- https://iramat.cnrs.fr/
Gif-sur-Yvette, Île-de-France, France
- Ancient Metallurgy, Archaeology, Ancient technology, Mining, Ancient Mining, Extractive Metallurgy, and 56 moreAncient Mining and Metallurgy, Ancient numismatics (Archaeology), Medieval numismatics, Carolingian Studies, Medieval Archaeology, Experimental Archaeology, Digital Photogrammetry applied to Archaeology, Archaeology of Mining, Medieval non ferrous metallurgy, Silversmithing, Paleometallurgy, History of Science and Technology, History of Technology, Early Medieval Archaeology, Medieval Islam, Precolumbian Cultures, Precolumbian archaelogy, Industrial Archaeology, Landscape Archaeology, CPSA, Viking Age Archaeology, Metalwork (Archaeology), Byzantine Archaeology, Archaeometry, Archaeometallurgy, Numismatics, Glass (Archaeology), Medieval jewellery, Byzantine Numismatics, Islamic Numismatics, Early medieval numismatics, Archaeological Science, Ancient Metal Technology, Medieval Studies, Post-Medieval Archaeology, Late Medieval Archaeology, Historical Archaeology, Archeologia medievale, LiDAR for Landscape Archaeology, Mining History, Cultural Heritage, History, Middle Ages, Archéologie, Metal Casting, Metal Finds (Archaeology), Archaeometallurgy, Mineralogy, Archaeometry, Archeometallurgy, Copper extraction and production, Iron and Steel (History), Industrial History, Environmental History, Copper Smelting, Cupellation, Paléométallurgie, and History of alchemyedit
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/journal-of-archaeological-science-reports/special-issue/10F58JK2BKZ
Rademakers (F.), Verly (G.), Téreygeol (F.), Auenmüller (J.): Guest editors
Rademakers (F.), Verly (G.), Téreygeol (F.), Auenmüller (J.): Guest editors
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This volume brings together a range of methodological approaches to the study of ancient metallurgy, all of which draw on experimental archaeology to an important degree. The integration of archaeological excavation, archaeometry and... more
This volume brings together a range of methodological approaches to the study of ancient metallurgy, all of which draw on experimental archaeology to an important degree. The integration of archaeological excavation, archaeometry and experimental archaeology in a holistic research framework for archaeometallurgy is thus developed from different perspectives to illustrate its potential as a research tool in ancient technology studies.We hope that this volume, through its mixture of more theoretical discussion as well as specific case studies, can inspire readers with a wide variety of backgrounds and interests. In particular, we aim to convince our colleagues in ancient metallurgy studies – working in the field, lab, library and beyond – who have not yet considered experimental archaeology in their protocols, to integrate this powerful research tool in their ongoing and future work.
Sommaire
1- Méthodologie en archéologie expérimentale - Définition et protocole
2- L’archéologie expérimentale en paléométallurgie : quelques réflexions à partir de l’exemple français
3- Broyer le minerai et affiner l’argent : deux exemples d’une approche intégrée de l’expérimentation
4- De la mine au creuset : l’essai de la chalcopyrite au flux noir
5- Archaeological experimentation and thermodynamic interpretation of chloride-sulphate gold cementation based on ancient texts and evidence from sardis
6- Le dépôt du Bronze final III du « Trou des Nutons » d’Aiseau-Presles (prov. de Hainaut). Études archéologiques et echnologiques autour d’un entonnoir de coulée
7- La chaîne opératoire de la production de l’or : expérimentations autour du site de Samut (désert Oriental, Égypte)
8- The missing link between New Kingdom chisels and chisel marks: from documentation to reproduction
9- Bronze casting artefacts from the Qubbet el-Hawa – Moulds, materials, and experimental methods
10- Les creusets métallurgiques de l'antiquité tardive à Bouto : une expérimentation autour de
l'adaptation de l'objet et de son usage à la matière disponible
Sommaire
1- Méthodologie en archéologie expérimentale - Définition et protocole
2- L’archéologie expérimentale en paléométallurgie : quelques réflexions à partir de l’exemple français
3- Broyer le minerai et affiner l’argent : deux exemples d’une approche intégrée de l’expérimentation
4- De la mine au creuset : l’essai de la chalcopyrite au flux noir
5- Archaeological experimentation and thermodynamic interpretation of chloride-sulphate gold cementation based on ancient texts and evidence from sardis
6- Le dépôt du Bronze final III du « Trou des Nutons » d’Aiseau-Presles (prov. de Hainaut). Études archéologiques et echnologiques autour d’un entonnoir de coulée
7- La chaîne opératoire de la production de l’or : expérimentations autour du site de Samut (désert Oriental, Égypte)
8- The missing link between New Kingdom chisels and chisel marks: from documentation to reproduction
9- Bronze casting artefacts from the Qubbet el-Hawa – Moulds, materials, and experimental methods
10- Les creusets métallurgiques de l'antiquité tardive à Bouto : une expérimentation autour de
l'adaptation de l'objet et de son usage à la matière disponible
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Following twenty or so excavation campaigns on the Castel-Minier site (Pyrénées, Ariège, France), this is a chance to present the chronological sequence in which this deposit was exploited, from the 10th century to the end of the 16th... more
Following twenty or so excavation campaigns on the Castel-Minier site (Pyrénées, Ariège, France), this is a chance to present the chronological sequence in which this deposit was exploited, from the 10th century to the end of the 16th century. This programmed archaeological operation, supported over the long term by the State and local authorities, has uncovered more than eight areas of metallurgical activity, including three hydraulic workshops. It highlighted the multiplicity of operating chains, from extraction to the production of pure metal or alloy semi-finished products, involving more than seven different types of ore.
