Abstract:

After a brief overview on the study of the first phases of the stone industry, whether to supply building material or stone for sculpture, epigraphy or other commodities, this paper presents some considerations on the catchment and supplying mechanisms. To do so, the case of three different levels of stones (building, ornamental of local origin and ornamental from regional sources) and the abundant archaeological data provided by a relatively large group of quarries opened near the coastal and fluvial towns of Tarraco and Dertosa, among which stands out the exceptional quarry of El Mèdol (Tarragona), will be used. All of them are an illustrative example of the high capacity to adapt the environment and the variety of processes set up to procure, process and bring this raw material to the workshops and building sites of the provincial capital town.