A multianalytical approach to study the Phoenician bronze technology in the Iberian Peninsula—A view from Quinta do Almaraz

Valério, Pedro; Silva, R.J.C.; Araújo, M. Fátima; Soares, António M. Monge; Barros, Luı́s de

doi:10.1016/j.matchar.2012.02.020

Cited by 37 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 8 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Finally, the iron content of these grave goods (0.34% to 0.92% Fe) is comparable to the values usually obtained in bronzes from the EIA, such as the artefacts from Quinta do Almaraz, i.e. 0.15% to 1.3% Fe (Valério et al 2012).…”

Section: Artefactsupporting

confidence: 80%

“…In the Iberian Peninsula, the LBA bronze slags seem to indicate that bronze was usually produced by the co-smelting of copper and tin ores (Rovira 2007;Figueiredo et al 2010). Modern smelting experiments using an open crucible filled with mixed copper ore, cassiterite and charcoal were able to produce metal with the help (Valério et al 2010), Quinta do Almaraz (Valério et al 2012) and Palhais (this work). of a couple of tuyeres (Rovira et al 2009).…”

Section: The "Orientalizing Effect"mentioning

confidence: 69%

“…The standard deviation of microhardness measurements is lower than 5%. Additional details concerning the analytical techniques and methodolo gy were previously published (Valério et al 2012).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The 9 th -7 th century BC metallic collection from this coastal site presents a significant amount of copper artefacts and a few leaded bronzes. Nevertheless, the binary bronzes remain the most common alloy at Quinta do Almaraz but are much poorer in tin (5.4 ± 2.0% Sn, n=15, Valério et al 2012) exhibiting an average value approximately half of the above mentioned collections. Moreover, the iron impurities of the metallic artefacts from Quinta do Almaraz are much higher (0.15% to 1.3% Fe) than the 'indigenous' collections (mostly <0.05% Fe).…”

Section: The "Orientalizing Effect"mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

The distinctive grave goods from Palhais (Beja, Portugal). New insights into the metallurgical evolution under Orientalizing influence in the southwestern end of Iberia

Valério¹,

Soares²,

Araújo³

et al. 2013

Trab. prehist.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Grave goods from the Early Iron Age necropolis of Palhais offers a unique opportunity to study the metallurgy introduced in Southern Portugal by Orientalizing influence. Metals include two sets of instruments for body grooming, an "Alcores fibula" and a belt-lock, whose typology and/or decoration shows an Orientalizing inspiration. The composition and manufacture of artefacts is determined by conventional EDXRF, Micro-EDXRF, SEM-EDS, optical microscopy and Vickers microhardness testing. Elemental compositions indicate low tin bronzes (4.4 ± 2.4%) evidencing significant use of scrap as inexpensive raw-material or intentional alloying with low tin amounts for economical or technological reasons. Post-casting work involved hammering and annealing operations showing that these grave goods were produced as functional artefacts. A comparison with Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age artefacts from Southern Portugal shows that the low tin contents are common among the Phoenician bronzes. Moreover, an assessment of the co-

show abstract

Section: Artefactsupporting

confidence: 80%

Section: The "Orientalizing Effect"mentioning

confidence: 69%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The "Orientalizing Effect"mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

The distinctive grave goods from Palhais (Beja, Portugal). New insights into the metallurgical evolution under Orientalizing influence in the southwestern end of Iberia

Valério¹,

Soares²,

Araújo³

et al. 2013

Trab. prehist.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…LBA/EIA Northern Portugal: Castro da Senhora da Aparecida (4 objects), Carpinteira (3 objects) (Bottaini, 2013), Monte da Virgem (4 objects) (Lobato, 1992(Lobato, /1993. EIA Southern Portugal: Palhais (7 objects) (Valério et al, 2013), Quinta de Almaraz (23 objects) (Valério et al, 2012). lines of Sn, Sb and Pb.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

New insights on Late Bronze Age Cu-metallurgy from Coles de Samuel hoard (Central Portugal): A combined multi-analytical approach

Bottaini

Vilaça

Schiavon

et al. 2016

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The hoard from Coles de Samuel is one of the largest Cu-based metal collections from the Late Bronze Age (LBA) (13th-8th centuries BC) ever found in Central Portugal, consisting of 18 artefacts which typologically display a strong regional identity. In the present study, an integrated multi-analytical approach combining Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) analysis, Optical Microscopy (OM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) has been used to characterise the artefacts both from a chemical and microstructural point of view with the aim to unravel their elemental composition and technological features. Results show that all artefacts are made of binary bronze (Cu-Sn) alloys, with a Sn content in the range of 8.7 ± 0.9 and 13.0 ± 1.0 wt%, with minor elements (Pb, As and Fe) never exceeding 1.1 wt% in total. The microstructure of the vast majority of the metal objects (13 out of 18) shows the presence of equiaxial α-copper grains with annealing twins and slip bands suggesting that, in the manufacturing process, they were subjected to forging plus annealing cycles. The remains of the objects present an as-cast microstructure constituted by dendritic structures, suggesting that metals did not suffer any thermo-mechanical operation after being removed from the mould. Pb, Ag and Au-rich globules together with Cu-S and unalloyed Cu-inclusions have been observed as well, resulting from impurities from ores. The typological characterisation of these metals and their archaeometallurgical data are consistent with an indigenous LBA Iberian metallurgical production supporting the hypothesis of a regional/local production and use of the artefacts from Coles de Samuel.

show abstract

Complementary use of X-ray methods to study ancient production remains and metals from Northern Portugal

2014

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Archaeological artefacts recovered at Castanheiro do Vento (Northern Portugal) were characterised by integrating macro and micro-energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (EDXRF) and scanning electron microscopy with X-ray microanalysis. The collection includes metallurgical remains (ceramic crucibles, a metallic nodule and a vitrified fragment) and metals (tools and ornaments) whose chronology spans from the Chalcolithic to the Roman Age. The study of production remains was able to identify distinct copper-based metallurgical operations including the smelting of copper ores, the melting of copper and tin and/or the melting of bronze scrap. Micro-EDXRF identified copper and arsenical copper tools as well as bronze and leaded bronze ornaments. The composition of tools (Cu with varying As contents: 0.46-3.6%) reveals an incipient technology, typical of the Chalcolithic till the Middle Bronze Age. On the contrary, ornaments are composed by different alloys -low tin bronze (4.8% Sn), high tin bronze (14.9% Sn) and high tin-leaded bronze (16.5% Sn and 2.4% Pb) À evidencing technological and economic choices that clearly indicate a late period such as the Roman Age. In conclusion, this multiproxy approach was able to study those ancient artefacts with a minimum impact on their archaeological and museological significance while providing important answers to the interpretation of the archaeological settlement and to better understand the metallurgical evolution in the Portuguese territory.

show abstract

A multianalytical approach to study the Phoenician bronze technology in the Iberian Peninsula—A view from Quinta do Almaraz

Cited by 37 publications

References 8 publications

The distinctive grave goods from Palhais (Beja, Portugal). New insights into the metallurgical evolution under Orientalizing influence in the southwestern end of Iberia

The distinctive grave goods from Palhais (Beja, Portugal). New insights into the metallurgical evolution under Orientalizing influence in the southwestern end of Iberia

New insights on Late Bronze Age Cu-metallurgy from Coles de Samuel hoard (Central Portugal): A combined multi-analytical approach

Complementary use of X-ray methods to study ancient production remains and metals from Northern Portugal

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About