Fishing the Mediterranean Red Coral

Since prehistoric times, the precious red coral Corallium rubrum (L., 1758) has been an essential Mediterranean resource (Fig. 1.3). As a precious stone in jewellery, red coral has been found among artefacts unearthed from prehistoric graves in various Mediterranean and European locations (Tescione 1965; Marini and Ferru 1989; Bussoletti et al. 2010; Cattaneo-Vietti and Bavestrello 2010; Tsounis et al. 2010). Over time, its red high-magnesium calcite skeleton has also assumed important religious and apotropaic significance as people believed it to be a good luck charm (Balzano 1838, 1870; Price and Narchi 2015). Even today, coral amulets and necklaces are donated to infants and brides as propitiatory ornaments.