Shining Like Gold and New: The Emergence of Brass North of the Alps Around the Turn of the Era.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Bursák ◽  
Alžběta Danielisová ◽  
Tomáš Magna ◽  
Petr Pajdla ◽  
Jitka Míková ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Iron Age ◽  
Central Area ◽  
Mineral Resources ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Western Mediterranean ◽  
Ore Deposits ◽  
Massif Central ◽  
Late Iron Age ◽  
New Findings ◽  
Military Campaigns

Abstract Ancient brass (aurichalcum) was a valued commodity in the Antiquity, notably because of its gold-like appearance. After mastering brass fabrication using the cementation procedure in the 1st century BC in the Mediterranean, this material became widely used by the Romans for coins, jewellery and other objects. Because of its visual qualities, it is believed that since this period, brass played an important role in diplomatic and economic contacts with indigenous communities, notably Celtic and Germanic tribes north of Danube and west of Rhine. To test this hypothesis, we performed for the first time the archaeometric and advanced statistical multivariate analysis of a suite of late Iron Age and Early Roman period (1st century BC – 1st century AD) brass and other copper-alloy objects from the territory of Bohemia to constrain their provenance. The new results for brass objects from this early phase of the massive occurrence of Roman aurichalcum in the Barbarian territories point to the ore deposits in the western Mediterranean or the Massif Central area in Gaul, consistent with historical events. These new findings underscore the great economic and political importance of the new and rich mineral resources in the Transalpine Gaul acquired due to Caesar's military campaigns

scholarly journals Archaeometric perspective on the emergence of brass north of the Alps around the turn of the Era

2022 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Bursák ◽  
Alžběta Danielisová ◽  
Tomáš Magna ◽  
Petr Pajdla ◽  
Jitka Míková ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Iron Age ◽  
Central Area ◽  
Mineral Resources ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Western Mediterranean ◽  
Ore Deposits ◽  
First Century ◽  
Massif Central ◽  
Late Iron Age ◽  
New Findings

AbstractAncient brass (aurichalcum) was a valued commodity in the Antiquity, notably because of its gold-like appearance. After mastering brass fabrication using the cementation procedure in the first century BC in the Mediterranean, this material became widely used by the Romans for coins, jewellery and other artefacts. Because of its visual qualities, it is believed that since this period, brass played an important role in diplomatic and economic contacts with indigenous communities, notably Celtic and Germanic tribes north of Danube and west of Rhine. To test this hypothesis, we performed for the first time the advanced statistical multivariate analysis based on chemical composition and lead isotope systematics, coupled with informed typo-chronological categorisation, of a suite of late Iron Age and Early Roman period (first century BC – first century AD) brass and other copper-alloy artefacts from the territory of Bohemia. In order to to discuss their provenance, the results were compared to known contemporary sources of material. The new results for brass artefacts from this early phase of the massive occurrence of Roman aurichalcum in the Barbarian territories point to the ore deposits in the western Mediterranean or the Massif Central area in Gaul, consistent with historical events. These new findings underscore the great economic and political importance of the new and rich mineral resources in the Transalpine Gaul acquired due to Caesar's military campaigns.

Landscape evolution around the oppidum of Bibracte (Northern Massif Central, France) from the Late Iron Age to the Post-Mediaeval period

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Petřík ◽  
Katarína Adameková ◽  
Libor Petr ◽  
Isabelle Jouffroy-Bapicot ◽  
Petr Kočár ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Iron Age ◽  
Landscape Evolution ◽  
Massif Central ◽  
Late Iron Age

A late iron age neck-ring from Pentire, Newquay, Cornwall, with a note on the find from Boverton, vale of Glamorgan

2009 ◽  
Vol 89 ◽  
pp. 35-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacqueline Nowakowski ◽  
Adam Gwilt ◽  
Vincent Megaw ◽  
Susan La Niece
Keyword(s):  
Iron Age ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Chance Discovery ◽  
Indigenous Art ◽  
Late Iron Age ◽  
Art Forms

AbstractThe chance discovery in 2007 at Pentire, on the outskirts of Newquay, Cornwall, of a leaded bronze neck-ring offers an opportunity to update our knowledge of other neck-rings of the ‘Wraxall’ class, predominantly from south-western Britain. The shared metallurgy and stylistic similarities of the neck-rings confirm previous opinion that the ‘Wraxall’ class belongs to a period when indigenous communities were being influenced by provincial Roman technology, while maintaining elements of indigenous art forms.

