Abstract:

In Roman times, cinnabar (HgS) was a highly valued product because of its use as a red pigment in wall painting, thus becoming a status indicator due to its high price. But its applications do not end here, since mercury (Hg) could also be used in the amalgamation of noble metals. This fact would explain the tight control of the exploitation and manage-ment of this mineral by the Roman State. The role of cinnabar in the Roman economy has been traditionally analysed through the interpretation of written sources, but the application of archaeometric techniques on different objects of study opens new ways to measure its extraction and diffusion. The diachronic study of the town which managed its profit – Sisapo – and the research of its territory of exploitation also contributes to this task. In this paper we synthesize the advancement of knowledge about these research topics developed in the framework of the Sisapo project, initiated by Carmen Fernández Ochoa and on which she has worked since its beginning.