The Archaeological Remains of Settlement at Sites with Smelting Workshop Features in the Podravina Region (Croatian Drava River Basin)

This work presents the results of targeted archaeological excavations of settlement structures investigated at sites in the vicinity of Hlebine and Virje in the Croatian Drava River basin (Podravina region). These were the positions of Dedanovice and Velike Hlebine, along with Volarski Breg and Sušine, where earlier investigations had confirmed metallurgical activities connected to the processing and production of iron. On the basis of the analysis of fragments of pottery vessels, which itself is based on the morphological and technological characteristics of the collected pottery material, a determination was made of the chronological classification for the settlement units from which the pottery came, through the application of relative chronological methodology. The relative chronological image derived from the pottery vessels, supplemented by other small finds of objects of everyday usage, has been confirmed by absolute dating from charcoal samples from the same settlement units. This comprehensive analysis of the immobile and mobile material has confirmed the settlement of the vicinity of Virje and Hlebine during the period of Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages, or rather the period when intensive metallurgical activity was noted at these sites. Life was also documented as having existed at these sites during the earlier prehistoric period, as well, continuing into later periods, also during the High Middle Ages and early Modern periods, which indicates that this area, because of its natural and geographical features was considered favourable for settlement over the course of many centuries. Keywords: Hlebine, Virje, settlement features, pottery fragments, Late Antiquity, Middle Ages

Methodological Approach to Detecting Archaeological Sites with Metallurgical Activities on the Territory of the River Drava Basin and the Possibilities of Analysing the Collected Information

The first part of this chapter presents the results of field surveys conducted along the Drava River basin during the TransFER project, and the database of those archaeological sites with metallurgical activities created. The second part offers an analysis of the information collected – type and intensity of activities (smelting, smithing, etc.) throughout historical periods.

Spatial variations of mercury in sediments of Aviles Harbour and its implications on dredging

<p>Aviles estuary is one of the most impacted estuaries of the north of Spain. In its margins, there are several heavy industries such as steel, zinc and aluminium factories together with other little factories dedicated to secondary metallurgical products. Because of the intense metallurgical activities developed in the area, sediments of the estuary show an important metal load. Among the different heavy metals present in the estuary, Hg in one of the most important due to its toxicity and potential transference to biota. To study the Hg concentrations present in the estuary, 52 scattered samples were collected. Samples were analysed for total Hg, and other parameters such as grain size, organic matter and sulphur have been determined. Total Hg concentration in the estuary sediments ranged between 0.1 to 18.3µg g<sup>-1</sup> with an average of 4.3 µg g<sup>-1</sup>. The particle size of the sediment governed the mercury dispersion in the estuary. In the inner part where silt and clay fraction are predominant, Hg showed the highest values while in areas where sands predominate Hg concentrations decrease. The Hg concentration in a total of 36 samples exceed the probable effect level established by NOAA, which suggest that Hg may be transferred to the biota of the estuary and could be a problem for the health status of the area. On the other hand, concentrations of 26 samples were above the C level of the Spanish dredging regulations, limiting its management to encapsulation in non-vulnerable areas or its management as waste by an authorized manager.</p>

Study of mercury behavior and earthworm bioassays in three solid environment components from selected areas of Eastern Slovakia

<p>A 28-day bioassay with the earthworm (Dendrobaena veneta) was used to assessing the ecotoxic effect of mercury in study soils and sediments. This article deals with quality evaluation of the soils, sediments and plants (assimilation organs) from three localities, Rudňany, Krompachy, and water reservoir of Ružín, Eastern Slovakia (Europe) in consideration of their toxic effect on the environment. These areas are well - known for its mercury mining and metallurgical activities for several centuries. Within the frame of evaluation it was found that the concentrations of mercury exceeded some of the MPC (Max. Tolerable Risk) and IV (Serious Risk) values. The samples Rudňany tailing-SED (188.5mg/kg), Krompachy a-SED (69.4mg/kg), and Krompachy b-SED (93.4mg/kg) were the most polluted by mercury, which is evident according to it is the highest mortality on the earthworm (Dendrobaena veneta). The high mercury concentrations were obtained in the soils of the Rudňany-tailing-S (82.5mg/kg), Rudňany-tailing, valley-S (57.8mg/kg), and Krompachy 4KO-S (20.6mg/kg). A significant positive correlation is found between highest concentrations of mercury Rudňany-tailing SED Hg=188.5mg/kg (r=0.87) with the highest mortality of Dendrobaena veneta after 28 days bioassay.</p>

6200 years of human activities and environmental change in the northern central Alps

In this study, we combine erosion and anthropogenic proxies (Ti, Pb) from calibrated portable XRF with pollen and radiocarbon chronologies in peat from mires of the Kleinwalser Valley (Kleinwalsertal, Vorarlberg, Austria) to reconstruct palaeoenvironmental change and human impact in the northern central Alps. Favoured by a wetter climate, two analysed mires formed 6200 years ago in a densely forested valley. Landscape opening suggests that the first anthropogenic impact emerged around 5700 to 5300 cal BP. Contemporaneously, lead enrichment factors (Pb EFs) indicate metallurgical activities, predating the earliest archaeological evidence in the region. Pollen and erosion proxies show that large-scale deforestation and land use by agro-pastoralists took place from the mid- to late Bronze Age (3500 to 2800 cal BP). This period was directly followed by a prominent peak in Pb EF, pointing to metallurgical activities again. After 200 cal CE, a rising human impact was interrupted by climatic deteriorations in the first half of the 6th century CE, probably linked to the Late Antique Little Ice Age. The use of the characteristic Pb EF pattern of modern pollution as a time marker allows us to draw conclusions about the last centuries. These saw the influence of the Walser people, arriving in the valley after 1300 cal CE. Later, the beginning of tourism is reflected in increased erosion signals after 1950 cal CE. Our study demonstrates that prehistoric humans were intensively shaping the Kleinwalser Valley's landscape, well before the arrival of the Walser people. It also demonstrates the importance of palaeoenvironmental multiproxy studies to fill knowledge gaps where archaeological evidence is lacking.

Redefining the role of metal production during the Bronze Age of south-eastern Iberia. The mines of eastern Sierra Morena

Researchers have traditionally paid little attention to mining by Bronze Age communities in the south-east of the Iberian Peninsula. This has changed recently due to the identification of new mineral exploitations from this period during the archaeo-mining surveys carried out in the Rumblar and Jándula valleys in the Sierra Morena Mountains between 2009-2014, as well as the excavation of the José Martín Palacios mine (Baños de la Encina, Jaén). The analysis of the archaeological evidence and the archaeometric results reveal the importance of mining and metallurgical activities undertaken by the communities that inhabited the region between 2200 and 900 cal. BC, when it became one of the most important copper and silver production centers during the Late Prehistory of south-eastern Iberia.