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the only production site of silver that is known to have minted deniers from the 8th century is the silver-rich galena deposit at melle (deux-Sèvres, France). the site of melle constitutes an extraordinary place to study medieval mining... more
the only production site of silver that is known to have minted deniers from the 8th century is the silver-rich galena deposit at melle (deux-Sèvres, France). the site of melle constitutes an extraordinary place to study medieval mining and metallurgy. In 2009 the FAhmA project (Filière de l’Argent au haut moyen Age) funded by the French ANr (Agence Nationale de la recherche) was launched. elementary and isotopic analyses of the artefacts that result from the treatment of the ore to produce silver (ore, lead, slags and coins) will be carried out. the combination of the skills and knowledge of the researchers involved in this project is expected to contribute greatly to the understanding of early medieval silver metallurgy and could constitute a basis for future investigations of other mines.
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http://books.openedition.org.inshs.bib.cnrs.fr/efr/7882>. ISBN : 9782728314072 The lead-silver deposit at Melle was opened during the sixth century AD. The exploitation took off in the second half of the seventh century to decline and die... more
http://books.openedition.org.inshs.bib.cnrs.fr/efr/7882>. ISBN : 9782728314072
The lead-silver deposit at Melle was opened during the sixth century AD. The exploitation took off in the second half of the seventh century to decline and die out in the tenth century. Thus, for nearly four centuries, Melle was a high place of silver production in Europe, and probably the first of the Carolingian empire. However, it is no longer possible to reduce Melle’s mining production of silver alone. The lead, an obvious by-product of the smelting of argentiferous galena, must be taken into account. More unexpected, glass is also included in this technical and economic scheme. The work undertaken on the dissemination of the mine’s products across Europe associated with the archaeological excavations at Melle highlights the productive logic of this major silver mining exploitation whose first victim was the neighbouring forest.
The lead-silver deposit at Melle was opened during the sixth century AD. The exploitation took off in the second half of the seventh century to decline and die out in the tenth century. Thus, for nearly four centuries, Melle was a high place of silver production in Europe, and probably the first of the Carolingian empire. However, it is no longer possible to reduce Melle’s mining production of silver alone. The lead, an obvious by-product of the smelting of argentiferous galena, must be taken into account. More unexpected, glass is also included in this technical and economic scheme. The work undertaken on the dissemination of the mine’s products across Europe associated with the archaeological excavations at Melle highlights the productive logic of this major silver mining exploitation whose first victim was the neighbouring forest.
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... les réponses trouvées au problème de l'approvisionnement en eau ont été similaires, comme dans le cas bien connu du Laurion en Attique17. ... 45Environ un siècle après la création d'une monnaie musulmane par `Abd... more
... les réponses trouvées au problème de l'approvisionnement en eau ont été similaires, comme dans le cas bien connu du Laurion en Attique17. ... 45Environ un siècle après la création d'une monnaie musulmane par `Abd al-Malik, un demi-siècle après la prise de pouvoir par les ...
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The remote silver mines of San Antonio in southern Lipez range from an elevation of 4600m to 4800m. The mining and metallurgical complex is associated with two urban areas, now abandoned. The main mining period took place between 1640 and... more
The remote silver mines of San Antonio in southern Lipez range from an elevation of 4600m to 4800m. The mining and metallurgical complex is associated with two urban areas, now abandoned. The main mining period took place between 1640 and 1700. The main difficulties lie in the remoteness of the site and the lack of any logistic support. Therefore, the archaeological survey of the mining site and urban areas of San Antonio de Lipez that extend over several square kilometers should have been rethought. A pan-sharpened GeoEye-1 scene was captured a few weeks before the fieldwork. Preliminary work on the high resolution satellite imagery included the drawing of a map of the archaeological remains. Only two archeologists were necessary for the field checking. This latter lasted only four days. A first image processing was used to draw the detailed map of the archaeological structures. These plans were used as support during the survey. The aim was to make an initial assessment of buildin...
