Metallurgical technology and resources mobility in the El Argar culture: An archaeometallurgical study at Laderas del Castillo (Callosa de Segura, Alicante)

Nicolau Escanilla Artigas; Mercedes Murillo-Barroso; E. Soriano; J. A. López Padilla; F. J. Jover Maestre; A. Lackinger

doi:10.1007/s12520-024-02109-y

Metallurgical technology and resources mobility in the El Argar culture: An archaeometallurgical study at Laderas del Castillo (Callosa de Segura, Alicante)

Nicolau Escanilla Artigas, Mercedes Murillo-Barroso, E. Soriano, J. A. López Padilla, F. J. Jover Maestre, A. Lackinger

Departament de Prehistòria

Producció científica: Contribució a revista › Article › Recerca › Avaluat per experts

6 Cites (Scopus)

2 Descàrregues (Pure)

Resum

La metal·lúrgia s'ha definit com una activitat fonamental per entendre el desenvolupament de la societat d'El Argar. Tot i això, encara falten estudis exhaustius dels processos extractius metal·lúrgics basats en anàlisis arqueometal·lúrgiques. Aquest article examina les restes de producció trobades al jaciment d'El Argar de Laderas del Castillo, documentades entre el 2150 i el 1950 cal BC, incloses mostres d'escòria, gresols, grànuls de coure i artefactes. Laderas del Castillo emergeix com un lloc clau per entendre la tecnologia i l'organització de la producció metal·lúrgica al món d'El Argar. Hi ha pocs llocs amb anàlisi arqueometal·lúrgics de restes metal·lúrgiques, i el cas actual permet una visió gairebé completa de tota la cadena operativa metal·lúrgica en aquest període. Les anàlisis microstructurals de les restes de fosa per SEM-EDS revelen una tradició tecnològica que reflecteix la precedent Edat del Coure i l'explotació directa de complexos minerals de coure amb sulfurs de coure ocasionals. Tot i l'existència d'una mineralització més propera, les anàlisis isotòpiques de plom mostren l'explotació de diverses fonts i recursos llunyans a l'assentament (Linares, interior dels Montes Béticos i Almagrera, uns 30льx30љ, 200љ и 140љ respectivament). Aquestes xarxes d'intercanvi actives a Laderas del Castillo reflecteixen el mateix patró que es troba a la resta del territori El Argar, basat en l'explotació intensiva de mineralitzacions a l'interior dels Baetics i al sud-est de la península. Algunes d'aquestes fonts també s'han observat en la metal·lúrgia de l'Edat del Coure, cosa que suggereix que les xarxes d'intercanvi operatives al sud-est durant el període El Argar tenien arrels en fases arqueològiques anteriors, indicant una xarxa d'intercanvi àmplia i complexa a la regió.

Idioma original	Anglès
Número d’article	3
Nombre de pàgines	25
Revista	Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences
Volum	17
Número	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-024-02109-y
Estat de la publicació	Publicada - 7 de des. 2024

Accés al document

10.1007/s12520-024-02109-yLlicència: Creative Commons Reconeixement

https://ddd.uab.cat/record/311459

Altres arxius i enllaços

Com citar-ho

Escanilla Artigas, N., Murillo-Barroso, M., Soriano, E., Padilla, J. A. L., Maestre, F. J. J., & Lackinger, A. (2024). Metallurgical technology and resources mobility in the El Argar culture: An archaeometallurgical study at Laderas del Castillo (Callosa de Segura, Alicante). Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 17(1), Article 3. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-024-02109-y

@article{6a2ed598581f47cbae2c65096d5aeeab,

title = "Metallurgical technology and resources mobility in the El Argar culture: An archaeometallurgical study at Laderas del Castillo (Callosa de Segura, Alicante)",

abstract = "Metallurgy has been defined as a pivotal activity in understanding of the development of El Argar society. Nonetheless, comprehensive studies of extractive metallurgical processes based on archaeometallurgical analyses remain lacking. This article examines the production remains found at the El Argar site of Laderas del Castillo, documented from 2150 to 1950 cal BC, including samples of slag, crucibles, copper prills and artefacts. Laderas del Castillo emerges as a key site for understanding the technology and organization of metallurgical production in the El Argar world. There are few sites with archaeometric analysis of metallurgical remains, and the present case allows for an almost complete view of the entire metallurgical cha{\^i}ne op{\'e}ratoire in this period. Microstructural analyses of smelting remains by SEM-EDS reveal a technological tradition that mirrors the previous Copper Age one and the direct exploitation of complex arsenical copper ores with occasional copper sulphides. Despite the existence of closer mineralizations, lead isotope analyses show the exploitation of various copper resources and sources far from the settlement (Linares, the Interior of the Baetic Cordilleras and Almagrera, about 300, 200 and 140 km respectively). These active exchange networks in Laderas del Castillo reflect the same pattern found in the rest of the El Argar territory, which is based on the intensive exploitation of mineralizations in the interior of the Baetics and the Southeast of the peninsula. Some of these sources have also been observed in Copper Age metallurgy, suggesting that the mobility and exchange networks operating in the southeast during the El Argar period were rooted in earlier archaeological phases, indicating a wide and complex exchange network in the region.",

keywords = "Arsenical copper, Bronze age metallurgy, Copper ores, ICP-MS, LIA, Metallurgical slag, Prehistoric mining, SEM-EDS, Southeast iberia",

