The mining area of S’Argentera on the Island of Ibiza (Balearic Islands)
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Abstract
The aim of the archaeomining project initiated in 2010 is to conduct a diachronic study about the argentiferous galena mining district on the island of Ibiza. To this end, various survey campaigns were conducted around the hill of s’Argentera in northeast of the island. Beside the f ield work another approach is to identify the signature of this ore deposit by its chemical and isotopic analysis. The results have been partly compared already with the analytical results obtained from the analysis of locally found lead objects with clear archaeological provenance, especially objects dated by stratigraphy or context. By these two research approaches it will be possible in the near future to obtain a chronological-historical view about the mining activities on Ibiza in antiquity and determine the role played by the island in the western Mediterranean trade networks, not only as a support point of the seafaring and for the (re) distribution of commercial products but also as a producer of resources, in this case, metals.