Barcelona, Spain. 27th October 2018.

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The Roman colony of Barcino was founded during the reign of the Emperor Augustus from15BC to 10BC.  A whole part of that Roman city lies underneath Barcelona, was found during road works in the 1930s, and is conserved by the Museu d’Història de Barcelona (MUHBA).  It covers over over 4,000 square metres and includes streets, homes, workshops, and factories.  The preserved remains date from the 1st to the 6th centuries AD.

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This was a walled town (an oppidum).  We are at the defensive ring road between the wall and the first line of houses.

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Mosaic with geometric motifs, from a domus (upper-class house) 4th century AD.

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Marble bust of a man, 2nd century AD.

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Fresco showing a hunting scene, from a domus, 4th century AD.

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We are now in the saltfish and garum (fish sauce) factory, 3rd century AD.

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L PEDAN NARCISSIA NOANN XV D I II L PED NARCISSUS FIL; DVL L D D D?  Perhaps it’s a tombstone for Narcissus, son of Narcissia

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Room with large ceramic vessels called dolia, used to prepare and store garum.

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Part of the salted fish and garum factory.  The oysters from the local coastline and the Garum were celebrated foods.  Garum was made by macerating (soften by soaking) fish offal in salt, sometimes adding prawns, oysters and other shellfish.  Mmmm.  Fish offal.

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Foundations of the rectangular west end of the church.

There was also a church and necropolis here, from 4th to 8th centuries AD, erected on top of where the salting and garum factories had stood.  Some architectural elements were re-used, probably from earlier pagan temples.

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Wine-making facility, 3rd – 4th century AD.

The large containers were dolia, where the wine was processed and aged.  The two vessels embedded in the pavement held honey and sea salt, ingredients added to the wine.

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Ancient walkway.

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Gold solidus of Valentinian I (364-367).

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Fragment of marble sarcophagus cover, 230-240 AD.

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Funerary tombstone mosaic with symbol of Christ in the centre. 5th century AD.

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Funerary tombstone, 5th century AD.

Inscription reads “Here rests Magnus, loyal child, in peace, who lived for three years”.

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Baptismal pool from the 4th century, modified in the 5th century so the steps make the form of a cross.

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Domus, 2nd century AD.  Looking through from gated garden to mosaic floor, from, upper level.

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Mezzanine floor with museum exhibits in what was an arch of the Episcopal Palace.  Dolio vats below.

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Vase.

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Fresco from the Major Royal Palace of the 12th to 14th centuries.

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Stained glass detail, Church of St Agatha (14th century).

After walking through Barcino and the Royal Palace, we come to the Chapel of St Agatha.

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Saint Agatha chapel (14th century) with its gothic altarpiece (15th century).

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St Agatha Chapel ceiling.

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Now we are out in the open, in front of Barcelona Cathedral, and it’s a little damp.

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Next, we headed of to visit the Museum of the History of Catalonia.

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… travelling by train…

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Still damp outside and maybe a little windy.

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Inside a recreated bronze age house from the 7th century BC.

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Cargo from inside the Culip IV, a small Roman trading ship that sank around 70-80 AD.  Cargo includes amphorae of oil, pottery tableware, oil lamps and a few amphorae of wine and salted fish.

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And this is a model of the Culip IV.  It was a small ship, less than eleven metres long and three metres wide.

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