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This paper presents the preliminary results of the survey mission led in March 2006 by Florian Téreygeol (CNRS) at the silver mine of al-Jabalī (Jawf, Yemen). This mine was mentioned as al-RaΡrāΡ by the tenth-century Yemeni scholar... more
This paper presents the preliminary results of the survey mission led in March 2006 by Florian Téreygeol (CNRS) at the silver mine of al-Jabalī (Jawf, Yemen). This mine was mentioned as al-RaΡrāΡ by the tenth-century Yemeni scholar al-Hamdānī and, according to him, it was the most important silver mine in the whole Islamic world at the beginning of the Abbasid period. It was abandoned after the murder of the governor of СanΚāΜ. From al-Hamdānī, we also know that Persian miners settled in al-Jabalī during the pre-Islamic period. Several studies were conducted during this survey. First of all, a geological study of the site was necessary to characterize the environmental constraints: how had mining and metalworking processes been possible in such an arid climate? Slag and furnace walls were collected to be analysed in order to reconstruct the smelting process as described by al-Hamdānī in a chapter of his Kitāb al-jawharatayn. Pottery was collected systematically on all the surveyed sites, but dating elements are few, as Yemeni pottery from the Islamic period is not well known in these mountainous regions. Radiocarbon data obtained from the Deutsches Bergbau-Museum in Bochum (Germany) provides interesting information and lets us assume that the Jabali mines were re-exploited after their initial abandonment.
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New investigations have been carried out in the frame of a joined French-Argentine project dealing with the mineral resources and the metal production in the Andean plateau from the 10 th to the 18 th century. Geoarchaeology of the Sud... more
New investigations have been carried out in the frame of a joined French-Argentine project dealing with the mineral resources and the metal production in the Andean plateau from the 10 th to the 18 th century. Geoarchaeology of the Sud Lípez, southern Bolivia, is revisited using multisource remote sensing data including archive data from the 1960's and recent very high resolution data simultaneously acquired with field work. The detailed geological mapping of the area is allowed by the field survey complemented by the multispectral and very high resolution (VHR) data. The emphasis is on integrating all the geological features such as morphologies, petrology of the volcanics, lithology of the volcano-sedimentary rocks, regional and local faulting, veins, hydrothermally altered rocks, etc. GeoEye-1, that features the most advanced technology ever used in a civilian remote-sensing system, allows the detailed mapping of the archaeological remains that are particularly numerous at San Antonio de Lípez, with shallow pits, shafts connected in depth with adits, and large slag areas. Particularly, the plan of three old miner's villages has been drawn and its accuracy has been evaluated.
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The only production site of silver that is known to have minted deniers from the 8th century is the silver-rich galena deposit at Melle (deux-Sèvres, France). the site of Melle constitutes an extraordinary place to study medieval mining... more
The only production site of silver that is known to have minted deniers from the 8th century is the silver-rich galena deposit at Melle (deux-Sèvres, France). the site of Melle constitutes an extraordinary place to study medieval mining and metallurgy. In 2009 the FAhmA project (Filière de l'Argent au haut moyen Age) funded by the French ANr (Agence Nationale de la recherche) was launched. elementary and isotopic analyses of the artefacts that result from the treatment of the ore to produce silver (ore, lead, slags and coins) will be carried out. the combination of the skills and knowledge of the researchers involved in this project is expected to contribute greatly to the understanding of early medieval silver metallurgy and could constitute a basis for future investigations of other mines.
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The rapid expansion of non-ferrous metallurgy in the late Middle Ages (14th–15th centuries) enhanced ore demand, which was supported by mining intensification. Metallurgical workshops developed various supply strategies based on... more
The rapid expansion of non-ferrous metallurgy in the late Middle Ages (14th–15th centuries) enhanced ore demand, which was supported by mining intensification. Metallurgical workshops developed various supply strategies based on geological, political and economic constraints. This is particularly true for the Pyrenean multi-metals workshop of Castel-Minier (Ariège, France), where recent excavations unearthed an exceptional corpus of non-ferrous ores. A specific analytical methodology combining micro-Raman spectroscopy and environmental scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray (ESEM-EDX) was set up to study these artefacts. This composite methodology permitted the fast characterization of both mineral and gangue as well as a discussion of their economic potential. Ores identified were compared with ancient mines in neighbouring mining districts in order to sketch a geography of the mineral resources available to medieval metallurgists. Moreover, a chrono-stratigraphic study of ore distribution in Castel-Minier revealed the supply strategies, technological choices as well as spatializing of copper and lead metallurgies.
