The villa of Aiano —IV c. ‑ mid‑V c. A.D.— shows monumental and sophisticated architectural and planimetric features as the main material evidence of its intricate history. Such evidence testifies to a prestigious residential phase, which came to an end in the Early Middle Ages through the transformation of the site into a quarry for building material with an adjacent estate, hosting workshops for artisans. Aside from the villa’s plan, archaeologists are slowly putting together what survived from the architectural decoration. This complex operation has brought to light rich and refined materials: marble inlays for the floors, wall paintings imitating opus sectile, mosaics made with stone and opaque or transparent glass‑paste tiles, covered in gold leaf. And again, traces of stuccoed decorations, and glass‑paste sectilia sea‑life‑themed which are traceable to Alexandrine workshops for the technique and style displayed. Pearls and pendants too are proof of wealth and elegant taste. All of these data come from fragmented while highly indicative disiecta membra. Their analysis provides a picture of Aiano’s villa as a highly prestigious site not only within the region, but also in the Tyrrhenian coastal area, probably due to direct links of the area with Rome. For instance, the wide use of glass paste sectilia —a luxury provincial product, imported as pre‑made and assembled on site— counts over 2000 fragments retrieved, catalogued and restored until 2023. Such extensive use demonstrates the high cultural and economic standards of this part of inner Tuscany between the fourth and fifth century A.D.
Marco Cavalieri (Thu,) studied this question.