Early extractive iron metallurgy in N Greece : a unified approach to regional archaeometallurgy
Aspects of early Greek extractive iron metallurgy are investigated here, for the first time, with particular emphasis on Macedonia, Greece's most metals-rich province. The subject is approached experimentally by considering equally the ores, slag and artefacts of iron in Macedonia, through the analytical examination of archaeological slag and artefacts, the experimental smelting of Macedonian ores and subsequent analytical investigation of the slag and blooms produced. The mineral resources geology of Macedonia is presented. The historical background to mining and metal working in Macedonia from the Early Iron Age (tenth century BC) to the turn of the present century is documented. The literature on the introduction of iron into Greece, and the East Mediterranean more generally, is critically reviewed, and in the light of results obtained, especially from Thasos, it is argued that the origins of iron making in Macedonia, if not elsewhere in Greece, should be sought locally during the Late Bronze Age. Despite the absence of excavated furnace remains, it has been possible, through analytical examination of metallurgical waste, to trace the operation of the bloomery in Macedonia continuously for nearly thirty
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Archaeology
Early extractive iron metallurgy in N Greece : a unified approach to regional archaeometallurgy. Aspects of early Greek extractive iron metallurgy are investigated here, for the first time, with particular emphasis on Macedonia, Greece's most metals-rich province. The subject is approached experimentally by considering equally the ores, slag and artefacts of iron in Macedonia, through the analytical examination of archaeological slag and artefacts, the experimental smelting of Macedonian ores and subsequent analytical investigation of the slag and blooms produced. The mineral resources geology of Macedonia is presented. The historical background to mining and metal working in Macedonia from the Early Iron Age (tenth century BC) to the turn of the present century is documented. The literature on the introduction of iron into Greece, and the East Mediterranean more generally, is critically reviewed, and in the light of results obtained, especially from Thasos, it is argued that the origins of iron making in Macedonia, if not elsewhere in Greece, should be sought locally during the Late Bronze Age. Despite the absence of excavated furnace remains, it has been possible, through analytical examination of metallurgical waste, to trace the operation of the bloomery in Macedonia continuously for nearly thirty
early extractive iron metallurgy greece unified regional aspects early greek extractive iron metallurgy investigate first_time particular_emphasis macedonia greece rich province subject approach experimentally consider equally ore_slag artefact iron macedonia analytical examination archaeological slag artefact experimental smelt macedonian ore subsequent analytical investigation slag produce mineral resource geology macedonia present historical_background mining metal_work macedonia early_iron_age turn document literature introduction iron greece east_mediterranean generally critically_review light obtain especially argue origin iron make macedonia elsewhere greece seek locally despite absence excavate furnace remains possible analytical examination metallurgical waste trace operation bloomery macedonia continuously