Altogether 29 Early and Middle Bronze Age metal objects from Romania including six from the famous Apa hoard were analysed for their chemical compositions and lead isotope ratios. In order to determine the provenance of the copper, these geochemical signatures were compared with copper ores from geological deposits in central and southeastern Europe, which had been exploited in the Bronze Age. It can be concluded that the copper of the implements from the Apa hoard most likely derives from the east Alpine Mitterberg region while the other Middle and Late Bronze Age objects from Romania largely consist of Slovakian copper. Zusammenfassung-Bleiisotopenanalyen von Metallobjekten aus dem Hortfund von Apa und anderen früh-und mittelbronzeitlichen Gegenständen aus Rumänien Insgesamt 29 früh-und mittelbronzezeitliche Metallfunde aus Rumänien inklusive sechs Objekten aus dem berühmten Hortfund von Apa wurden analysiert, um deren chemische Zusammensetzung und ihre Bleiisotopenverhältnisse zu bestimmen. Um die Herkunft des Kupfers zu ermitteln, wurden diese geochemischen Signaturen mit Kupfererzen aus Lagerstätten in Mittel-und Südosteuropa, die in der Bronzezeit ausgebeutet wurden, verglichen. Als Ergebnis kann festgestellt werden, dass das Kupfer der Objekte aus dem Hortfund von Apa sehr wahrscheinlich aus dem Mitterbergrevier in den Ostalpen stammt, während die übrigen mittel-und spätbronzezeitlichen Metallfunde aus Rumänien vorwiegend aus slowakischem Kupfer gefertigt sind. Schlüsselbegriffe

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In archaeological literature, the site of Trnjane, near Bor in eastern Serbia is known as an urn necropolis, with 43 discovered urn graves. The excavations in Trnjane took place between 1985 and 1987-1989, and continued in 1998. The investigations also included an excavation of a nearby settlement, but the results of this research were never published. In most of the previous studies, Trnjane was assigned to the Middle and Late Bronze Age, while the necropolis was often connected with the spread of the Urnfield Phenomena from Central Europe toward the Balkans. New investigations started in 2017 as cooperation between the Archaeological Institute in Belgrade and the Institute for Oriental and European Archaeology (OREA) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences shed new light on the chronology and cultural assignment of Trnjane and other similar surrounding sites in the region of eastern Serbia. The excavation of the settlement area in 2017 and 2018 yielded numerous finds indicating metallurgical activities connected with copper ore smelting (slag and ores), while pottery finds showed a typological resemblance with an Early and Middle Bronze Age repertoire. The radiocarbon dates from the settlement area and from urn graves of the neighbouring necropolis also point to a much earlier time than previously assumed. The new chronological determination of Trnjane raises a set of new questions, especially regarding the cultural connections between central Europe and the Balkans and transfers of copper ore smelting technology in the Bronze Age.