Early Iron Age gold buttons from South-Western Iberian Peninsula. Identification of a gold metallurgical workshop
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3989/tp.2010.10053Keywords:
Gold alloy, Early Iron Age, South-Western Iberian Peninsula, Welding, Metallurgical workshop, EDXRF, Micro-PIXE, SEM-EDS, Optical MicroscopyAbstract
Early Iron Age gold buttons from Castro dos Ratinhos, Fortios and Outeiro da Cabeça were analysed by conventional EDXRF, Micro-PIXE, SEM-EDS and Optical Microscopy. EDXRF results point out to a rather homogeneous alloy composition throughout all the analysed buttons. PIXE microanalyses show that all the button components (disk, tab and peripheral grooved decorated rod) have the same alloy composition. PIXE and SEM-EDS microanalyses, supplemented with optical microscopy characterization, show the absence of chemical composition differences between distinct components and joining zones, suggesting that no solder had been applied, i.e. that a partial melting/solid state diffusion process had been used for the welding of button components. Finally, the noticeable similar compositions together with the use of the same welding process and the very similar artefact typologies suggest that those small gold treasures could be interpreted as the result of the work of a single metallurgical workshop, probably located somewhere in the South-Western Iberian Peninsula.
Downloads
References
Alves, L.C.; Araújo, M.F. and Soares, A.M.M. 2002: “Estudo de um torques proveniente do noroeste peninsular– aplicação de métodos instrumentais de análise química não destrutivos”. O Arqueólogo Português S. IV, 20: 115-134.
Alves, L.C.; Breese, M.B.H.; Alves, E.; Paul, A.; Silva, M.R.; Silva, M.F. and Soares, J.C. 2000: “Micron- scale analysis of SiC/SiCf composites using the new Lisbon nuclear microprobe”. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B, 161: 334-338. doi:10.1016/S0168-583X(99)00768-5
Araújo, M.F., Alves, L.C. and Cabral, J.M.P. 1993: “Comparison of EDXRF and PIXE in the analysis of ancient gold coins”. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B 75: 450-453. doi:10.1016/0168-583X(93)95694-Z
Berrocal-Rangel, L. and Silva, A.C. 2007: “O Castro dos Ratinhos (Moura, Portugal). Um complexo defensivo no Bronze Final do sudoeste peninsular”. In L. Berrocal-Rangel and P. Moret (eds.): Paisajes Fortificados de la Edad del Hierro: 169-190.
Bugoi, R.; Cojocaru, V.; Constantinescu, B.; Constantin, F.; Grambole, D. and Herrmann, F. 2003: “Micro- PIXE study of gold archaeological objects”. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry 257: 375-383. doi:10.1023/A:1024700316827
Demortier, G. 1991: “Étude de soudures sur quelques bijoux de l’Iran ancien par la technique PIXE”. La Découverte du Métal: 425-437.
Demortier, G.; Morciaux, Y. and Dozot, D. 1999: “PIXE, XRF and GRT for the global investigation of ancient gold artefacts”. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B 150: 640-644. doi:10.1016/S0168-583X(98)00900-8
Ferreira, O.V. 1974: “Notícia da descoberta de jóias auríferas no distrito de Portalegre”. Estudos Italianos em Portugal 37: 79-82.
Hartmann, A. 1970: Prähistorische goldfunde aus Europa. Gebrüder Mann Verlag, Berlin.
Heleno, M. 1935: “Joias pré-Romanas”. Ethnos I: 229-257.
Montero, I. and Rovira, S. 1991: “El oro y sus aleaciones en la orfebrería prerromana”. Archivo Español de Arqueologia 64: 7-21.
Perea, A. 1990: “Estudio microscópico y microanalítico de las soldaduras y otros procesos técnicos en la orfebrería prehistórica del Sur de la Península Ibérica”. Trabajos de Prehistoria 47: 103-160.
Perea, A. 2005: “Relaciones tecnológicas y de poder en la producción y consumo de oro durante la transición Bronce Final-Hierro en la fachada atlántica peninsular”. Anejos de Aespa XXXV: 1077-1087.
Silva, A.C. and Berrocal-Rangel, L. 2005: “O Castro dos Ratinhos (Moura), povoado do Bronze Final do Guadiana: 1.ª campanha de escavações (2004)”. Revista Portuguesa de Arqueología, 8: 129-176.
Soares, A.M.M.; Araújo, M.F. and Alves, L.C. 2004: “Análise química não-destrutiva de artefactos em ouro pré e proto-históricos: alguns exemplos”. Revista Portuguesa de Arqueologia 7: 125-138.
Tertian, R. and Claisse, F. 1982: Principles of quantitative X-ray fluorescence analysis. Heyden & Son, London.
Valério, P.; Alves, L.C.; Soares, A.M.M.; Berrocal-Rangel, L.; Silva, A.C. and Araújo, M.F. 2007: “Early Iron Age gold artefacts from Castro dos Ratinhos (Moura, Southern Portugal)”. Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference “Archaeometallurgy in Europe” (Aquileia, Italy. 17-21 June 2007). Milão: Associazione Italiana di Metallurgia. 9 (CD-Rom).
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2010 Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
© CSIC. Manuscripts published in both the printed and online versions of this Journal are the property of Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, and quoting this source is a requirement for any partial or full reproduction.All contents of this electronic edition, except where otherwise noted, are distributed under a “Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International” (CC BY 4.0) License. You may read here the basic information and the legal text of the license. The indication of the CC BY 4.0 License must be expressly stated in this way when necessary.
Self-archiving in repositories, personal webpages or similar, of any version other than the published by the Editor, is not allowed.
