Where Do the Lead Ingots of the Saintes‐maries‐de‐la‐mer Wreck Come From? Archaeology Compared With Physics

Abstract

The lead isotope compositions of many different samples from lead ingots of Roman age from two relicts (from Cabrera, and from Saintes‐Maries‐de‐la‐Mer) of the Western Mediterranean have been measured. Other lead isotope analyses of ores, metals or lead ingots from mines of Sierra Morena and from Cartagena and Sardinia have been accomplished. All the lead isotope measurements have been performed at the Joint Research Centre of the European Union, Ispra (Va), Italy. The samples have been prepared in a class 100 clean room, using only ultrapure reagents and FEP materials. In view of the archaeological arguments, it was possible to believe that the Roman lead ingots of the Saintes‐Maries‐de‐la‐Mer 1 wreck came from Spanish lodes, as well as those of the Cabrera 5 wreck. In fact, while the comparison between the first group of ingots (Cabrera 5) and the lead from Sierra Morena is consistent, the correspondence between the second group of ingots (Saintes‐Maries‐de‐la‐Mer 1) and the Cevennes ores (southern France) gives rise to several problems concerning the archaeological and physical origins. These problems are discussed.

New insights into the ancient silver production of the Wallis area, Switzerland

“…Nevertheless, some metallogenic regions have lead isotope fingerprints clearly different from the Wallis mines (Fig. 4) Brevart et al 1982;Le Guen et al 1991;Vogt 2002;Monna 2006 unpublished;Switzerland: Guénette-Beck 2005;Eickenberg et al 1989;Köppel 1997;Mange 1998;Zingg 1989;Austria: Köppel 1997;Köppel andSchroll 1983, 1985;von Quadt 1985;Bulgaria: Stos-Gale et al 1998;Germany: Gottschalk and Baumann 2001;Krahn and Baumann 1996;Lippolt et al 1983;Bielicki and Tischendorf 1991;Niederschlag et al 2003;Durali-Müller 2005;Great Britain: Rohl 1996; Greece: Stos et al 1996;Spain: Stos et al 1995;Arribas and Tosdale 1994;Tincherini et al 2001;Hunt Ortiz 2003;Santos Zalduegui et al 2004;Italy: Gale and Stos-Gale 1981;Stos et al 1995;Boni et al 1992). Fig.…”

Tracing Roman lead sources using lead isotope analyses in conjunction with archaeological and epigraphic evidence—a case study from Augustan/Tiberian Germania

“…), thus giving rise to the assumption that they were produced in Roman Germania. In total, 11 ingots have been analysed for lead isotope composition (LIA s. Trincherini et al 2001;Bode 2008 (cf . Table 1, LIA of the Roman lead ingot from Tongeren (B) (v.i.)…”

“…Lucius Flavius Verucla was possibly active during the same period; the surface find of an ingot fragment from his production, which was found at Bad Sassendorf-Heppen (Westphalia) in the temporarily conquered eastern Germania (Schulten 1917), argues for such a concurrent time frame (Rothenhöfer 2003). In total, eight of Veruclas' lead ingots and one of the 42 lead ingots from Rena Maiore were selected for LIA by Trincherini et al (2001) and Bode (2008;cf. A s i d e f r o m t h e 4 2 AV G V S T I C A E S A R I S GERMANICVM-ingots another lead ingot (with a weight of c. 80 kg) with a manufacturer's mark was retrieved from the wreck at Rena Maiore (Riccardi and Genovesi 2002). The example was stamped twice with the mark PVDENTIS GERM(anicum), thereby seemingly making known another entrepreneur active in Augustan Germania (Hanel and Rothenhöfer 2005).…”

“…But, as in many historical mining regions, younger activities overprinted the old ones so that the exact role of southern France and Sardinia in Roman lead supply cannot be clarified by the archaeological record alone (cf. Davies 1935;Nriagu 1983;de Martino 1985;Begemann and Schmitt-Strecker 1994;Meier 1995;Trincherini et al 2001).…”

“…Graeser and Friedrich 1970; Arribas and Tosdal 1994;Stos-Gale et al 1995 Sierra de Almagrera Dayton and Dayton 1986;Arribas and Tosdal 1994;Stos-Gale et al 1995 Sierra Morena (Los Pedroches) Santos Zalduegui et al 2004 Sierra Morena (Linares-La Carolina) Dayton and Dayton 1986;Stos-Gale et al 1995;Trincherini et al 2001;Santos Zalduegui et al 2004;Tornos and Chiaradia 2004 Sierra Morena (Alcudia-Sierra Madrona)…”