Reimpieghi epigrafici datati da Venezia e dalla laguna veneta

The presence of ancient inscriptions reused as building materials in Venice and in the surrounding islands has been recorded since the early Humanism. However, a precise historical context for these spolia is often hard to determine. Absence of information in documentary sources, as well as the difficulty in tracing dispersed objects, have led to a substantial lack of interest by scholars. In other words, the phenomenon has been so far acknowledged but neglected. Based on a series of case studies, this article focuses on inscribed artefacts dating to the Roman period, whose reuse can be dated with a good degree of accuracy, thanks to the data providedby field archaeology, architectural stratigraphy, and art-historical analysis.