- chapter 13: Etruria and Corsica –
Figure 13.2 Molds for bronze casting: 1–2. Alò Bisucce (Lanfranchi 1992); 3. Mutola (Lanfranchi
1978); 4. Castidetta (Cesari, Nebbia 1996); 5. Castiglione (Cesari 1996); 6. Marze (Antolini 2008);- Punta Ficcaghjola (Pêche-Quilichini 2009); 8. Capula (Lanfranchi 1978).
indicate a certain vitality in local metallurgy (Pêche-Quilichini 2009; Milletti 2012b),
with some island shapes that betray clear links with the mainland tradition, especially
among the fi bulae. Simply, the adoption of these into local costume shows the strength of
the contacts with Middle-Tyrrhenian Etruria; in fact, these bronzes occur as the principal
element in the offerings of Corsican burials of the First Iron Age, in contrast to what
happens in nearby Sardinia, where fi bulae, although attested since the Late Bronze Age,
are not yet in evidence in the tombs and are only occasionally offered at sanctuaries.
Among the various styles, in Corsica those “ad arco serpeggiante” (“with serpentine bow”)
predominate; certainly to be considered local productions are some large fi bulae with
multiple loops in the bow or with elbow bends (Lanfranchi, Weiss 1997; Milletti 2012b).
The larger specimens can reach up to 20 cm in length and the section near the bow is
decorated with a burin (Fig. 13.3 nos. 4–5). But there are also less frequent shapes with
a bow of one or two loops (Fig. 13.3 nos. 1–3), characteristic of the northern sector
of Etruria, imported and imitated not only in Corsica but also in Sardinia (Delpino,
1981, 1997). As for the other categories of bronze-work arriving on the island there are
some peninsular axes, such as a winged example from Castifao, Corte (Fig. 13.4 no. 1),
attributable to the Vetulonia type, and a socketed axe from Maison Perragi, Aleria-Corte
(Fig. 13.4 no. 2), paralleled by the San Francesco type with broad shoulders (Carancini
1984). Both types are widely diffused in northern Etruria (Lo Schiavo, Milletti 2011).