Thymiaterion from Calaceite

Discovered by chance in a tomb at Les Ferreres necropolis forming part of the grave goods of an elite member of society, made up of military objects and banqueting objects. Ceramic fragments also appeared, including a cinerary urn.Traditionally known as a thymiaterion, it is a support for metal containers that would have been used to hold liquids or aromatic substances, associated with traditional Mediterranean rituals. On a technical level, it was not manufactured as a whole piece, but instead was cast using the lost-wax method that were then put together, some by further casting and others by assembling them together. It is currently formed by of two conical plates with five openwork rings arranged on the top and the bottom that are joined by a central column supported on the figure of a horse. The circular shapes, identified as solar discs, symbolise the afterlife, with parallels in Celtiberian contexts and even from northern Europe. It is also a symbol of prestige associated with the warrior aristocracy, an interpretation reinforced by the presence of the two swords and the cuirass.