The National Archaeological Museum exhibits from today a lead ingot from the shipwreck 'Bou Ferrer'

The piece, engraved with the legend IMP(erator) GER(manicus) AVG(ustus), could have belonged to Nero, and has the largest known weight of that time

This side of the ship was found during the annual archaeological campaign and the results of the 2015 excavation were presented today in Madrid, making this Roman merchant ship become the largest examined up to date

 

Lingote_plomo Restaurac_lingote
Lead ingot Restoration process at MAN's laboratory

 

Alicante. 26 November 2015

The National Archaeological Museum (MAN) exhibits from today a lead ingot from the shipwreck ‘Bou Ferrer’, the biggest Roman merchant wreck found in excavations in the Mediterranean. This vessel sank in the second half of the first century against the old Allon (Villajoyosa), loaded with nearly 3,000 jars of fish sauce (one of the most valuable commodities of the time), and lead ingots of imperial property as the one that is now being exhibited  at MAN as a deposit transfer by Vilamuseu in  Villajoyosa.

The ingot has some countermarks engraved — IMP(erator) GER(manicus) AVG(ustus) — indicating its personal belonging to the Roman emperor, probably Nero, according to the latest research. The mines of Sierra Morena, from which the Bou Ferrer’s shipment of lead came, were also a monopoly of the emperor.

At 205 Roman pounds (68 kilos), this piece deposited in MAN today, is twice as heavy as the ingots known so far from the same era — as those exhibited in the same museum case — from the ancient city of Carthago Nova (today’s Cartagena).

 

The side of ‘Bou Ferrer’ was found during the 2015 archaeological campaign

The deposit ceremony has taken place this morning at MAN, during the course of an event dedicated to the shipwreck excavation project, with the participation of representatives from the Valencia region’s Directorate General of Culture and Heritage, of the University of Alicante, the City Council of Villajoyosa and the directors of the excavation and of the two museums involved.

At the event, they presented the results of the annual archaeological campaign, which ended up on 15 November and allowed the location and excavation of a fragment of the side of the ship of about 2x2 metres.

As stated by co-director of the excavation Juan Carlos, << the values obtained in some of the timbers show the significant size of the ship, which might exceed 30 metres in length, becoming the largest Roman merchant in ongoing excavation. This is an extraordinary site for research of the ancient world >>. The the archaeologist also said that <<The discovery of this fragment side allows us to confirm the good conservation, both  of the ship and the organic material detached after the wreck (ropes, pulleys, fabrics, baskets, etc.), which will offer us valuable archaeological data to know the naval architecture of the shipwreck and its relationship with the load it was carrying, amphorae and lead ingots >>.

The University of Alicante coordinates and implements the request of the Directorate General for Heritage. Also the UA Research Institute in Archaeology and Historical Heritage (INAPH), UA Group in Virtual Heritage, and UA Industrial IT and Artificial Intelligence Research group, which flew a drone in the port Villajoyosa to get images of the geographical context in which the ship sank.

The team of archaeologists and technicians that are working in the site are coordinated to take a joint action between three institutions, the UA as a coordinator, the Valencian government that promotes and sponsors the excavation through its Directorate General of Culture, and the Museum of Villajoyosa that manages the restoration and the exhibition of the archaeological materials. The site devoted to ‘Bou Ferrer’ was declared of Cultural Interest last October, which upgrades its significance and protection due to its scientific and heritage value.

The team worked up to 27 metres deep, literally inside the ship's hold, in difficult visibility conditions. The progress of the excavation is very slow because as they work on it, they make a three-dimensional map with photogrammetric techniques.      

The ship was carrying a cargo of three thousand amphorae and lead ingots that are in perfect condition. Apparently, it was [a] freight ordered by the Roman emperor. The estimated length of the vessel is about 32 metres and it was probably travelling from from Cadiz to Rome. The wreck would have occurred while trying to seek refuge in the Villajoyosa anchorage area.     

 

VIDEOGRAPHIC RESOURCES:

VIDEO prepared by José Antonio Moya, expert in underwater images, from the University of Alicante Image Workshop.