A novel combined approach for compositional and Pb isotope data of (leaded) copper-based alloys: bronze coinage in Magna Graecia and Rome (5th to 2nd centuries BCE)

Westner, Katrin; Kemmers, Fleur; Klein, Sabine

doi:10.1016/j.jas.2020.105204

Cited by 7 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…Lead, due to its slower solidification (its melting point is around 327.5 °C), improves the fluidity and castability of the melt [22,23]. Furthermore, Pb, being cheaper than Cu and Sn, was sometimes also used as a "filler", even though a high concentration could make it difficult to process the alloy since Pb is immiscible in Cu-Sn [24].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Strange Case of the Nuragic Offerers Bronze Statuettes: A Multi-Analytical Study

et al. 2022

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The Nuragic civilization (Sardinia, Italy, XVIII–VIII B.C) developed a flourishing bronze metallurgy with strong connections with other civilizations from the Mediterranean basin. Within the large bronze production, there are some peculiar representations of human figures, known in the archaeological environment of Sardinia as bronzetti, depicting warriors, priests, and offerers. In this paper, an interesting couple of Nuragic statuettes representing offerers, one from the Pigorini Museum in Rome and another from the Musei Reali in Turin, were analyzed. They have been investigated with X-ray fluorescence integrated with Monte Carlo simulations (XRF-MC). The combined methodology provides more accurate results, ranging from the structural characterization to the identification of the corrosion layers to the estimation of the composition of the alloy of the artifact. One of the most striking results regards the heads of the offerers: both heads are covered with a thick iron-based layer, even though the whole artifacts are made of a copper alloy. To understand the reason behind this peculiar corrosion patina, several hypotheses have been considered, including the possibility that these iron mineralizations are the consequence of an ancient superficial treatment, intending to confer a chromatic effect on the figurine’s head.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Strange Case of the Nuragic Offerers Bronze Statuettes: A Multi-Analytical Study

et al. 2022

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“…It can either result from mixed furnace charges or natural alloying in placer deposits, of smelted metal mixed as ingots or scrap metal, or by contamination (e.g., in crucible (s)melting). Metal alloys that contain detectable amounts of lead (e.g., bronzes) can also be mixtures; this aspect becomes particularly crucial for the interpretation if the alloying components potentially originate from different metal deposits (Westner, Kemmers, & Klein, 2020). Parameters such as sample mineralogy, and commodities and mineralisation type of ore deposits contained in GlobaLID, can be used to address these issues.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

From OXALID to GlobaLID: Introducing a modern and FAIR lead isotope database with an interactive application

et al. 2022

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Lead isotope provenance studies of archaeological artefacts rely crucially on the availability of reference data from raw material sources. The OXALID database, a collection of Excel sheets with Pb isotope data of ores and artefacts, is still the most cited data source in archaeometry. However, OXALID has not been updated for several years and contains almost exclusively data from Europe, particularly from the Mediterranean area. Digitalisation and open science philosophy currently revolutionise the use of machinegenerated data by developing digital data infrastructures. A modernised Pb isotope reference database, which is tailored for, but not limited to archaeometric research, is hence overdue. Here, we introduce GlobaLID, a FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable, reusable) and extendable database and a web application with interactive and statistical tools for user-friendly data handling up to publication quality. GlobaLID aims to be a collection point for worldwide Pb isotope data. It is designed as research infrastructure for Pb isotope studies in (for example) archaeometry, ore deposit and environmental geochemistry. As a community engagement project, GlobaLID invites scientists around the world to become active contributors to enable GlobaLID's rapid growth. We released GlobaLID as a pilot study

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“…The supply of coins and their metal materials is important for state governance, since the minting of coins is related to central authority in almost all societies, and the usage of coins generally involves all social strata and permeates throughout every corner of the territory [1]. For example, in Ancient Rome, in order to establish a monetary supply network that would sustain imperial power for many centuries, the Imperator and Senate needed sophisticated social organization to manage the supply of metal materials, minting, as well as the deployment of coins to different regions, owing to the uneven distribution of mineral resources and production capacity throughout the vast territory [2][3][4][5][6][7].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A glimpse into the monetary supply network of the Tang empire in the seventh century CE: archaeometallurgical study of Kaiyuan Tongbao coins from Lafu Queke cemetery, Xinjiang, Northwest China

Wang

Yang

et al. 2022

Herit Sci

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The supply of coins and their metal materials is important for state governance. Many details about the monetary supply network in ancient China still need to be verified. In this paper, 15 early Tang dynasty Kaiyuan Tongbao 開元通寶 coins excavated from the Lafu Queke 拉甫却克 cemetery, Hami 哈密 city, were studied by combining scientific analyses (PXRF and MC-ICP-MS etc.) with the archaeological context and historical texts. The results show that all of these coins are made of Cu-Sn–Pb ternary alloy. The lead isotopes match with the isotopic signatures of some southwest China lead mines consistent with historical records, 14 coins are located in the range of Southern China geochemical province, and the lead of 5 coins could be considered as highly radiogenic lead (HRL). Combining these results with the archaeological context and historical texts, it can be inferred that the coins minted in southwest China were made from locally exploited raw metal, and supplied to the northwest borderland of the Tang dynasty in the seventh century CE.

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A novel combined approach for compositional and Pb isotope data of (leaded) copper-based alloys: bronze coinage in Magna Graecia and Rome (5th to 2nd centuries BCE)

Cited by 7 publications

References 36 publications

The Strange Case of the Nuragic Offerers Bronze Statuettes: A Multi-Analytical Study

The Strange Case of the Nuragic Offerers Bronze Statuettes: A Multi-Analytical Study

From OXALID to GlobaLID: Introducing a modern and FAIR lead isotope database with an interactive application

A glimpse into the monetary supply network of the Tang empire in the seventh century CE: archaeometallurgical study of Kaiyuan Tongbao coins from Lafu Queke cemetery, Xinjiang, Northwest China

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