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Les mines d’argent carolingiennes de Melle ont pour originalité d’avoir été entièrement ouvertes au feu. Ces réseaux miniers offrent le matériel nécessaire à une approche anthracologique. Un des douze réseaux actuellement accessibles a... more
Les mines d’argent carolingiennes de Melle ont pour originalité d’avoir été entièrement ouvertes au feu. Ces réseaux miniers offrent le matériel nécessaire à une approche anthracologique. Un des douze réseaux actuellement accessibles a fait l’objet d’une étude approfondie pour comprendre le mode de gestion et l’organisation de l’espace souterrain. Cela a aussi été l’occasion de mettre en place une stratégie de prélèvement des charbons en tenant compte des impératifs liés à la fois à ce genre d’étude et aux conditions particulières de la mine. Les résultats sont de deux ordres. Ils permettent d’apprécier un nouveau type de bûcher totalement ignoré dans le cadre de l’extraction au feu. Il est aussi possible d’identifier les essences de bois utilisées et leurs variations dans l’espace minier. Une étude comparative des spectres anthracologiques miniers et des sites de surface aboutit à une chronologie absolue de l’exploitation minière que la datation par radiocarbone, seule, ne pouvait atteindre.
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Research Interests: Archaeology, Experimental Archaeology, Early Medieval Archaeology, Numismatics, Early Medieval History, and 8 moreMedieval Archaeology, Archaeology of Mining, Archaeometallurgy, Early medieval numismatics, Medieval numismatics, Medieval Economic and Social History, Archéologie expérimentale, and Experimental Archaeology Methodology
The excavation of the copper cementation workshop “Le Clos-Paul” in Charleville-Mézières (Ardennes, France), executed by the "Cellule d’archéologie du Conseil départemental des Ardennes", led to the finding of fragments of coinage moulds.... more
The excavation of the copper cementation workshop “Le Clos-Paul” in Charleville-Mézières (Ardennes, France), executed by the "Cellule d’archéologie du Conseil départemental des Ardennes", led to the finding of fragments of coinage moulds. Dating from the middle of the 3rd century AD, they are the only evidence of an opportunistic production of counterfeits without any direct link to the metallurgical activity of the site. The study of the moulds led to a series of experimentations aimed at understanding the counterfeiting activity in its entirety, from the preparation of the loam intended for moulds to the casting of coins.
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This is the Editorial to the Special Issue published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports. The full Special Issue is accessible through this link:... more
This is the Editorial to the Special Issue published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports.
The full Special Issue is accessible through this link:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/journal-of-archaeological-science-reports/special-issue/10F58JK2BKZ
The full Special Issue is accessible through this link:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/journal-of-archaeological-science-reports/special-issue/10F58JK2BKZ
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Field experiments in copper smelting were carried out in order to test assumptions about the copper production processes employed at the Vilabouly Complex (VC), an Iron Age extraction and production site in central Laos. VC is one of only... more
Field experiments in copper smelting were carried out in order to test assumptions about the copper production processes employed at the Vilabouly Complex (VC), an Iron Age extraction and production site in central Laos. VC is one of only three primary production sites known in Southeast Asia and appears to be a major copper production and mining locale. Analytical results on the VC assemblage (ores, crucibles, slag fragments and copper alloy objects), along with the geological information, allowed us to generate hypotheses on the smelting process. The identificationof macroscopic layers of matte associated with copper suggests the introduction of sulfidicores during the process. Co-smelting with carbonate ores (likely malachite) and a secondary copper sulfide,chalcocite (Cu2S), seemed to be most likely. Therefore, experimental reconstructions were performed to test this co-smelting of malachite with chalcocite in a one step-process using crucibles based on the archaeo-logical examples as reaction vessels. The experiments produced matte, of different compositions according to the charge used, along with metallic copper and slag. The ratio (1:1) of malachite/chalcocite resulted in products comparable to the Vilabouly Complex evidence and thus strengthens the hypothesis.
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The excavation of the copper cementation workshop “Le Clos-Paul” in Charleville-Mézières (Ardennes, France), executed by the Cellule d’archéologie du Conseil départemental des Ardennes, led to the finding of fragments of coinage moulds.... more
The excavation of the copper cementation workshop “Le Clos-Paul” in Charleville-Mézières (Ardennes, France), executed by the Cellule d’archéologie du Conseil départemental des Ardennes, led to the finding of fragments of coinage moulds. Dating from the middle of the 3rd century AD, they are the only evidence of an opportunistic production of counterfeits without any direct link to the metallurgical activity of the site. The study of the moulds led to a series of experimentations aimed at understanding the counterfeiting activity in its entirety, from the preparation of the loam intended for moulds to the casting of coins.
