Study of lead bullae from the empire of Brazil associated with a castaway camp in North Patagonia, Argentina: archaeological nd sigillographic implications

Abstract

In 2021, a coastal site was located in the southern part of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. Its study allowed its identification as a castaway camp, most likely established in October 1827, during the Cisplatine War (1825-1828). Among the remains that support this interpretation, two lead bullae that show the coat of arms of the Empire of Brazil stand out. In this article, we offer the identification and description of these finds—which show no parallels with other sites of the region—and discuss their implications for assessing the archaeological site and their role in the original context. The reported artefacts are significant not only at an archaeological level, given their value for dating and assessing the affiliation of an occupation, but also for the sigillographic studies of the Empire of Brazil.