Lead isotope analyses from Tell Abraq, United Arab Emirates: new data regarding the ‘tin problem’ in Western Asia

Weeks, Lloyd

doi:10.1017/s0003598x00087834

Cited by 29 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 50 publications

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“…Interestingly, the lead isotope ratio of a tin-arsenic bangle from the site Tell Abraq reported by Weeks (1999Weeks ( , 2004) matches very well with the isotope ratio of the ore at Deh Hosein.…”

Section: Lead Isotope Analysis (Lia)supporting

confidence: 64%

“…These include Kestel/Goltepe in Turkey (Yener and Ozbal 1987;Yener et al 1989;Yener and Goodway 1992;Willies 1990Willies ,1992Yener and Vandiver 1993), Jabal Silsilah and Kutam in the western Arabian Peninsula (Stacey et al 1980;Du Bray 1985;Du Bray et al 1988;Kamilli and Criss 1996;Overstreet et al 1988), Abu Dabbab, Nuweibi, Igla, ElMueilha, andHomrAkarem in East¬ ern Desert of Egypt (Wertime 1978;Muhly 1978;1993), Mesgaran in Afghanistan (Shareq et al 1977;Berthoud 1979;Stech and Pigott 1986), and Kharnab and Mushiston in Central Asia (Masson and Sarianidi 1972;Wertime 1973;Crawford 1974;Ruzanov 1979;Alimov et al 1998;Boroffka et al 2002) which could be considered as suppliers of the ancient tin needs. But based upon the recent lead isotope studies accomplished by Weeks (1999Weeks ( , 2004, along with archaeological evidence (Garenne-Marot 1984;Muhly 1973;Glanzman 1987;Fleming and Pigott 1987;Wertime 1978;Weeks 1999;2004), many of these deposits including deposits of Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula as well Anatolia (Kestel) have been withdrawn as possible sources of tin for the early Bronze Age.…”

Section: Lead Isotope Analysis (Lia)mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Introduction of the Deh Hosein Ancient Tin-Copper Mine, Western Iran: Evidence From Geology, Archaeology, Geochemistry and Lead Isotope Data

Nezafati¹,

Pernicka²,

Momenzadeh³

2009

tubaar

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ÖZET İran'ın orta kesiminin batısında bulunan eski bakır ve kalay işletmesi Deh Hosein'in keşfinin ardındanyapılanyeni araştırmalar, batı Asya uygarlıklarının yararlandıkları kalay kaynaklarının neresi olduğu sorusu na önemliyeni bir açılım kazandırmıştır.. Deh Hosein bakır-kalay madeninden elde edilen cevher örnek lerinin analizi yapılmış ve bu sonuçlar, Luristan ile Mezopotamya'daki tunç buluntular ile karşılaştırıla rak aralarındaki ilişki sorgulanmıştır. 14 C analizleri ve arkeolojik kanıtlarla birlikte burada bulunan çok sayıda eski ocağın ve madencilik ile ilgi li kalıntılarının en geç MÖ 2. binyıl başı ile MÖ 1. binyıl arasına ait olduğu ortaya çıkmıştır. Ayrıca yapı lan cevher analizleri sonucunda Sn, Cu, As, Pb, Zn, veAu'nun da yoğun olduğu görülmüştür. Daha da önemlisi cevher örneklerindeki kurşun izotop oranları dar bir yelpaze içindedir ve MÖ 2. binyıla ait Luris tan, MÖ 3. binyıla ait Basra Körfezinin güneyi, Ege ve yine Luristan ile Mezopotamya'nın bu tarihe ait örnekleri ile uyum sağlamaktadır. Ayrıca iz analizi ve tarihlendirme sonuçlarının yanı sıra Mezopotamya 'nın doğusunu kaynak olarak işaret eden yazılı metinler de, Deh Hosein'in İran, Mezopotamya ve hatta belki batı için önemli bir kalay kaynağı olduğunu düşündürmektedir.

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Section: Lead Isotope Analysis (Lia)supporting

confidence: 64%

Section: Lead Isotope Analysis (Lia)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Introduction of the Deh Hosein Ancient Tin-Copper Mine, Western Iran: Evidence From Geology, Archaeology, Geochemistry and Lead Isotope Data

Nezafati¹,

Pernicka²,

Momenzadeh³

2009

tubaar

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…; Hauptmann et al . ; Hauptmann ), the Arabian Peninsula (e.g., Weeks ; Weeks ; Begemann et al . ), the Eastern Mediterranean (e.g., Stos‐Gale ; Stos‐Gale and Gale ; see also the online OXALID database), Mesopotamia (e.g., Begemann and Schmitt‐Strecker ; Begemann et al .…”

Section: Shang Bronze From Africa?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Did China Import Metals from Africa in the Bronze Age?