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Research Interests:
Research in both South America and Europe in a diachronic perspective allowed to bring together a series of examples relating to the use of a reverberatory furnace for smelting non-ferrous ores. Although the invention of this process may... more
Research in both South America and Europe in a diachronic perspective allowed to bring together a series of examples relating to the use of a reverberatory furnace for smelting non-ferrous ores. Although the invention of this process may have occurred in multiple places, the main region of innovation is incontestably the Andes. To approach this dynamic process of innovation, we decided to study this using an experimental approach. Over 6 years and 14 tests, a total of 165 hours of firings were conducted on the experimental platform at Melle, France. The tests carried out with galena (PbS) allowed us to understand the operating mode and the possible yields of this type of furnace. By analogy, this provides information for the better identification of archaeological remains.
in Verly G., Rademakers F., Téreygeol F., Auenmueller J., (guest editors), Special issue “Journal of Archaeological Science – Reports, proceeding of Experimentation and Analogy: Contributions of Experimental Archaeology to Excavations and to the Study of Materials and Equipment, Paris, 2019.
in Verly G., Rademakers F., Téreygeol F., Auenmueller J., (guest editors), Special issue “Journal of Archaeological Science – Reports, proceeding of Experimentation and Analogy: Contributions of Experimental Archaeology to Excavations and to the Study of Materials and Equipment, Paris, 2019.
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When examining the alloy of several works of Adam Van Vianen, one of the founders of the Dutch Kwabstijl, with X-ray fluorescence (XRF), a more elevated silver and lower bismuth percentage than commonly found in works of his... more
When examining the alloy of several works of Adam Van Vianen, one of the founders of the Dutch Kwabstijl, with X-ray fluorescence (XRF), a more elevated silver and lower bismuth percentage than commonly found in works of his contemporaries was detected in the silver alloy. We hypothesize that Van Vianen used an alloy with a high percentage of silver as it is more malleable, allowing him to achieve extreme deformation of the silver without the formation of cracks. Recipes that would have been widely used at the time and which describe silver production and refinement in the silversmith workshop were chosen to serve as a basis for making reconstructions in silver. The Probierbüchlein (The Little Book on Assaying) by Calbus of Freiberg was selected as the first source with recipes that deal with this topic. As a second reference, the well-known 'Beschreibung allerfürnemisten miner-alischen Ertzt und Berckwercksarten' (Description of Leading Ore Processing and Mining Methods) by Lazarus Ercker was selected. Several reconstructions of the recipes on assaying were made and are discussed here.
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Experimental archaeology was first theorised by Ascher in 1961 and then by Coles in 1973: it represents an important research methodology for the study of ancient technologies and societies. Since the 1990 ′ s of the last century, the new... more
Experimental archaeology was first theorised by Ascher in 1961 and then by Coles in 1973: it represents an important research methodology for the study of ancient technologies and societies. Since the 1990 ′ s of the last century, the new concept of 'experimental archaeometry' appears in the wider field of archaeological science. Following this approach, two alchemical recipes from a 3rd century CE papyrus were reproduced in the laboratory. In this paper, a link between archaeometry and experimental archaeology is established, and a re-interpretation of the original recipes is proposed.
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The treaty of Antoine de Pisa, master glazier of the Trecento, is a manual of knowledge of stained glass windows. All phases of the work of master glass as the choice of colors and cutting of glass, paint production and oven manufacturing... more
The treaty of Antoine de Pisa, master glazier of the Trecento, is a manual of knowledge of stained glass windows. All phases of the work of master glass as the choice of colors and cutting of glass, paint production and oven manufacturing for cooking painted glass are described and have been tested. Antoine de Pisa also gives brief recommendations on achieving the molds for leads of stained glass windows, still indicating that "the best of molds is designed with an alloy of four parts of lead and a copper part."
The study of the text and the technical and scientific feasibility of this mixture in the laboratory, unlikely in our modern metallurgy, were followed by experiments on the platform Archaeological of Melle. This dual approach and the establishment of a multidisciplinary team helped implement the means available in the fourteenth century to design the mold and get lead came.
The study of the text and the technical and scientific feasibility of this mixture in the laboratory, unlikely in our modern metallurgy, were followed by experiments on the platform Archaeological of Melle. This dual approach and the establishment of a multidisciplinary team helped implement the means available in the fourteenth century to design the mold and get lead came.
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Cupellation was for long the only known method to retrieve silver from argentiferous lead. The operation takes place in a cupellation furnace, a structure made of a wall supporting a sole and topped with a dome. The hearth, where the... more
Cupellation was for long the only known method to retrieve silver from argentiferous lead. The operation takes place in a cupellation furnace, a structure made of a wall supporting a sole and topped with a dome. The hearth, where the alloy is placed, is made from earth and ash. There is very little archaeological evidence of this operation. However, since the 16th century, silver refining has been well documented in detailed and illustrated metallurgical treaties, such as Georgius Agricola’s De re metallica (1556), book X. Conducting experimentations is therefore necessary to understand the technological choices of ancient metallurgists. Eight operations were carried out over the past two years. They were entirely based on Agricola’s text. The whole process is taken into account in this study: temperature and atmosphere conditions, hearth composition, drawing out of the molten litharge and structure of the litharge cakes.
