Las monedas de Salvacañete (Cuenca) y su significado en el tesoro

Abstract

The absence of coin-illustrations from Cabre's 1936 publication of the 1st century BC assemblage from Salvacañete (Cuenca) has been a source of confusion. Previous accounts of the coin-element have usually been limited to the pieces housed either in the Museo Arqueológico Nacional, Madrid, or in the Museo de Cuenca. The present revision takes account additionally of specimens deposited by Gómez-Moreno in the Instituto Valencia de Don Juan, Madrid, which almost certainly form part of the original find. The numismatic material appears to have been deliberately chosen for its iconographic content, with issues featuring either horses or bulls being preferred to contemporary coins of other types. A possible explanation is that they represent offerings to a divinity with animal associations; the depiction of a bee on one of the assemblage's non-numismatic items would suggest a cult similar to that of Artemis.