The study, led by Laura Galán Palomares, an affiliated researcher at ICAC and member of the ArPA-LIRA team, has been published in the journal Archivo Español de Arqueología. This research updates and substantially improves upon the previous reference work, increasing the number of known pavements from 90 to 171.
The work, based on Galán's doctoral thesis which received the Extraordinary Doctorate Award from URV, analyzes the presence and evolution of decorative marble coverings between the 1st and 4th centuries AD. It examines chronological, technical, material, and territorial aspects, offering a new perspective on the production, distribution, and consumption of marble in the western provinces of the Roman Empire.
Among the main conclusions is the identification of an early adoption of Italian decorative models, followed by a progressive process of local and regional production. The research documents the coexistence of imported pavements with others crafted in provincial workshops, as well as the gradual incorporation of marble materials of Hispano origin, demonstrating the consolidation of a distinct production and distribution network.
Cities such as Tarraco, Carthago Nova, Emporiae, and Caesar Augusta are confirmed as key centers for the reception and redistribution of marble, a material that became a crucial element of social representation and prestige in both public and private spaces.
Another highlighted aspect of the work is the analysis of marble reuse practices. The research shows that the repurposing of materials from earlier pavements was a common practice throughout the imperial period, reflecting both the economic and symbolic value of this material within Roman material culture.
According to the author, the marble pavements of Hispania Citerior cannot be understood as mere imitations of metropolitan models, but rather as an expression of a distinct material culture capable of adapting and reinterpreting Roman decorative trends according to the economic, social, and territorial realities of the western provinces.
The article has been published in volume 99 (2026) of the journal Archivo Español de Arqueología, edited by the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), and is available in open access.
