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Interwoven traditions in Bell Beaker metallurgy: Approaching the social value of copper at Bauma del Serrat del Pont (Northeast Iberia)
- Source :
- PLoS ONE, Vol 16, Iss 8 (2021), Digibug. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Granada, instname, PLoS ONE, PLoS ONE, Vol 16, Iss 8, p e0255818 (2021), Digital.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
- Publication Year :
- 2021
- Publisher :
- Public Library of Science (PLoS), 2021.
-
Abstract
- This paper has been supported by the project“Metal y A´mbar II: Circulacio´n de bronce y a´mbar en el Sureste peninsular durante la Edad del Bronce”(PID2019.108289GB.I00 / SRA – State Research Agency / 10.13039/501100011033) funded by the Spanish Government and with MMB as PI. The part of the analytical work of this paper that was carried out by JML (SEM-EDS and metallography) was supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council-DTP program and the Cambridge Trust (Vice-chancellor’s Award), that jointly fund her doctoral research. Funders had no role play in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript.<br />Debates on early metallurgy in Western Europe have frequently focused on the social value of copper (between utilitarian and symbolic) and its purported role in the emergence and consolidation of hierarchies. Recent research shows that generalisations are increasingly untenable and highlights the need for comparative regional studies. Given its location in an intermediate area, the early metallurgy of Northeast Iberia provides an interesting case in point to explore the interaction between the well-characterised traditions of southern Iberia and southern France during the 3rd and 2nd millennia BCE. Here the analytical study of seven Bell Beaker (decorated and undecorated) vessels reused as crucibles at Bauma del Serrrat del Pont (Tortellà, Girona) are presented. We employed pXRF, metallography, SEM-EDS and lead isotope analyses. The results show evidence for copper smelting employing a remarkable variety of ore sources, including Solana del Bepo, Turquesa and Les Ferreres mines, and an extra unknown area. The smelting vessels were manufactured using the same clay, which contained both mineral and organic inclusions. Our results are discussed with reference to all the evidence available for metals and metallurgy in the Northeast, and more broadly in comparison to southern Iberia and southern France, with special emphasis on issues of production organisation and social complexity. Taken together, our results support the notion that copper metallurgy played a predominantly utilitarian role in Bell Beaker societies and highlight idiosyncratic aspects of the metallurgical trajectory in the Northeast. Differences between territories challenge unilinear explanations of technological and social development after the introduction of metallurgy. Separate trajectories can only be explained in relation to area-specific socio-cultural and environmental factors.<br />Project "Metal y Ambar II: Circulacion de bronce y ambar en el Sureste peninsular durante la Edad del Bronce" - Spanish Government PID2019.108289GB.I00/SRA<br />Arts and Humanities Research Council-DTP program<br />Cambridge Trust
- Subjects :
- Value (ethics)
Ceramics
Metallic Lead
Science
Materials Science
FOS: Physical sciences
Social Sciences
Copper metallurgy
Geographical locations
Mining
Beaker
European Union
Materials
Multidisciplinary
Physics
Metallurgy
Social change
FOS: Social sciences
Social complexity
Copper smelter
Melting
Condensed Matter Physics
Europe
Chemistry
Geography
Archaeology
Metals
Regional studies
Archaeological Dating
Smelting
Physical Sciences
Medicine
France
People and places
Phase Transitions
Copper
Research Article
Chemical Elements
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 19326203
- Volume :
- 16
- Issue :
- 8
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- PLoS ONE
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....28d0e63177dd9dc8517d576c7d6d5e36