This paper presents the results of elemental and lead isotopic analysis of copper alloys, copper-based pigments and an extremely rare tin-based alloy from the town of Amara West (Sudan), the centre... Show moreThis paper presents the results of elemental and lead isotopic analysis of copper alloys, copper-based pigments and an extremely rare tin-based alloy from the town of Amara West (Sudan), the centre for pharaonic control of occupied Upper Nubia between 1300 and 1070 BCE. It is the first assemblage of its kind to be analysed for Upper Nubia during this period. This research examines the selection and consumption of alloys in a colonial context, in light of earlier and contemporaneous practices and patterns in both Egypt and Nubia, to assess broader systems of resource management and metal production. Drawing on the complementary information obtained from pigment analysis, novel insights into interactions between different high-temperature crafts are obtained, particularly in terms of shared provisioning systems. From this unique perspective, pigment analysis is used for the first time to illuminate copper sources not reflected in metal assemblages, while scrap copper alloys are identified as a key colourant for Egyptian blue manufacture. The integrated application of strontium isotope analysis further highlights the potential for identifying links between glass, faience and Egyptian blue production systems within Egypt and for distinguishing these from other manufacturing regions such as Mesopotamia. The analysis of a tin artefact further expands our understanding of potential tin sources available during the New Kingdom and their role in shaping copper alloy compositions. Overall, this holistic approach to copper alloys and their application in other high-temperature industries ties together different strands of research, shaping a new understanding of New Kingdom technological practices, supply networks and material stocks circulating throughout the Nile Valley. Show less
This paper presents a new provenance evaluation of recently published Egyptian copper alloy artefacts dating to the Protodynastic and Old Kingdom periods. The excavation context of a Protodynastic... Show moreThis paper presents a new provenance evaluation of recently published Egyptian copper alloy artefacts dating to the Protodynastic and Old Kingdom periods. The excavation context of a Protodynastic chisel from Elkab is considered in detail to provide a nuanced interpretation of its dating. In turn, the broader implications of this dating for early Egyptian copper provenance determination are discussed. Furthermore, several Old Kingdom artefacts from Abusir and Giza are reviewed. These objects include some of the earliest attestations of likely metal imports within Egypt, although their exact provenance remains unclear. Using a wide range of reference data and technological arguments, alternative interpretations are suggested to obtain a more nuanced picture of copper alloy imports and their role in early Egyptian metal procurement. Show less
This paper presents the results of comprehensive geochemical analysis of experimental copper smelting products. An iterative, long-term experimental programme has been incorporated in the ongoing... Show moreThis paper presents the results of comprehensive geochemical analysis of experimental copper smelting products. An iterative, long-term experimental programme has been incorporated in the ongoing excavation of Middle Kingdom metallurgy remains at Ayn Soukhna (Egypt) in order to better understand the copper production chain at the site. The integration of archaeometry into this research methodology has enabled a detailed understanding of the geochemical changes which may occur during copper smelting in furnaces of this type. These include significant elemental fractionation, as well as important shifts in lead isotope ratios between ores and end products (slag and copper). This research presents an interpretative framework not only for understanding production waste from Ayn Soukhna itself, but more broadly the provenance and technology of copper alloys circulating in ancient Egypt. The significant shifts in lead isotope ratios observed for an experimental low-lead copper smelting system are highly relevant here, given the similar composition of many Sinai and Eastern Desert ores exploited throughout Pharaonic history. However, the implications of this research may be extrapolated beyond Egypt to low-lead copper provenance research across the ancient world and thus provide an important new methodological perspective for archaeometallurgy more generally. Furthermore, limitations to using iron in copper artefacts as a guide for their production technology are pointed out. Similar iron contents are observed for woodand charcoal-based smelting systems, inviting a reappraisal of fuel use at ancient metal production contexts in Egypt and elsewhere. A research approach integrating excavation, experimentation and analysis is essential when confronting the complexity of production chains underlying Egyptian copper artefacts. While daunting, this generates more nuanced interpretative frameworks for studying copper provenance and technology. Show less
Ham-Meert, A. van; Rademakers, F.W.; Gyselen, R.; Overlaet, B.; Degryse, P.; Claeys, P. 2020
This paper presents the micro-XRF analysis of over 100 Sasanian billon and copper coins from the collections of the Royal Museums of Art and History in Brussels, Belgium. This study discovered that... Show moreThis paper presents the micro-XRF analysis of over 100 Sasanian billon and copper coins from the collections of the Royal Museums of Art and History in Brussels, Belgium. This study discovered that some coins, thought to be copper, were actually billon coins. Furthermore, it illustrated the continuity in use and recipe of small copper coins from the Parthian into the Sasanian period. Previous research into the elemental composition of copper coins from the Sasanian period only spanned the period 224-309 CE, while this paper encompasses the whole period until the fall of the empire in 651 CE. The link with lead coins is also discussed. Show less
