Diverse strategies for copper production in Chalcolithic Iberia

La Duc, Elizabeth ; Montero-Ruiz, Ignacio ; Freestone, Ian C. ; Fanlo Loras, Javier ; Jabalquinto Expósito, Isabel María ; Martín de la Cruz, José C. ; Pérez-Lambán, Fernando ; Picazo Millán, Jesús V. (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Martinón-Torres, Marcos

Resumen: Our understanding of early copper metallurgy in the Iberian Peninsula is mostly based on analysis from wellstudied regions in the Southeast and Southwest. This paper focuses on two recently recovered Chalcolithic metallurgical assemblages outside these traditional research foci: two slagged crucibles from Lugar Viejo III (Zaragoza) and two large slag cakes from Cueva del Canaveralejo ˜ (Cordoba). ´ Analysis of the compositions and microstructures of the artifacts using optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) suggests they are related to primary copper production, namely smelting in cruciblefurnaces under relatively oxidizing conditions, as is standard for this period. The slag layers on crucibles from Lugar Viejo indicate the production of copper with minor amounts of arsenic, also typical for this period. Of special note is the use of organic temper in the crucibles from Lugar Viejo, a practice found at the nearby site of Moncín but rare at other sites in Iberia. However, the slags from Cueva del Canaveralejo ˜ are atypical in their large size (approx. 125 g each), fayalitic composition, unusual efficiency as demonstrated by a low copper content, and lack of arsenic; furthermore, the high sulfur content raises the possibility of the use of sulfidic ores. Results from both sites are compared against published data from well-known sites such as Los Millares, Las Pilas, Almizaraque, and Bauma del Serrat del Pont. The new data from Lugar Viejo and Cueva del Canaveralejo ˜ reinforce the interpretation of metallurgy in the Iberian Peninsula as a low-skilled, conservative technology but also indicate the need for more research into regional variations. (See upplementary Data 1 for a summary in Spanish).

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2022.103683

Año: 2022

Publicado en: JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE-REPORTS 46 (2022), 103683 [11 pp.]
ISSN: 2352-409X

Factor impacto CITESCORE: 3.0 - Arts and Humanities (Q1) - Social Sciences (Q1)

Factor impacto SCIMAGO: 0.739 - Archeology (Q1) - History (Q1) - Archeology (arts and humanities) (Q1)

Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/H2020/101021480/EU/Reverse engineering collective action: complex technologies in stateless societies/REVERSEACTION

Tipo y forma: Article (Published version)

Área (Departamento): Área Prehistoria (Dpto. Ciencias de la Antigüed.)