El tráfico marítimo de lingotes de cobre en la Bahía de Cádiz. Novedades del pecio Arapal (S. I D.C)

Abstract

The maritime trade in copper ingots through Baetic harbous is a research problematic that has generally been studied from final shipments or as residual elements in port or production areas. To date, a homogeneous and unique shipment of ingots ofRoman chronology (Ist BC), that would allow the study of the intermediate processes of concentration and fiscal control of said products, had not been documented. In this work we propose the interpretive hypothesis that the Arapal Wreck, recently documented in the surroundings ofthe Sancti Petri islet, constitutes an example ofthis intermediate process. More than 1 30 copper ingots have been documented in this wreck, 78 ofwhich have been extracted for study and conservation by researchers and technicians from the University of Cádiz. We base our interpretation on the archaeometric, metrological and epigraphic study that is being done on the collection, as well as on the information obtained through a meticulous registration and excavation process. The results ofthis work are still in process of analysis, here we present the initial study ofthe collection that Will undoubtedly give new and promising results in the future.