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This paper focuses on the study (macroscopic and microscopic) of the transformation of classic silver ore (galena: PbS) and its evolution from a repository produced experimentally in a muffle furnace operating at charcoal. While the... more
This paper focuses on the study (macroscopic and microscopic) of the transformation of classic silver ore (galena: PbS) and its evolution from a repository produced experimentally in a muffle furnace operating at charcoal. While the chemical reaction that leads from the sulfide lead bullion is identified for a long time, its reproduction in a reactor bottom furnace remains unsatisfactory and attempts to understand the transformation processes of the galena remain largely unsuccessful. This lack of mastery of the process blocks possible reflections on material balances and weight mining in ancient economies including matters related to the circulation of lead. Thus two great moments in this production line must be better understood: the roasting phase of galena and the reduction into lead. To reach these objectives, µRaman spectroscopy provides a complementary view of the macroscopy approach to processing the silver galena especially to identify the various chemical species of lead (oxides, sulfates, oxysulfates, carbonates) formed during the transformation of galena. The transformation of the mineral occurs in the following steps: appearance of elemental sulfur and sulfates in the first minutes; reduction of sulfates in favor of the emergence of lead oxides; further reduction of sulfates with the appearance of cerusite.
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The liquation and drying process is a metallurgical process used to separate silver from low argentiferous coppers, which spread in Europe at least from the 15th century onwards. Agricola was the first one to describe extensively this new... more
The liquation and drying process is a metallurgical process used to separate silver from low argentiferous coppers, which spread in Europe at least from the 15th century onwards. Agricola was the first one to describe extensively this new process in Book 11 of his De re Metallica. A few metallurgical treatises from the modern times evoke it as well, yet owing to the lack of archaeological data, very little is known about this process and its products. Hence, several experiments reproducing the whole liquation and drying sequence were conducted on the experimental platform of Melle (France). Products and by-products were analysed with several methods (XRF, LA-ICP-MS, LIBS) so as to create a first reference corpus. This paper aims to present these experimental results and to compare them with analyses of copper-lead alloys coming from French archaeological sites, providing a new perspective on this process in the end of the Middle Ages.
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The carolingian silver mines of Melle (Deux-Sèvres, France) give the opportunity to experiment firesetting. The experiences take place as well in the mine than outside. Temperature data taken during three fires enable to estimate the... more
The carolingian silver mines of Melle (Deux-Sèvres, France) give the opportunity to experiment firesetting. The experiences take place as well in the mine than outside. Temperature data taken during three fires enable to estimate the heat role’s for this kind of extraction. The results give some informations about digging technics. Laboratory studies put in light the importance of this way of work for the rest of the mineralurgical and metallurgical process.
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... Histoire Naturelle, livre XXXIV, troisième tirage, traduit par H. Le Bonniec, commenté par H. Gallet de Santerre et H. Le Bonniec ... Aurore Doridot, Luc Robbiola et Florian Tereygeol, « Production expérimentale de laiton par... more
... Histoire Naturelle, livre XXXIV, troisième tirage, traduit par H. Le Bonniec, commenté par H. Gallet de Santerre et H. Le Bonniec ... Aurore Doridot, Luc Robbiola et Florian Tereygeol, « Production expérimentale de laiton par cémentation en creuset ouvert, avec du minerai de zinc ...
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The ‘quimbalete’ is a kind of grindstone used notably in Potosi (Bolivia) during the Spanish conquest of South America. It was used to grind pieces of ore gravel from centimetric sizes to the size of sand. Its physical functioning, as... more
The ‘quimbalete’ is a kind of grindstone used notably in Potosi (Bolivia) during the Spanish
conquest of South America. It was used to grind pieces of ore gravel from centimetric sizes
to the size of sand. Its physical functioning, as well as the reason why this strictly Andean tool
occupied a central place in a mainly European production chain, have never been addressed.
This study is aimed at answering these questions as a result of physics-based modelling. After
introducing the historical context, we address geometrical and physical parameters relevant
for understanding how this oscillating grindstone was used and what one can expect
in terms of grinding. Then, a suitable approach for estimating the yield makes use of the
modern industrial empirical estimator: the ‘power index’. We offer our conclusions about
the position of this tool, which appears as an ideal intermediate tool between the roughening
process of the ore at the centimetre scale, and the suitable size for the material to be
sorted by the subsequent methods in the chain (such as washing), which involve sandysized
grains. The study also shows how classical physics can help in addressing questions
concerning minerallurgy.
conquest of South America. It was used to grind pieces of ore gravel from centimetric sizes
to the size of sand. Its physical functioning, as well as the reason why this strictly Andean tool
occupied a central place in a mainly European production chain, have never been addressed.
