Un sito per la produzione del sale sulla spiaggia di Baratti (area Centro Velico) alla fine dell’età del Bronzo

This paper presents the results of archaeological investigations carried out in 2008 on the beach of Baratti, near the Centro Velico, where a protohistoric structure was identified and interpreted as a salt production facility dating to the Late Bronze Age. The partially preserved installation features a complex layout with corridors defined by stone walls and clay linings, associated with traces of combustion and ceramic fragments. Comparisons with similar structures found in Tuscany and France support the hypothesis of briquetage activity, i.e., the production of salt cakes. The study highlights the economic and settlement significance of salt exploitation along the Tyrrhenian coast during protohistoric times, suggesting a network of specialized sites stretching from Populonia to Scarlino and other coastal areas. The decline of these practices is attributed to environmental and technological changes occurring at the onset of the Iron Age.