Centres de producció amfòrica i territori a la riba dreta del Llobregat: novetats de la terrisseria del Mercat (Sant Vicenç dels Horts).

The new excavation of El Mercat (Sant Vicenç dels Horts) gives us the chance to analyse in detail the social landscape of the right riverside of the Llobregat. The present paper attempts to show a new approach to the study of ancient landscapes, not only from sites distribution of spatial archaeology, but also from other type of sources. These sources are morphological data and toponymy from medieval cartularies, monumental epigraphy, epigraphy of instrumentum domesticum (i.e., amphorae and dolia) and distribution. All these data can be integrated in a unique document (GIS) that has social landscape as its common reference point. More than intending to put forward a close interpretation model or illustrate an amphorae workshop, our aim is to illustrate a methodology that allows us to develop a hypothesis. The location in the same territory —in this case the Laietanian region and specifically the right riverside of Llobregat— of probable fundi of well-off families, wine production places, amphora workshops, distribution of stamps, transport networks, and exit ports allows us to create a solid basis to generate
new qualitative information on land ownership and ancient production. Studies on the distribution of villae and officinae are necessary, but without this qualitative variable they cannot go far beyond a descriptive level. Notwithstanding taking some risks, we believe that only with a holistic approach to ancient landscapes may headways be made in the study of ancient societies and production forms.