Liu

Chen

Mei³

et al. 2018

Archaeometry

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The origins of the copper, tin and lead for China's rich Bronze Age cultures are a major topic in archaeological research, with significant contributions being made by archaeological fieldwork, archaeometallurgical investigations and geochemical considerations. Here, we investigate a recent claim that the greater part of the Shang-period metalwork was made using metals from Africa, imported together with the necessary know-how to produce tin bronze. A brief review of the current status of lead isotopic study on Shang-period bronze artefacts is provided first, clarifying a few key issues involved in this discussion. It is then shown that there is no archaeological or isotopic basis for bulk metal transfer between Africa and China during the Shang period, and that the copper and lead in Shang bronze with a strongly radiogenic signature is not likely to be from Africa. We call for collaborative interdisciplinary research to address the vexing question of the Shang period's metal sources, focusing on smelting sites in geologically defined potential source regions and casting workshops identified at a number of Shang settlements. KEYWORDS: LEAD ISOTOPES, HIGHLY RADIOGENIC LEAD, SHANG BRONZE, PROVENANCE INTRODUCTIONMost major Bronze Age civilizations developed in the catchments of large rivers that were sustaining a high population density through intensive agriculture. These areas, however, are almost always devoid of mineral resources, which are typically exposed only in mountainous areas, remote from the centres of agricultural civilization. Thus, these centres were dependent on distant areas to provide their strategically important metals, primarily copper, tin and gold, but also lead and silver. Substantive research has identified major copper sources for Egypt, Mesopotamia and Chen et al. 2009Chen et al. , 2016Pollard et al. 2017). Among these, Shang-period bronzes dated between the 16th and 11th centuries BCE stand out due to their highly distinctive isotopic and chemical compositions. The identification of the geological source(s) of this metal is a long-standing issue in Chinese archaeology, which has attracted considerable research interest from many scholars of various disciplinary backgrounds. A recent paper by Sun et al. (2016) is a new, but unconvincing, attempt to answer this question. It not only claims that 'the Yin-Shang people may have learned bronze technology elsewhere and brought it to China ' (Sun et al. 2016, 5), but it also concludes that 'both the Yin-Shang and the Sanxingdui bronzes were obtained in Africa, bearing the highly radiogenic lead isotopic signatures of Africa's Archean cratons. Alternatively, some ancient people might have come to China from Africa, carrying tin and/or bronzes with them' (Sun et al. 2016, 6). These hypotheses are undoubtedly bold and eye-catching, but unfortunately are also fundamentally flawed. In this paper, we offer a brief summary of currently available research on highly radiogenic lead found in ancient Shang bronzes, clarifying a few key issues that were m...

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“…Many orefields characterized in archaeological provenance studies—for example, the Sinai Desert (Abdel‐Motelib et al . ) and Oman (Weeks ; Begemann et al . )—range widely in their LI ratios, while the Niari Basin ores are better constrained.…”

Section: Results: Oresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Copper Production and Trade in the Niari Basin (Republic of Congo) During the 13th to 19th Centuries ce: Chemical and Lead Isotope Characterization

et al. 2018

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In Central Africa, copper ore occurs in only a few locations and copper appears to have been a scarce commodity in the past—contrary to iron, which is attested more widely and earlier in the sub‐Saharan archaeological record. This paper presents the first detailed characterization of an early copper‐working region in Central Africa. Located along the southern border of the Republic of the Congo, the Niari Basin has revealed several copper production sites ranging from the 13th to the 19th century ce. The evidence, specifically in the Mindouli, Mfouati and Boko‐Songho areas, includes various production remains as well as different types of copper ingots and artefacts. In the context of a broader copper technology study, the chemical and lead isotope characteristics of the ore deposits in this region are presented. The results of the chemical and lead isotope analyses of copper objects and production remains from archaeological sites are then interpreted against this geological background data, with an emphasis on copper provenance features. Combining these results with archaeological and historical evidence for regional metallurgical activity, new and significant insights are given on the production of copper in the Niari Basin, emphasizing the potential of this research for forthcoming work on copper use and trade in a wider Central African context.

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Lead isotope analyses from Tell Abraq, United Arab Emirates: new data regarding the ‘tin problem’ in Western Asia

Abstract: The ‘tin problem’ forms the focus for discussion on the earliest use of tin and bronze in western Asia and the Aegean. New research on lead isotope data from Tell Abraq in the UAE has important implications for the advent of bronze in the region.

Cited by 29 publications

References 50 publications

Introduction of the Deh Hosein Ancient Tin-Copper Mine, Western Iran: Evidence From Geology, Archaeology, Geochemistry and Lead Isotope Data

Introduction of the Deh Hosein Ancient Tin-Copper Mine, Western Iran: Evidence From Geology, Archaeology, Geochemistry and Lead Isotope Data

Did China Import Metals from Africa in the Bronze Age?

Copper Production and Trade in the Niari Basin (Republic of Congo) During the 13th to 19th Centuries ce: Chemical and Lead Isotope Characterization

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