Copper and arsenical copper artefacts from prenuragic Sardinian cultures
Abstract
Due to its geographical position and numerous ore deposits, Sardinia played a significant, though still not completely defined, role in prehistoric metallurgy in the Mediterranean area. Up to now the most ancient metal production and working phases, where copper and the first alloy (copper-arsenic) were used, have not been documented archaeometrically, but only deduced from archaeological evidence. In this paper the results of the characterization of a first series of eleven finds (weapons) dating to the prenuragic era are presented. Analyses show five of the finds to be made of copper while the other six are arsenical copper with an arsenic content of up to 7%. Based on the microstructural characterization (SEM plus EDS and optical metallography), the possible ore provenance as well as the metal working techniques presumably used are discussed. The lead isotope composition of some of the weapons suggests that two arsenical copper swords of ‘argaric’ workmanship might have been made from Sardinian ores, while for a copper spearhead Cypriot-type ores might have been used.
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