Archaeointensity determinations from Italy: new data and the Earth's magnetic field strength variation over the past three millennia

Three kilns and a collection of baked bricks from Italian archaeological sites have been studied for archaeointensity determination using the Thellier method as modified by Coe. All sites are dated based on archaeological information and their ages range from 500 to 800 AD and 1500 to 1700 AD. Rock magnetic studies identify magnetite, Ti- magnetite and hematite as the main magnetic minerals, and magnetic susceptibility versus temperature shows a good thermal stability of the samples. The intensity results have been corrected for anisotropy of the thermoremanent magnetization and cooling rate effects. The new data together with 136 previously published results are used to estimate the variation of the Earth's magnetic field over the past three millennia. The time distribution of the Italian absolute intensity data is irregular with the majority of determinations concentrated during the last four centuries, while older periods are very poorly covered. Most of the data come from volcanic rocks and show significant discrepancies. All data have been compared with archaeointensity results from Europe and regional and global models predictions. This work indicates the need to obtain more high quality archaeointensity results, in particular for the periods older than 200 BC and between 200 and 1000 AD, in order to determine a robust Italian intensity secular variation curve that, in combination with directional data, could be used for archaeomagnetic dating.