Rinascenze? Vita, oblio e sopravvivenze della scultura altomedievale. Riflessioni sull’ambito italiano

The paper deals with the theme of “renascences” with reference to the Early Medieval Italian sculpture. This was indeed the object of various types of revival throughout the Middle Ages: 1) it provided a repertoire of decorative motifs that were often cited, sometimes imitated, and frequently reworked, especially in the Romanesque period; 2) it was the object of a veritable reuse, and Early Medieval materials were sometimes displayed in later masonry as a sign of antiquity, thus having a legitimising value for the new building, or else they became pure construction material; 3) the decorated pieces remained in place, maintaining their original function for many centuries. Archaeology offers an important contribution to the reconstruction of the Early Medieval sculpture transmission paths, helping to specify times and ways that mark its destiny.