METAL PRODUCTION IN ROMAN TIMES AT THE MINE OF SÃO DOMINGOS (MÉRTOLA, PORTUGAL)

Abstract

In the present work we study the contemporary history of São Domingos mine exploitation (Mértola, Portugal), moment when most of Roman works were discovered. All these archaeological findings confirm this mine like one of the main mining preserves of the south west Iberian peninsula in Roman time. Although most of the archaeological remains associated with the mine have been destroyed due to recent mining work, there remain great Roman slag heaps, the most faithful testimony of this mine’s metal production. Our work has focused on determining what metallurgy is dedicated to each of them. The results of the archaeo-metallurgical research allow us to ensure that this mine produced silver and copper in Roman times and their further development period was the first half of the first century AD.