The Institut d'Estudis Ilerdencs

Add to planner

Archaeological section of the Institut d'Estudis Ilerdencs

Capital of the Plaça de Sant Joan

Material:Limestone
Chronology:1st to 3rd century CE
Origin:Plaça de Sant Joan (St. John’s Square, Lleida)
This is a Corinthian capital which is ninety-two centimetres tall and has a diameter of sixty-six centimetres at its base. It was cut from marine fossiliferous limestone and the stone work, although a little rough, is of quite good quality. The decoration consists of two superimposed lines of acanthus leaves. Although the general state of conservation is good, there are serious fractures ion the acanthus motif on the abacus. This piece was found by chance in 1880 during construction work on the new church in the Plaça de Sant Joan.

Roman cameo on a gold disk

Chronology: Probably late Roman period
Material: Gold sheet and thread and glass paper or cornelian
Origin: According to the bibliography, it was found by chance at the Racó de la Pampa (Valleta de Valero, Soses, Segrià)A disk-shaped buckle worked in gold sheet. From the details of the portrait, it would seem to date from the Julian/Claudian period, as the figure has the characteristic hair style of Livia or even Octavia, with straight hair gathered together on both sides of the head, behind the ears and finally at the back of the neck. Pieces of coloured glass similar to cornelian were quite common, particularly in shaped forms, in the Roman period.

Plate bearing an inscription

Chronology: 4th century CE
Dimensions: 52,5 x 62,5 x 3 cm
Made of veined marble, probably from Luni-Carrara. Discovered in 1927-1928 at the former site of a Paleochristian necropolis in Lleida. It was found on land that is now part of Lleida’s railway station.

Miles stones

Chronology: 44 to 45 CE
Material: Limestone. Written legend.
Origin: Partida de Vallbona, near to the Clamor Salada. Tamarit (La Llitera).
The visible part of a milestone (the base and the lower part of the column are missing).

Sigillate earthenware goblet

Designation: Sub-Gallic sigillate earthenware Draguendorff 27, shaped on a potter’s wheel.
Chronology: From the middle of the 1st century CE (Claudian/Nero period)
Origin: Vil•la del Romeral, Albesa (La Noguera)
The goblet deposited with the IEI is of medium size for this type of piece. The pottery is all but complete, with just three missing fragments. Both the inner and outer surfaces are covered with a dark-red coloured varnish, which was applied by dipping the piece in a liquid.Inside and at the bottom of the goblet, it is possible to read the mark of the workshop: (F MACCA) or perhaps (F MACES). The goblet could have been made at the MACCARUS workshop, which produced pottery during the Nero-Tiberian period at the Graufesenca production centre in the south-east of France.

Honorary pedestal with inscription
Chronology: Middle of the 2nd century CE
Material: Limestone, from the Santa Tecla quarry (Tarragona)
Origin: Known of since the 12th century and conserved in the Cathedral until it was transferred to the IEI
Three-part moulded pedestal. The epigraphic field includes sgraffitos that lead experts to think that the monument could have been used as an altar support before it was reused as a pilaster in the Cathedral.This is the central part of a commemorative monument that was no doubt erected in the forum of Ilerda in order to honour a magistrate who held all of the offices in the municipal government when the city first became a Roman colony, in 89 BCE and a Roman municipality under the emperor Augustus.

Information provided by the:
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SECTION OF THE IEI. Lleida (Spain)
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Notebook on the Archaeological Section 2, edited by Josep Lluís Ribes Foguet.