses of incised grooves, circular or semicircular impressions, etc. But most characteristic are the appendages attached to the tops of the handles ([Fig. 84], Nos. 21 and 22), which were of the most varied and fanciful forms. These remarkable handles are not found on pottery beyond the area circumscribed by the terremare. Nor is the fully-developed ansa lunata found in the lake-dwellings within this area, with the exception of the stations at Peschiera, Mincio and Il Bor, in the south-east corner of Lake Garda. Rudimentary forms of these handles, such as those from the lake-dwellings of Polada ([Fig. 67], Nos. 13 and 14), Arquà Petrarca and Fimon ([Fig. 66]), are also found in the western district of the Po valley ([Fig. 48], No. 16). The terremare would, therefore, appear to be somewhat posterior to the earlier lake-dwellings. But, on the other hand, the later lake-dwellings (Peschiera and Mincio) were posterior to the terremare. Not only does the pottery of the palafitte at Peschiera include the characteristic anse lunate ([Fig. 65], No. 26), but among its bronze relics are examples of almost every object found in the terremare, as razors, pins, sickles, knives, etc.—a fact which will be at once seen from a comparison of their respective objects here illustrated. (Compare [Figs. 63], [64], and [65], with [Figs. 83], [84], and [85].) Moreover, from this comparison a further inference will be drawn, viz. that the lake-dwelling remains contain various objects which are not found in the terremare, as fibulæ ([Fig. 64], Nos. 8 and 22 to 25), bracelets ([Fig. 63], Nos. 31 and 32), one-edged knives ([Fig. 64], No. 11), torques ([Fig. 63], Nos. 13, 19), etc., all of which are indisputably of later date than the relics of the terremare proper.
Organic Remains.—The principal food of the terramaricoli consisted of the produce derived from agricultural and pastoral farming. An exhaustive analysis of their vegetable remains has not yet been made; but, from the occasional stores of grain, chiefly in a carbonised state, and other provisions met with, they are believed to have been in the habit of eating the following seeds and fruits:—wheat (two varieties), beans, millet, acorns, beech-nuts, apples, pears, sloes, cornel-cherries, brambles, pistachio-nuts (Staphylea pinnata), hazel-nuts, and grapes (Vitis vinifera). Flax was largely cultivated, and its seeds were supposed to have been used as food, while of course its fibres were converted into thread, ropes, and cloth. Among the vegetal remains from Casale Zaffanella submitted to Professor Oreste Mattirolo in Turin, wheat and both the seeds and wood of the vine were recognised.
As regards the domestic and wild animals on which the terramaricoli subsisted, we are in possession of more definite information, owing to the persevering watchfulness of Professor Strobel. The following is his corrected list down to the year 1883 (B. 410c):—
Erinaceus europæus, L. (hedgehog). Gorzano.
Ursus arctos L. (bear). Castellaccio, Gorzano, Campeggine, etc.
Vulpes vulg., Brisson (fox). Castellaccio, Gorzano,
Montecchio, Ronchi di Viadana.
Canis familiaris, S. (domestic dog).
var. Spalletti, Strob. Montecchio, Castione(?), Cogozzo(?), Casale Zaffanella.
" palustris, Rüt. Common.
sub. var. matris optimæ. Gorzano, Montale, Montecchio, Demorta.
Lupus vulgaris (wolf). Castellaccio, Redù.
Meles vulgaris (badger). Montale.
Martes foina, L. (polecat). Gorzano.
Felis catus, L. (wild-cat). Gorzano(?), Montale(?).
Sus scrofa (ferus), L. (wild boar).
Widely spread, but not common.
Sus palustris, Rüt. (domestic pig). Common.
Asinus africanus, Sans. (ass). Common.
Equus caballus (horse). Widely spread and not rare.
The remains are of two races, one large and the other small.
Capreolus vulgaris (roe). Less common on the south side of the Po.
Cervus elaphus, L. (deer). Common.
Dama platyceros, Plinius (fallow deer). Gorzano. Very rare.
Cervus tarandus (reindeer). Gorzano (Coppi).
Hircus ægagrus, L., palustris (goat). Widely spread and common.
Ovis aries, L. (sheep). Emilia, Mantua, Brescia.
var. palustris, Rüt., capricornis, Can. Not rare.
" O. musimom. Castellaccio.
Bos primigenius, Boj., domesticus. Emilia, Mantua, and Brescia. Not common.
Bos brachyceros, Rüt. Very common as domestic cattle.
Lepus timidus (hare). Gorzano (Coppi).
Mus sylvaticus (wood-mouse). Castione.
Hystrix cristata, L. (porcupine). Portion of a quill of this animal was found
in the socket of an arrow-head of bronze from Campeggine.
Castor fiber, L. (beaver). Castellaccio, Cogozzo.
Frugilegus segetem (raven). Gorzano (Coppi).
Gallus domesticus, L. (domestic fowl). S. Ambrogio, Gorzano, Bismantova,
Castellazzo di Fontanellato, Parma, Bozzoletto.
Ciconia alba, W. (stork). Montale.
Ardea cinerea, L. (heron). S. Ambrogio.
Anser segetum (wild-goose). S. Ambrogio, Possioncella near Viadana.
Anas boschas, L. (duck). Montale, Parma, Cogozzo.
Emys europæa, Sch. (tortoise). Gorzano, Montale, S. Ambrogio (Boni),
Campeggine (Chierici), Casale Zaffanella (Parazzi).
Bufo (a species of toad).
Esox lucius, L. (pike). Parma, Casale Zaffanella (Parazzi).
As coming under the category of organic remains I may add that a great variety of shells, both of living and fossil species, are found in the terramara deposits. Many of them are perforated, especially the more ornamental fossil varieties, and were undoubtedly used as ornaments. Some of the flat shells of bivalves give a tingling noise when struck, and are therefore supposed to have been used to produce some kind of musical sound. Land and fresh-water species were also, no doubt, used as food. Coppi in his monograph (vol. ii. p. 100) describes and illustrates a variety of the more striking forms collected in Gorzano; and, in summing up his list, he states that 479 were of marine origin (either recent or fossil), 388 belonged to fresh-water species, and 31 were land shells.