Oxhide ingots in the central Mediterranean
The story of this work begins in 1857 with the discovery of the first oxhide ingots in central Sardinia. Their discovery was soon reported to the great Sardinian scholar and archaeologist Giovanni Spano, through the network of informants that regularly helped his research into the cultural heritage of his island. Momentarily disconcerted by the unusual shape of the finds, upon which the presence of marks suggested him the definition of “stelae”, he soon realised that their value consisted in the mass of copper, and therefore that they were nothing but ingots. For this reason, the Editors consider it entirely appropriate to dedicate the volume to him. The goal of the present work is both simple and ambitious. It is simple in the sense that the first step is to collect and illustrate, with the utmost level of scientific precision, all the known documents concerning oxhide ingots in the Central Mediterranean. It is ambitious because this research is not going to be restricted to a catalogue, however complete, but all the information relating specifically to each site of discovery, and to the whole region connected by trade networks, is to be assembled.