Commercial circuits of Iulia Lybica (Llívia): notions gleaned from finds of pottery and marble

The latest archaeological excavations at the Roman city of Iulia Lybica (Llívia) between 2013 and 2015 offer new insight its forum. The recent excavations combined with geophysical surveys yielded most of the forum’s floorplan (except in the southern part). Furthermore, the excavations uncovered assemblages of pottery and marble that offer information toward understanding the commercial evolution of the city. The current study attempts to analyse this material evidence in detail in order to identify patterns of consumption and supply of this Roman municipium. The source of the marble is particularly interesting since most comes from quarries in Southern Gaul, a region poorly communicated with Iulia Lybica. Likewise, the pottery assemblage reveals intense contacts with Gallic fine and coarseware workshops. The dependence on Gaul as a source of products lead us to analyse the infrastructure of transport through this central area of the Pyrenees and how costs could influence the access to particular products.

Keywords: Pyrenees, pottery, marbles, trade, Roman roads, amphorae