Saturday 2 August 2014

Stolen Artefacts Seized in Spain


In SE Spain, the Guardia Civil of the Region of Murcia, in the framework of the 'Argárica' operation has recovered nearly 400 archaeological items stolen from an archaeological storeroom in Caravaca de la Cruz, (Murcia). The seized items include coins, a Roman amphora, lead sling shot and and loom weights. The operation is part of a police programme to protect the  Spanish historical heritage and reduce criminal activity in this sector. This follows a break-in on an archaeological site in the region in February. The Civil Guard continues the operation to fully clarify the facts investigated, so that new actions and arrests are not ruled out.

The newspaper lists the items recovered, but my Spanish is limited mainly to phrases useful for ordering drinks, so I'll give it in the original to be on the safe side - it seems not all are ancient, and we note the recent drilling of some of the coins to mount them as pendants. Nasty. 'Tinajillas' seem to be some kind of narrow-mouthed pottery vessel  (olla?) and I'm going to guess that 'canjilón de noria' is a rowel spur:

Aesthetic display of seized finds
Seized finds
[...] tras ser liberadas de sus envoltorios se ha comprobado que se trata de un ánfora romana, del siglo I d. C.; 252 monedas (romanas, íberas, modernas y contemporáneas); siete monedas antiguas (perforadas recientemente a modo de colgante); dos botones (íbero/romano); 71 glandes de plomo (tardo-republicanos romanos siglo I a. C.); 37 piedras de telar íberas/romanas; dos puntas palmera (fin del tercer milenio y principio del segundo milenio a. C.).; y dos fíbulas (una anular hispánica y otra La Tène), ambas del siglo IV a. C.). Así como un plato íbero del siglo IV/III a. C.; cuatro tinajillas Ibérica de los siglos IV, III y II a. C.; un canjilón de noria medieval o posterior; una tulipa argárica del año 1.800 a. C.; una urna de orejetas del siglo V a. C.; una copa argárica del año 1.800 a. C.; una botellita de cerámica ibérica del siglo IV/III a. C.; un vaso cerámico medieval o posterior; una pesa de telar ibérica; y una pesa de telar romana.
One thing I notice is that among the fired clay objects labelled loomweights are three items I'd certainly suspect of being Iron Age or more likely Bronze Age briquetage (salt making quipment) supports [what I used to specialize in, in the Old Days]. Possible kiln firebar there too.

Source:
 'Guardia Civil recupera cerca de 400 piezas arqueológicas de gran valor histórico sustraídas en Caravaca (Murcia)', la Informacion.com 30th July 2014.

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