Hadrian's Villa: the "Macchiozzo". Preliminary Report of the Excavations (2014–23). Part III: Movable Objects: Ceramics, Coins, Architectural Elements, Sculptural Fragments, Small Finds, Inscriptions, and General Conclusions

From 2014 to 2023, Columbia University’s Advanced Program of Ancient History and Art (APAHA Tibur) conducted nine field seasons in the area of the “Macchiozzo” at Hadrian’s Villa. The excavations brought to light three large residential buildings of the Hadrianic period, along with copious data on the long-term life of the complex. The report is being published in three installments. Part III presents movable objects: ceramics, coins, architectural elements, sculptural fragments, small finds, and inscriptions, along with a discussion of the site’s general significance. The abundant pottery sherds predominantly date to the third and fourth centuries CE, whereas those that can be dated to the second century are far fewer; moreover, there is a small but highly significant portion of medieval ceramics (ninth–twelfth centuries). Similarly, most of the coins date to the third and especially the fourth centuries CE. Several bronze and lead tokens, many of which are Alexandrian in theme, have been retrieved as well. In several cases, architectural elements in marble, likely Hadrianic, have been moved from their original location and reused in a new context. Among the decorative marble objects are monumental vessels, tondi with Dionysiac imagery, and animal statues—all fragmentary. The remains of small furniture artifacts as well as fragments of inscribed objects are also attested, including a ceramic lion-shaped cake mold and a lead pipe.