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An interdisciplinary study of the ancient landscape of the Trieste Karst (north-eastern Italy) is presented in this paper. Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) has been applied to obtain high-resolution topography of the 25 km2 investigated area in order to identify potential archaeological anomalies. The ALS-derived high-resolution Digital Terrain Models have been visualized and managed using QGIS and Relief Visualization Toolbox. Possible archaeological anomalies have been verified through field surveys and interpreted using a multidisciplinary approach mainly based on the collection of associated archaeological materials and geomorphological and stratigraphic evidence. From a methodological perspective, the elaboration and study of ALS-derived images, and in particular the local relief model visualization, combined with the collection of Roman shoe hobnails, have proven to be effective approaches for the certain identification and dating of Roman roads in karst environments. The obtained results have revealed an almost completely unknown Roman landscape: the investigated area was crossed by important public roads, whose layout has been accurately reconstructed for a total length of over 10 km, and occupied by large country estates, sometimes enclosed within boundary walls perfectly fitting the Roman land division grid. One of the identified buildings could correspond to a road station, perhaps the Avesica known from ancient itinerary documents—i.e., the itinerarium Antonini Augusti—due to its position and proximity to a major road junction.

A lo largo del s. XVIII y primera mitad del XIX el sílex se convirtió en materia prima estratégica para la fabricación de piedras de chispa utilizadas en distintas armas de fuego. El ejército español obtuvo buena parte de sus suministros del Reino de Granada y, a partir de 1760, de las canteras situadas cerca de Zaragoza, en el entorno del río Huerva, comarca que se convirtió en uno de los principales centros de producción como resultado del sistema de contratas establecido por la Corona para el suministro de más de un millón de piedras anuales. En el artículo presentamos las impresionantes huellas arqueológicas de aquellas explotaciones mineras –trincheras, galerías, pozos, escombreras...–, los lugares de transformación y la tecnología de talla empleada, junto con algunos datos documentales de la producción de estos ‘pedernaleros’, un oficio especializado y gremial, que se extinguió hacia mediados del XIX cuando las armas con llave de chispa quedaron obsoletas. Pero sobre todo queremos dar cuenta de un patrimonio extraordinariamente conservado y prácticamente desconocido que demanda su reconocimiento y puesta en valor., Throughout the 18th century and the first half of the 19th century, flint became a strategic raw material due to its use in the manufacture of gunflints for different firearms. The Spanish army obtained a large part of its supplies from the Kingdom of Granada –roughly the present day Province of Granada– and, since 1760, from the quarries located near Zaragoza around the Huerva River. This region became one of the main production centers as a result of the contracting system established by the Crown for the supply of more than one million stones per year. In the article we present the impressive archaeological footprints of those exploitations –trenches, galleries, pits, dumps…–, the processing places and the knapping technology used and some documentary data on the production and the specialized craftsmen known as pedernaleros. Pedernaleros craft and union trade died out in the mid-19th century when weapons with flintlock mechanism became obsolete. But, above all, we want to give an account for an extraordinarily preserved and practically unknown heritage that demands its recognition and enhancement.

Статья посвящена изучению материалов архива выдающегося археолога М.Е. Фосс, которые имеют как научный, так и личный характер. Эти материалы дают нам представление о личности М.Е. Фосс. Главные ее качества – трудолюбие и организованность, помноженные на умение терпеть и преодолевать трудности, не предаваясь унынию. Они отчетливо прослеживаются по полевым записям, например, касающимся поездке на Летний берег Белого моря с коллегами холодным летом 1926 г., с морозами, северными ветрами, мошкой, дикими зверями и без оружия. Некоторые записи и рисунки, сохранившиеся в архиве, указывают на прекрасное чувство юмора М.Е. Фосс. В переписке с коллегами, местными краеведами и музейщиками она не делала различий, демонстрируя готовность оказать помощь и поддержку, дать добрый совет, будь то зеленый студент или маститый ученый. Она всегда старалась быть в стороне от советской идеологии, как в научной работе, так и в жизни, и всем сердцем любила природу, что очень сильно проявляется в ее лирических заметках, сделанных в ходе многочисленных экспедиций., The archive materials of the notable archaeologist, which have both scientific and private character, give us a possibility to reveal the traits of M.E. Foss’s personality. Her main features were diligence and self-control, multiplied by the ability to overcome difficulties with optimism. We can follow these dignities by her field notes, for example during the extremely difficult search trip to the White Sea shore in 1926 with her colleagues, during the cold northern summer, surrounded by wild animals, without guns. Some notes and drawings witness her perfect sense of humor. Exchanging letters with colleagues, local historians and museum employees, she frequently demonstrated the ability to give kind advice and friendly support, paying no attention to person’s position whether it was a student or an honored academician. She usually tried to stay away from the Soviet ideology restrictions both in her behavior and studies, and loved nature with all her heart, which is evident from her lyric fieldwork footnotes.