Reconstructing the arsenical copper production process in early Bronze Age southwest Asia
As the dominant alloy in much of the Old World for several millennia between in the Late Chalcolithic and Bronze Ages, surprisingly little work has been undertaken to understand how arsenical copper was produced and what led to its ubiquitous appearance in the archaeological record. Since arsenic and copper mineralizations often occur paragenetically, and due to the proximity of such deposits to a number of early production centres, it has often been assumed that the dominance of the alloy at the time was simply the result of the serendipitous smelting of widely available polymetallic ores. This thesis questions this narrative as overly simplistic and offers new evidence of intentional and advanced alloying techniques predating the rise of tin bronzes by several centuries. The archaeometric study of metallurgical remains from two recently excavated sites is used as the basis for the reconstruction of arsenical copper's chaiÌnes opeÌratoires. The sites are CÌ§amlÄ±bel TarlasÄ± in Central Turkey, dating to the mid-fourh millennium BC, and Arisman in West Central Iran, dating to the late fourth to early third millennium BC. The material under study consists of the full gamut of metal production remains, including
Boscher, L. C.
Reconstructing the arsenical copper production process in early Bronze Age southwest Asia. As the dominant alloy in much of the Old World for several millennia between in the Late Chalcolithic and Bronze Ages, surprisingly little work has been undertaken to understand how arsenical copper was produced and what led to its ubiquitous appearance in the archaeological record. Since arsenic and copper mineralizations often occur paragenetically, and due to the proximity of such deposits to a number of early production centres, it has often been assumed that the dominance of the alloy at the time was simply the result of the serendipitous smelting of widely available polymetallic ores. This thesis questions this narrative as overly simplistic and offers new evidence of intentional and advanced alloying techniques predating the rise of tin bronzes by several centuries. The archaeometric study of metallurgical remains from two recently excavated sites is used as the basis for the reconstruction of arsenical copper's chaiÌnes opeÌratoires. The sites are CÌ§amlÄ±bel TarlasÄ± in Central Turkey, dating to the mid-fourh millennium BC, and Arisman in West Central Iran, dating to the late fourth to early third millennium BC. The material under study consists of the full gamut of metal production remains, including
reconstructing copper production_process early_bronze_age southwest_asia dominant alloy much old world several millennium late_chalcolithic bronze ages surprisingly little_work undertaken copper produce lead ubiquitous appearance archaeological_record since copper often occur due proximity deposit number early production_centre often_assume dominance alloy time simply smelt widely available ore question narrative overly simplistic offer_new evidence intentional advanced alloy technique predate rise tin bronze archaeometric study metallurgical remains recently_excavate site use_basis reconstruction copper site central turkey date mid west_central iran date_late fourth early third material study_consist full metal_production remain include