Iron Age and Roman Enclosed Settlement at Winchester Road, Basingstoke

2019 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-97
Author(s):  
Richard Massey ◽  
Matt Nichol ◽  
Dana Challinor ◽  
Sharon Clough ◽  
Matilda Holmes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Iron Age ◽  
Roman Period ◽  
Field Boundary ◽  
Crop Processing ◽  
Late Iron Age ◽  
Middle Iron Age ◽  
Grave Goods

Excavation in Area 1 identified an enclosed settlement of Middle–Late Iron Age and Early Roman date, which included a roundhouse gully and deep storage pits with complex fills. A group of undated four-post structures, situated in the east of Area 1, appeared to represent a specialised area of storage or crop processing of probable Middle Iron Age date. A sequence of re-cutting and reorganisation of ditches and boundaries in the Late Iron Age/Early Roman period was followed, possibly after a considerable hiatus, by a phase of later Roman activity, Late Iron Age reorganisation appeared to be associated with the abandonment of a roundhouse, and a number of structured pit deposits may also relate to this period of change. Seven Late Iron Age cremation burials were associated with a contemporary boundary ditch which crossed Area 1. Two partly-exposed, L-shaped ditches may represent a later Roman phase of enclosed settlement and a slight shift in settlement focus. An isolated inhumation burial within the northern margins of Area 1 was tentatively dated by grave goods to the Early Saxon period.<br/> Area 2 contained a possible trackway and field boundary ditches, of which one was of confirmed Late Iron Age/Early Roman date. A short posthole alignment in Area 2 was undated, and may be an earlier prehistoric feature.

Middle and Late Iron Age Occupation at Cadnam Farm, Alton, Hampshire

2018 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
pp. 110-136
Author(s):  
Oliver Good ◽  
Richard Massey
Keyword(s):  
Iron Age ◽  
The South ◽  
Late Iron Age ◽  
South West ◽  
Middle Iron Age

Three individual areas, totalling 0.55ha, were excavated at the Cadnam Farm site, following evaluation. Area 1 contained a D-shaped enclosure of Middle Iron Age date, associated with the remains of a roundhouse, and a ditched drove-way. Other features included refuse pits, a four-post structure and a small post-built structure of circular plan. Area 2 contained the superimposed foundation gullies of two Middle Iron Age roundhouses, adjacent to a probable third example. Area 3 contained a small number of Middle Iron Age pits, together with undated, post-built structures of probable Middle Iron Age date, including a roundhouse and four and six-post structures. Two large boundary ditches extended from the south-west corner of Area 3, and were interpreted as the funnelled entrance of a drove-way. These contained both domestic and industrial refuse of the late Iron Age date in their fills.

Ores Sources, Smelters and Archaeometallurgy: Exploring Iron Age Metal Production in the Southern Waterberg, South Africa

2013 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 243-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Foreman Bandama ◽  
Shadreck Chirikure ◽  
Simon Hall
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Iron Age ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Mineral Resources ◽  
Limpopo Province ◽  
Metal Working ◽  
Cultural Interaction ◽  
Metal Production ◽  
European Colonization ◽  
Sem Analyses

The Southern Waterberg in Limpopo Province is archaeologically rich, especially when it comes to evidence of pre-colonial mining and metal working. Geologically, the area hosts important mineral resources such as copper, tin and iron which were smelted by agriculturalists in the precolonial period. In this region however, tin seems to be the major attraction given that Rooiberg is still the only source of cassiterite in southern Africa to have provided evidence of mining before European colonization. This paper reports the results of archaeological and archaeometallurgical work which was carried out in order to reconstruct the technology of metalworking as well as the cultural interaction in the study area and beyond. The ceramic evidence shows that from the Eiland Phase (1000–1300 AD) onwards there was cross borrowing of characteristic decorative traits amongst extant groups that later on culminated in the creation of a new ceramic group known as Rooiberg. In terms of mining and metal working, XRF and SEM analyses, when coupled with optical microscopy, indicate the use of indigenous bloomery techniques that are widespread in pre-colonial southern Africa. Tin and bronze production was also represented and their production remains also pin down this metallurgy to particular sites and excludes the possibility of importing of finished tin and bronze objects into this area.

Sellaphora labernardierei (Sellaphoraceae, Bacillariophyta), a new epilithic species from French spring and four new combinations within the genus Sellaphora

Phytotaxa ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 260 (3) ◽  
pp. 235 ◽  
Author(s):  
AUDE BEAUGER ◽  
CARLOS E. WETZEL ◽  
OLIVIER VOLDOIRE ◽  
ALEXANDRE GARREAU ◽  
LUC ECTOR
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Scanning Electron Microscopy ◽  
Central Area ◽  
Mineral Waters ◽  
New Combinations ◽  
French Massif Central ◽  
Small Species ◽  
Massif Central ◽  
Floristic Survey ◽  
Scanning Electron

During a floristic survey of freshwater springs in the French Massif Central region, a new Sellaphora species (Bacillariophyceae) was found and is hereby described: Sellaphora labernardierei sp. nov. This new small species, with linear to linear-elliptical valves, slightly inflated in the middle, is formally described using light and scanning electron microscopy. The species has a single H-shaped chloroplast and striae usually biseriate tending to be uniseriate near the centre of the valve. The valve dimensions, the valve, pole and central area shapes, and the striae density and pattern allow their separation from similar taxa belonging to the genera Eolimna, Naviculadicta and Sellaphora. The ecological preferences of Sellaphora labernardierei are mineral waters with high nitrate concentrations. The examination of similar taxa belonging to the genera Eolimna and Naviculadicta and their characteristics lead to propose four new combinations of Sellaphora species.

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