The emergence of the Iberian image. A chronological review of the figurative vascular painting of Cabecico del Tesoro and his workshop (Verdolay, Murcia)

Abstract

The problem of chronology in Iberian pottery is intrinsic to the material itself. The lack of documentation when excavating the contexts in which it appears has meant that these productions have only begun to be grouped together around workshops, series and painters since the late 20th century and early 21st century. This same problem has also had an impact in the case of Cabecico del Tesoro, where the necropolis remains unpublished ninety years after excavations began. Thus, the direct review of all the pieces in the necropolis and the identification of some imported and/or imitated materials in undated graves allow us not only to provide chronology for the local production of the Verdolay workshop, but also to bring together its production series and even search for their origin. The work proposes the hypothesis that the start of the workshop coincides with the end of the Second Punic War and with a possible transfer of craftsmen from other regions such as Edetania in search of new markets after the destruction of the oppida where they were settled.