This study is aimed at answering these questions as a result of physics-based modelling. After
introducing the historical context, we address geometrical and physical parameters relevant
for understanding how this oscillating grindstone was used and what one can expect
in terms of grinding. Then, a suitable approach for estimating the yield makes use of the
modern industrial empirical estimator: the ‘power index’. We offer our conclusions about
the position of this tool, which appears as an ideal intermediate tool between the roughening
process of the ore at the centimetre scale, and the suitable size for the material to be
sorted by the subsequent methods in the chain (such as washing), which involve sandysized
grains. The study also shows how classical physics can help in addressing questions
concerning minerallurgy.
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Mining and metallurgical remains are numerous in Bolivia. In this paper, we focus on a special kind of furnace, the reverberatory furnace used for smelting non-ferrous ore and for refining silver. At Santa Isabel, a well-preserved... more
Mining and metallurgical remains are numerous in Bolivia. In this paper, we focus on a special kind of furnace, the reverberatory furnace used for smelting non-ferrous ore and for refining silver. At Santa Isabel, a well-preserved archaeological site in the department of Potosi, we find two of these furnaces in a well-preserved workshop. Thanks to the dating of potsherds, we can assume this site dates from the first quarter of the XVII century. However, according to the bibliography, reverberatory furnaces for ore smelting appear in England at the end of the XVIIth century, and spread throughout Europe during the XVIIIth. Thus, these furnaces represent a technical innovation of primary importancebecause this process, based on separating the fuel from the ore, allowes for the true development of modern metallurgy.
Experimental sessions were conducted from 2010 to 2013 on the metallurgical platform of Melle (France). Following Schnable's description, we decided to work with non-roasting ore to reproduce the operation called “roasting and reaction”. The numerous runs made with galena gave us the know-how to properly run such kind of furnace. This set of experiments allowed us to present a functional hypothesis about the different elements that make up this first reveberatory furnace. At the same time, it gave us the capacity to distinguish field furnaces used for smelting from furnaces used for refining when the evidence is not so clear.
From a methodological point of view, this long term experience shows how important is it to be able to work on a used furnace if we want to take stock of such kind of production.
Experimental sessions were conducted from 2010 to 2013 on the metallurgical platform of Melle (France). Following Schnable's description, we decided to work with non-roasting ore to reproduce the operation called “roasting and reaction”. The numerous runs made with galena gave us the know-how to properly run such kind of furnace. This set of experiments allowed us to present a functional hypothesis about the different elements that make up this first reveberatory furnace. At the same time, it gave us the capacity to distinguish field furnaces used for smelting from furnaces used for refining when the evidence is not so clear.
From a methodological point of view, this long term experience shows how important is it to be able to work on a used furnace if we want to take stock of such kind of production.
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The aim of this article is to analyze the ore dressing technics present during the peak production period of a silver mine in the Seventeenth-Century Andes, from an archaeological and historical perspective. It is not focused on the... more
The aim of this article is to analyze the ore dressing technics present during the peak production period of a silver mine in the Seventeenth-Century Andes, from an archaeological and historical perspective. It is not focused on the silver refinery constructions, or their description and social relationships, which are presented in the specialized literature, but rather on attention to the objects that were necessary for the silver production and to their location. We redefined those constructions, identified their social relations through historical sources and their characteristics regarding this particular period, type of mining camp, stage of the mines’ silver production, and the power and labor relations.
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Comment souvent, la découverte d'un gisement important s'accompagne d'un mythe fondateur. Dans le cas de Potosf (Bolivie actuelle), ce mythe recouvre des considérations politiques. Le tableau La Virgen del Cerro, peint au xv111e siècle,... more
Comment souvent, la découverte d'un gisement important s'accompagne d'un mythe fondateur. Dans le cas de Potosf (Bolivie actuelle), ce mythe recouvre des considérations politiques. Le tableau La Virgen del Cerro, peint au xv111e siècle, résume
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http://journals.openedition.org/pds/6164 The official history of Potosi and its 'discovery' is a tale that justifies Spanish dominion and control of the Red Mountain. In recent years, numerous works have begun to examine Potosi's past and... more
http://journals.openedition.org/pds/6164
The official history of Potosi and its 'discovery' is a tale that justifies Spanish dominion and control of the Red Mountain. In recent years, numerous works have begun to examine Potosi's past and the colonization of the region from new perspectives. These studies re-envision the connections between regional political relationships and the two historical invaders of the area, the Inka and the Spanish. Archaeological studies of sites of production have expanded our understanding of the process. This reconstruction of indigenous know-how and production techniques highlights the power struggles over control of silver production.
The official history of Potosi and its 'discovery' is a tale that justifies Spanish dominion and control of the Red Mountain. In recent years, numerous works have begun to examine Potosi's past and the colonization of the region from new perspectives. These studies re-envision the connections between regional political relationships and the two historical invaders of the area, the Inka and the Spanish. Archaeological studies of sites of production have expanded our understanding of the process. This reconstruction of indigenous know-how and production techniques highlights the power struggles over control of silver production.
