Marmora of the Traianeum of Italica (Santiponce, Seville, Spain): New data provided by archaeometric analysis

• Published in: Geoarchaeology 2021-09, Vol.36 (5), p.683-711
• Main Authors: Becerra‐Fernández, Daniel, Ontiveros‐Ortega, Esther, Beltrán‐Fortes, José
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Baetica Province; Excavation; geochemical analysis; Italica; Marmora; mineralogical analysis; petrographic analysis; Quarries; Traianeum
• ISSN: 0883-6353; 1520-6548
• DOI: 10.1002/gea.21856

This article aims to identify a series of stone materials used in the ornamentation of the Traianeum of Italica (Santiponce, prov. Seville, Spain), the imperial cult shrine commissioned by Hadrian in honour of his adoptive father, Trajan, from a petrographic, mineralogical, and geochemical point of view. The study highlights the simultaneous use of local and, above all, foreign marbles. Local marbles from Almadén de la Plata (prov. Seville) and Hill of Mijas (prov. Malaga) were used particularly for wall coverings and pavements, whereas Luni‐Carrara marble stands out as the preferred ornamental foreign marble used in column shafts, bases, capitals, balustrade finishes, and so forth. In addition, cipollino marble was mainly used for the column shafts of the hecatostylon portico, but the analysis has not been able to specify its exact provenance, whether it is from Euboea or local, possibly the area of Almadén de la Plata. However, given that this was a construction promoted by the emperor, it might be possible that it would have come from Greece. Highlights Analysis of marmora from Traianeum, Italica (Seville, Spain), has allowed to establish the source area of stone ornaments used in its monumentalization. The study methodology proposed in this paper is based on the characterization of archaeological pieces and quarries material. The types of marmora identified using archaeometric techniques are as follows: Luni‐Carrara, Almadén de la Plata (Seville), Chain of Mijas (Malaga), and a banded variety that can be called Cipollino, of Hispanic origin, most likely attributable to Almadén de la Plata (Seville).