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Traditions and innovations: versatility of copper and tin bronze making recipes in Iron Age Emporion (L’Escala, Spain)

Published version
Peer-reviewed

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Authors

Montes-Landa, Julia  ORCID logo  https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9672-465X
Montero-Ruiz, Ignacio 
Castanyer Masoliver, Pere 
Santos Retolaza, Marta 
Tremoleda Trilla, Joaquim 

Abstract

Abstract: Established around 575 BC, Emporion was a Greek colonial enclave in north-east Iberia and hence constitutes a good context to study Mediterranean innovations and their adaptation with indigenous technologies. Here, we present an analytical study of the archaeometallurgical assemblage from a workshop context dated to the first occupational moment of Emporion’s Neapolis (second half of the sixth century BC), including slag and technical ceramics. We aimed at reverse engineering the copper and tin bronze metallurgical technologies at the site. The results allow the identification of copper smelting and melting, and a variety of bronze alloying techniques, together with iron smelting and forging. The use of Fe-rich copper ores with BaO, ZnO and PbO impurities is consistent with the exploitation of local sources, preceding the diversification of raw materials documented for later phases. The co-occurrence of co-smelting, cementation and co-melting as bronze making technologies is discussed with reference to parameters of efficiency and cost-effectiveness and contextualised in the broader colonial interaction, providing pointers for future comparative work and discussion. The early use of metallic tin for bronze production at the site supports a Mediterranean origin for this innovation in Iberia.

Description

Funder: Institute for Archaeometallurgical Studies

Keywords

Original Paper, Iron Age, Copper, Bronze, Technology, Archaeometallurgy, Slag, Innovation

Journal Title

Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1866-9557
1866-9565

Volume Title

12

Publisher

Springer Berlin Heidelberg