Resumen de The stones of Ammaia (Portugal): use and provenance
Devi Taelman, F. Vermeulen, M. de Dapper, P. de Paepe
Provenance studies of raw stone material provide an important insight into the architectural industry and the general economic situation of an ancient town. The urban site of Ammaia (Portugal), a good example of a medium-sized Roman provincial town, required a well-organised stone supply model. In a region where pre-Roman stone architecture was practically non-existent, a study of the stone supply offers important new perspectives on Romanization processes and urban development of an inland region in the Western Roman Empire. The excavated structural remains clearly reveal granite as the most important natural building material throughout the Roman life span of Ammaia. Shale, quartzite and sandstone river cobbles and marble were used to a lesser extent. Through a detailed study of the geological setting of the town and an intensive geoarchaeological survey, potential source areas of the different stone types were determined.
