Making copper: processing in Early Bronze Age Arslantepe (VI B2)
Author(s)
Date Issued
2022
Type
article
Volume
26
Issue
2
Start Page
113
End Page
140
Journal
Abstract
This paper presents results of archaeometallurgical finds from Arslantepe VI B2 and observations and geoscientific analyses of ores and ore deposits in East Anatolia which are connected with this site. Function and technology of Early Bronze Age crucible smelting in a small scale domestic mode of production are discussed. Ore and rock inclusions in slag and lead isotope analyses are consistent with the origins of various copper sources on the Black Sea coast in the north (Artvin/Murgul, Trabzon) and in the south (Ergani Maden, Upper Mesopotamia) and broadens the Early Bronze Age trade of the Kura Araxes cultural network. The petrology of slags also from Çayönü Tepesi and Nevali Çori shows their formation by partial (eutectic) smelting processes and the non-liquation of refractory materials. The model of deliberate fluxing in smelting copper is proven to be disputable. Smelting of copper was performed in portable crucibles of surprisingly large size with air supply from below.
Additional information
Articolo che costituisce l’esito di ricerche interdisciplinari di tipo archeometallurgico, in cui sono coinvolte tre istituzioni: Università della Tuscia, Sapienza Università di Roma e Bergbau Museum di Bochum. Il contributo è parte di una ricerca sull’antica metallurgia in Anatolia.
Subjects
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Name
Di Nocera et alii 2022-Making copper-METALLA 26_2.pdf
Description
Making copper in EBA Arslantepe
Size
2.95 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
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