Melting, smelting, and recycling: A regional study around the Late Bronze Age mining site of Prigglitz-Gasteil, Lower Austria

Abstract

This paper presents a study on copper production and distribution in Lower Austria’s southeastern region during the Late Bronze Age (c. 1350–800 BC), with the focal point being the chemistry and isotopic character of artifacts from a small copper mining site at Prigglitz-Gasteil on the Eastern Alps’ easternmost fringe. Ores, casting cakes, and select objects from the Late Bronze Age mining site at Prigglitz-Gasteil, Lower-Austria, and within 15 km of its surroundings, were chemically and isotopically analysed using XRF, NAA, and MC-ICPMS. The importance of Prigglitz-Gasteil as a local mining and metal processing center is evaluated based on the produced data, and the distribution and sourcing of copper-producing materials found at the site are discussed. Special attention is paid to the mixing of scrap and source materials early in the metal production process. The most salient discussions focus on the variability of the chemistry and Pb isotopic ratios of the studied objects, which seem to constitute a multitude of source materials, unlike the pure chalcopyrite-source copper produced from the Prigglitz-Gasteil mine itself. The analytical data suggests that copper alloys were mainly imported from materials originating in the Slovakian Ore Mountains, which were subsequently mixed/recycled with relatively pure locally produced copper. The purity of the copper from Prigglitz-Gasteil was fortuitous in identifying imported copper that contained measurable amounts of Pb and other chemically distinct characteristics. The chaîne opératoire of metal production at the site is mentioned; however, it is clear that additional information on the region’s geochemistry is required before any finite conclusions on the ore-to-metal production can be made.

Electrochemical Approximation to Bronze Age Chronology via Multiple Scan Voltammetry

“…Data from a series of 107 copper/bronze objects from the Bronze Age onwards, mainly recovered from sites in central Europe, are presented from different Austrian museums, such as the MAMUZ (Asparn an der Zaya), the University of Innsbruck (Innsbruck), as well as the Natural History and the Art History Museum (Vienna), previously studied by conventional techniques. [33][34][35][36] Complementary experiments on medieval objects and modern coins already described [31] are also reported. Figure 1 shows photographic images of some of the Bronze Age objects studied.…”

“…It is then hypothesized that the gradient of the tenorite/cuprite ratio (accessible by multiple‐scan voltammetry) rather than its ‘absolute’ value in the external patina (determined by single‐scan voltammetry), can be taken as an age marker suitable for constructing a calibration curve. Data from a series of 107 copper/bronze objects from the Bronze Age onwards, mainly recovered from sites in central Europe, are presented from different Austrian museums, such as the MAMUZ (Asparn an der Zaya), the University of Innsbruck (Innsbruck), as well as the Natural History and the Art History Museum (Vienna), previously studied by conventional techniques [33–36] . Complementary experiments on medieval objects and modern coins already described [31] are also reported.…”

Combining geophysical prospection and core drilling: Reconstruction of a Late Bronze Age copper mine at Prigglitz‐Gasteil in the Eastern Alps (Austria)

“…Archaeological excavations took place here in 1956 and 1958 under the direction of archaeologist Franz Hampl and mineralogist Robert J. Mayrhofer (Hampl & Mayrhofer, 1963 ) and again from 2010 to 2014 under archaeologist Peter Trebsche ( 2010 , 2011 , 2012 , 2013 , 2014a , 2014b , 2014c ). The excavations on the excellently preserved settlement terraces, which were established on waste dumps immediately adjacent to the mining operations, provide detailed insights into the animal‐ and plant‐based diet of the inhabitants (Heiss et al, 2021 ; Trebsche & Pucher, 2013 ) and the various activities related to metal production (Haubner et al, 2015 , 2017 , 2019 ; Mödlinger & Trebsche, 2020 , 2021 ; Mödlinger et al, 2021 ), thus providing a unique insight into the living and working areas, the division of labour and the organizational structure of a relatively small copper production site on the edge of the Eastern Alps.…”

Mott–Schottky Analysis of Historical and Archaeological Copper–based Objects

“…Most of these objects have previously been studied using conventional techniques. [32][33][34][35][36] The MÀ S data are complemented by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and VIMP measurements carried out on the same set of samples.…”

“…The application of this technique for archaeometric purposes is discussed based on its application to many samples from Austrian museums (Bad Aussee, Joanneum Graz, Tyrolean State Museums (Hall deposit and Renaissance statues in the Hofkirche in Innsbruck)) and Italian museums and Archaeological Heritage Office (soprintendenza) (Genoa and San Remo). Most of these objects have previously been studied using conventional techniques [32–36] . The M−S data are complemented by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and VIMP measurements carried out on the same set of samples.…”