Bronze Age Metal Objects from East Crete, Greece

Abstract

The excavations of Bronze Age settlement sites in eastern Crete have yielded a large corpus of metal objects. These habitation contexts tend to date to the Late Bronze Age (ca. 1600-1100 BC). The artifacts are mostly comprised of small toiletry items, small weapons such as daggers and knives, and tools for utilitarian purposes such as axes, chisels, vessels, hooks, needles, and knives. A minority of the excavated pieces has been scientifically analyzed using a range of methods such as Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (ED XRF), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry, and Lead Isotope (LI) analysis. These techniques assist in determining elemental composition and give insight into local metallurgical traditions, which were significantly active since the Final Neolithic period in eastern Crete. Patterns emerge when comparing the results of various scientific analyses among many different types of metal objects and between different sites.

Handheld methods in archaeological research on large copper alloy assemblages: HH‐XRF against HH‐LIBS

“…2010, 2015; Charalambous et al . 2014; Ferrence and Giumlia‐Mair 2014; Charalambous 2016). Each analysing over 100 objects of varied types from single sites, these studies confirm regular tin alloying in the latest LBA ( c .1300–1200 bc ) at levels of about 5–14%; identify new kinds of over‐optimum tin alloying (to c. 20%) post‐1200 BC for ornamental effect, especially in cemetery items; and hint at changing socioeconomic perceptions of bronze at this time by documenting high (likely bulking) lead additions in some objects: see also Huth 2000; Orfanou 2015a; 2015b; Montero et al .…”

Tapada da Ajuda (Lisbon, Portugal) Bronze Age pin

“…In the first part of the Middle Bronze Age there was a transition from a metallurgy employing arsenical copper alloys to alloys with tin (i.e., bronze was introduced as the mean alloy in this period), and it was quite common to have items containing both tin and arsenic. This is for instance the case at Gournia, Crete, where in most objects of this date both metals are found [27,28]. The arsenic might be due to the recycling of scrap metal or perhaps it was added to the copper because of its advantageous properties.…”

The Not So Wild Country East of Dikte

“…According to lead isotope analysis done in the last decade it seems that most of the Late Minoan copper was coming from north-west Cyprus, especially in the cases of Mochlos and Gournia (Muhly et al 2012: 123;Ferrence et al 2014Ferrence et al : 1139. Extensive trade was needed in order for Cretans to access the metals used to make bronze.…”

“…Lead is also given a relatively high score of 60. Lead isotope analysis indicates that lead was coming from the Lavrian mines on the Greek mainland (Ferrence et al 2014(Ferrence et al : 1139. It shows up very infrequently with in the East Cretan tombs.…”

“…The origin of bronze in the Late Bronze Age is far more well documented. As mentioned in the Methodology Chapter above, lead isotope analysis has revealed that most LM copper ore was also coming from Cyprus (Muhly et al 2012: 123;Ferrence et al 2014Ferrence et al : 1139. If East Cretans got metal from Cyprus, it would directly contradict the characterization of LMIIIC Eastern Crete as disconnected.…”