Maritime signalling in Antiquity: the Lanterna of the harbour of Onoba Aestuaria, a new lighthouse along the Atlantic (Huelva, Spain)

Abstract

Locating and identifying ancient lighthouses or signalling towers in maritime-terrestrial environments has over time been a topic of interest due to their scarcity. In this regard, the latest archaeological investigations carried out in Onoba Aestuaria (Huelva, Spain) within the framework of different research projects shed new light on the city’s Roman features and harbour. The research has yielded a vast amount of data as to the city’s urban topography, its peripheral industrial and funerary sectors, its intra-moenia and domestic areas, as well as its monumental public features. Particularly noteworthy is its harbour as the excavations identified for the first time both a fish-salting industrial sector and a zone dedicated to services and administration. Work in this second zone brought to light the foundation of a rectangular structure whose architectural and topographic characteristics appear to correspond to a lighthouse.