author = "\{Escanilla Artigas\}, Nicolau and Mercedes Murillo-Barroso and E. Soriano and Padilla, \{J. A. L{\'o}pez\} and Maestre, \{F. J. Jover\} and A. Lackinger",

year = "2024",

month = dec,

day = "7",

doi = "10.1007/s12520-024-02109-y",

language = "English",

volume = "17",

journal = "Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences",

issn = "1866-9557",

publisher = "Springer Verlag",

number = "1",

}

Escanilla Artigas, N, Murillo-Barroso, M, Soriano, E, Padilla, JAL, Maestre, FJJ & Lackinger, A 2024, 'Metallurgical technology and resources mobility in the El Argar culture: An archaeometallurgical study at Laderas del Castillo (Callosa de Segura, Alicante)', Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, vol. 17, núm. 1, 3. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-024-02109-y

Metallurgical technology and resources mobility in the El Argar culture: An archaeometallurgical study at Laderas del Castillo (Callosa de Segura, Alicante). / Escanilla Artigas, Nicolau; Murillo-Barroso, Mercedes; Soriano, E. et al.
In: Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, Vol. 17, Núm. 1, 3, 07.12.2024.

Producció científica: Contribució a revista › Article › Recerca › Avaluat per experts

TY - JOUR

T1 - Metallurgical technology and resources mobility in the El Argar culture: An archaeometallurgical study at Laderas del Castillo (Callosa de Segura, Alicante)

AU - Escanilla Artigas, Nicolau

AU - Murillo-Barroso, Mercedes

AU - Soriano, E.

AU - Padilla, J. A. López

AU - Maestre, F. J. Jover

AU - Lackinger, A.

PY - 2024/12/7

Y1 - 2024/12/7

N2 - Metallurgy has been defined as a pivotal activity in understanding of the development of El Argar society. Nonetheless, comprehensive studies of extractive metallurgical processes based on archaeometallurgical analyses remain lacking. This article examines the production remains found at the El Argar site of Laderas del Castillo, documented from 2150 to 1950 cal BC, including samples of slag, crucibles, copper prills and artefacts. Laderas del Castillo emerges as a key site for understanding the technology and organization of metallurgical production in the El Argar world. There are few sites with archaeometric analysis of metallurgical remains, and the present case allows for an almost complete view of the entire metallurgical chaîne opératoire in this period. Microstructural analyses of smelting remains by SEM-EDS reveal a technological tradition that mirrors the previous Copper Age one and the direct exploitation of complex arsenical copper ores with occasional copper sulphides. Despite the existence of closer mineralizations, lead isotope analyses show the exploitation of various copper resources and sources far from the settlement (Linares, the Interior of the Baetic Cordilleras and Almagrera, about 300, 200 and 140 km respectively). These active exchange networks in Laderas del Castillo reflect the same pattern found in the rest of the El Argar territory, which is based on the intensive exploitation of mineralizations in the interior of the Baetics and the Southeast of the peninsula. Some of these sources have also been observed in Copper Age metallurgy, suggesting that the mobility and exchange networks operating in the southeast during the El Argar period were rooted in earlier archaeological phases, indicating a wide and complex exchange network in the region.

AB - Metallurgy has been defined as a pivotal activity in understanding of the development of El Argar society. Nonetheless, comprehensive studies of extractive metallurgical processes based on archaeometallurgical analyses remain lacking. This article examines the production remains found at the El Argar site of Laderas del Castillo, documented from 2150 to 1950 cal BC, including samples of slag, crucibles, copper prills and artefacts. Laderas del Castillo emerges as a key site for understanding the technology and organization of metallurgical production in the El Argar world. There are few sites with archaeometric analysis of metallurgical remains, and the present case allows for an almost complete view of the entire metallurgical chaîne opératoire in this period. Microstructural analyses of smelting remains by SEM-EDS reveal a technological tradition that mirrors the previous Copper Age one and the direct exploitation of complex arsenical copper ores with occasional copper sulphides. Despite the existence of closer mineralizations, lead isotope analyses show the exploitation of various copper resources and sources far from the settlement (Linares, the Interior of the Baetic Cordilleras and Almagrera, about 300, 200 and 140 km respectively). These active exchange networks in Laderas del Castillo reflect the same pattern found in the rest of the El Argar territory, which is based on the intensive exploitation of mineralizations in the interior of the Baetics and the Southeast of the peninsula. Some of these sources have also been observed in Copper Age metallurgy, suggesting that the mobility and exchange networks operating in the southeast during the El Argar period were rooted in earlier archaeological phases, indicating a wide and complex exchange network in the region.

KW - Arsenical copper

KW - Bronze age metallurgy

KW - Copper ores

KW - ICP-MS

KW - LIA

KW - Metallurgical slag

KW - Prehistoric mining

KW - SEM-EDS

KW - Southeast iberia

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85211119577

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/5ad84de6-3b36-3d21-b8c2-c3da30c57f49/

U2 - 10.1007/s12520-024-02109-y

DO - 10.1007/s12520-024-02109-y

M3 - Article

SN - 1866-9557

VL - 17

JO - Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences

JF - Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences

IS - 1

M1 - 3

ER -

Metallurgical technology and resources mobility in the El Argar culture: An archaeometallurgical study at Laderas del Castillo (Callosa de Segura, Alicante)

Resum

Accés al document

Altres arxius i enllaços

Fingerprint

Com citar-ho