Types of Gold, Types of Silver: The Composition of Precious Metal Artifacts Found in the Royal Tombs of Ur, Mesopotamia

2018 ◽  
Vol 108 (1) ◽  
pp. 100-131
Author(s):  
Andreas Hauptmann ◽  
Sabine Klein ◽  
Paola Paoletti ◽  
Richard L. Zettler ◽  
Moritz Jansen
Keyword(s):  
Copper Alloys ◽  
Pure Gold ◽  
Metal Artifacts ◽  
The Third ◽  
Early Dynastic ◽  
Gold Silver ◽  
Third Millennium ◽  
Third Millennium Bc ◽  
Placer Deposits ◽  
The Many

Abstract The many gold and silver artifacts from the Early Dynastic Royal Tombs of Ur in Mesopotamia are among the greatest metal finds of Ancient Mesopotamia in the third millennium BC. Within the framework of a research project, 32 of these artifacts were analyzed for their composition using a portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer and a scanning electron microscope. Predominantly gold-silver alloys rather than pure gold were identified, containing up to 50 wt.% of silver and often with additional copper content well above 10 wt.%. This spectrum of composition ranges from alloys that could be of natural origin to alloys that were intentionally produced. Some gold artifacts were deliberately blended to gold-silver-copper alloys for color gradation. In addition, Sumerian written sources from the end of the third millennium BC can be compared to the results of the analyses of this study and offer more information on the processing of these metals at that time. In the present study, it is shown that gold originating from placer deposits was brought to Ur. Direct association of gold artifacts with lapis lazuli in many precious objects from the Royal Tombs and the particular composition of inclusions of platinum group minerals in the worked gold both point to a possible provenance in northern Afghanistan. One significant result was the confirmation of the use of depletion gilding for the removal of copper from surfaces; the technique of refining silver-bearing gold, known as parting, is not thought to have been known at this time.A previous version of this paper has been presented as a talk at the 62e Rencontre Assyriologique Internationale of Philadelphia 11th–15th July 2016 by A. Hauptmann, S. Klein and R. Zettler under the title: “A. Hauptmann, S. Klein, and R. Zettler, Sorts of Gold, Sorts of Silver from the Royal Tombs of Ur, Mesopotamia”. “For the late Hans-Gert Bachmann, the pioneer of ancient gold metallurgy. (Andreas Hauptmann)”

scholarly journals FRAGMENTS OF THE THIRD MILLENNIUM BC FROM NIGIN

Iraq ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Davide Nadali ◽  
Lorenzo Verderame
Keyword(s):  
Small Group ◽  
The State ◽  
The Third ◽  
Early Dynastic ◽  
Ancient City ◽  
Third Millennium ◽  
Third Millennium Bc ◽  
History Of ◽  
First Dynasty ◽  
The City

The ancient city of Nigin in the State of Lagash is largely attested in the epigraphic sources of the rulers of the First Dynasty of Lagash. Conversely, the archaeological evidence of the Early Dynastic Period is so far very scanty and limited. This paper presents a small group of documents to be dated to the Early Dynastic Period IIIb that were found out of context, but that nevertheless point to a phase of occupation of Nigin in the third millennium BC and are coherent with the information we already know about history of the city and the State of Lagash.

Analyses of İkiztepe Metal Artifacts

1986 ◽  
Vol 36 ◽  
pp. 99-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Şeref Kunç
Keyword(s):  
Black Sea ◽  
Production Technology ◽  
Copper Alloys ◽  
Red River ◽  
The Black Sea ◽  
Metal Artifacts ◽  
Similar Composition ◽  
The Third ◽  
Third Millennium

Only a few investigations on the composition of Anatolian copper and copper alloys have been carried out. Esin (1967) published analyses of 750 copper artifacts excavated from different Anatolian prehistoric sites and found that 600 of them were made of copper alloys containing deliberate quantities (i.e. more than 1%) of arsenic, lead or tin. Of these, 50% contain As between 1–6%, 25% As 1–3% and Sn 1–10% together, 20% Sn only (2–10%) and the remaining 5% Pb and/or Sn, As. The results of these analyses show that prehistoric Anatolian artifacts which are made of copper alloys have closely similar composition to Egyptian (Hedges, 1979) and Greek (Craddock, 1977) ones or at least their production technology appears to be the same. It is well known that As was added to copper around the third millennium B.C. by prehistoric metallurgists and Sn by the second millennium B.C.The metal objects whose analyses are reported below were all found in the İkiztepe excavation during 1978 and 1979 (Alkım, 1979). İkiztepe was located on the shore of the Black Sea and Kızılırmak (Red River) during the prehistoric ages, though today it is 60 km. away from the Black Sea. It was the largest occupation site around Samsun and consisted of four different natural hüyüks. Two hüyüks numbered İkiztepe I and II have been excavated to date.

Raw Material and Technological Changes in Ceramic Productions at Sai Island, Northern Sudan, from the Seventh to the Third Millennium BC

Archaeometry ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 597-616 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. D'Ercole ◽  
G. Eramo ◽  
E. A. A. Garcea ◽  
I. M. Muntoni ◽  
J. R. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Raw Material ◽  
Technological Changes ◽  
The Third ◽  
Third Millennium ◽  
Third Millennium Bc

Dynastic Change and Institutional Administration in Southern Mesopotamia in the Later Third Millennium BCE: Evidence from Seals and Sealing Practices

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard L. Zettler
Keyword(s):  
Administrative Practices ◽  
The Third ◽  
Early Dynastic ◽  
Third Millennium ◽  
Third Millennium Bce ◽  
Third Dynasty Of Ur

This chapter examines the evolution of seal imagery and sealing practices in southern Mesopotamia during the latter half of the third millennium BCE or the late Early Dynastic period and succeeding Dynasty of Agade and Third Dynasty of Ur. It describes changes in glyptic imagery as well as sealing practices and elucidates the timing of those changes. It concludes that seal imagery and sealing practices were not static, but evolved over the course of the late third millennium and that the introduction of new imagery and changing administrative practices were gradual and seemingly lagged decades behind dynastic change.

Early Cycladic fortified settlements: aspects of cultural continuity and change in the Cyclades during the third millennium BC

2017 ◽  
Vol 63 ◽  
pp. 131-150
Author(s):  
Anastasia Angelopoulou
Keyword(s):  
19Th Century ◽  
Cultural Continuity ◽  
Scientific Interest ◽  
Late 19Th Century ◽  
Continuity And Change ◽  
The Third ◽  
Analytical Studies ◽  
Third Millennium ◽  
Third Millennium Bc ◽  
New Evidence

Early Cycladic culture (third millennium BC) has been a focus of scientific interest since the late 19th century. Our knowledge of Early Cycladic civilization is based primarily on evidence gathered from a substantial number of cemeteries that have been discovered in various parts of the Cyclades. In comparison, excavations of Early Cycladic settlements are few in number. Thus, habitation comprises an essential yet understudied field of research.Despite these limitations, fieldwork as well as material and analytical studies conducted over the period 2000–2017 have contributed to a far better understanding of Early Cycladic habitation patterns. Excavations and/or publications of important sites, such as Chalandriani and Kastri on Syros, Skarkos on Ios, Dhaskalio and Kavos on Keros, Markiani on Amorgos and Korfari ton Amygdalion (Panormos) on Naxos, have revealed significant new evidence regarding the development and character of Early Cycladic civilization.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document