Comercio protohistórico: el registro del Nordeste peninsular y circulación de mineral de plomo en Ibiza y el Bajo Priorato (Tarragona)

A new analysis of mineral and metal samples from Ibiza reveals that the island's silver-bearing galena was exploited alongside lead ore from Cartagena during the Phoenician-Tartessian period, challenging previous assumptions about trade networks in the region. While prior research suggested lead from the Baix Priorat (Tarragona) was circulating in these networks, this study found no evidence of it on Ibiza, indicating a more complex and localized trade system. The findings suggest that Ibiza served as a key hub for metal exchange between the Iberian Peninsula and Carthage, with possible bidirectional flows of materials. The research combines archaeological and analytical techniques to trace the origins and circulation of lead ore, offering insights into ancient economic and cultural connections in the western Mediterranean.

Ramon Torres, J., Rafel Fontanals, N., Montero, I., Santos, M., Renzi, M., Hunt, M. A., & Armada, X. L. (2012). Protohistoric trade: on the record of the Northeastern Iberian peninsula and the circulation of lead ore in Ibiza and the Baix Priorat (Tarragona province). SAGVNTVM. Papeles Del Laboratorio de Arqueología de Valencia, 43, 55–81. https://doi.org/10.7203/sagvntvm.43.1644