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Bringing together information from Colonial era historical sources, archaeological data, and the results of archaeological experimentation, this work addresses reverberation furnaces; a kind of metallurgical furnace used in the southern... more
Bringing together information from Colonial era historical sources, archaeological data, and the results of archaeological experimentation, this work addresses reverberation furnaces; a kind of metallurgical furnace used in the southern Andean region from the first moments of the colony for silver production. Evidence of this three-chamber oven (composed of a fire chamber, vaulted work chamber, and chimney), has been identified and studied in different mining and metallurgical contexts in the south of Bolivia (Potosí, Santa Isabel, Mina Santiago, Escoriani, and Atocha, among others). Here, we show the continuities between pre-Hispanic metallurgy and reverbation furnaces. We challenge the general characterization of these furnaces as a European tradition, and propose instead that they were the result of local technological developments that were later spread throughout Europe.
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Esta comunicación presenta algunos de los resultados alcanzados por el Proyecto Arqueológico Ñaupa Runa Potosí. Buscando el rostro indígena de Potosí, el proyecto tiene como principal objetivo comprender y poner en valor el pasado... more
Esta comunicación presenta algunos de los resultados alcanzados por el Proyecto Arqueológico Ñaupa Runa Potosí. Buscando el rostro indígena de Potosí, el proyecto tiene como principal objetivo comprender y poner en valor el pasado prehispánico de la región, apuntando a revalorizar la identidad estructuraron la contrucción de los paisajes, sus continuidades, discontinuidades y transformaciones en el tiempo, en particular la cartografía religiosa; y por supuesto, estudiar los sistemas productivos relacionados con los yacimientos antes y después de 1545, y en el espacio, Potosí, los Andes y Europa. f
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Recent fieldwork in the mining region of Oruro confirm the existence of numerous pre-Hispanic mining sites that were described in Spanish Colonia Era documentary sources. Similarly, near these mines, evidence of 11 metallurgical... more
Recent fieldwork in the mining region of Oruro confirm
the existence of numerous pre-Hispanic mining
sites that were described in Spanish Colonia Era
documentary sources. Similarly, near these mines,
evidence of 11 metallurgical combustion furnaces,
mainly wayras or wayrachina, have also been
identified. Ceramic fragments from the Tiwanaku, Late
Intermediate Period styles such as Soras or Carangas,
and their late variations, as well as Inka styles, which
were found in close proximity to these structures,
also help confirm the chronology of the sites. Here,
were address the social, and technological aspects of
silver production in this mining site during pre-Hispanic
times and the first moments of the Colonial Period
incorporating this new archaeological data with the
information provided by documentary sources.
the existence of numerous pre-Hispanic mining
sites that were described in Spanish Colonia Era
documentary sources. Similarly, near these mines,
evidence of 11 metallurgical combustion furnaces,
mainly wayras or wayrachina, have also been
identified. Ceramic fragments from the Tiwanaku, Late
Intermediate Period styles such as Soras or Carangas,
and their late variations, as well as Inka styles, which
were found in close proximity to these structures,
also help confirm the chronology of the sites. Here,
were address the social, and technological aspects of
silver production in this mining site during pre-Hispanic
times and the first moments of the Colonial Period
incorporating this new archaeological data with the
information provided by documentary sources.
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RESUMEN Tras los primeros años de la conquista española, las minas surandinas se constituyeron como principales escenarios para las pugnas de poder que surgieron en torno a la empresa colonial y que sellaron una gran parte del destino de... more
RESUMEN Tras los primeros años de la conquista española, las minas surandinas se constituyeron como principales escenarios para las pugnas de poder que surgieron en torno a la empresa colonial y que sellaron una gran parte del destino de los pueblos andinos. Articulando recientes datos arqueológicos con informaciones proporcionadas por las fuentes documentales, en este trabajo exploramos algunos aspectos que resaltan la participación de los indígenas andinos en el control de las minas y en la producción de metales durante los primeros momentos del régimen colonial. Palabras clave: producción de metales andinos, minería colonial, hornos de reverbero, yanaconas, Bolivia RESUMO Após os primeiros anos da conquista espanhola, as minas surandinas foram formados como espaços principais para as lutas de poder que surgiram em torno da empresa colonial, e que marcou o destino dos povos andinos. Articulando recentes dados arqueológicos com informações fornecidas pelas fontes documentais, neste artigo exploramos alguns aspectos que destacam a participação de indígenas andinosno controle das minas e produção de metal durante os primeiros momentos do regime colonial. Palabras clave: produção andina de metais, mineração colonial, fornos de cuba, yanaconas, Bolivia
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Characterizing the circular economy in the medieval enterprises is a challenging task. Only by cross-referencing archival sources with archaeological data can we reconstruct the strategies employed by those involved in metal production on... more
Characterizing the circular economy in the medieval enterprises is a challenging task. Only by cross-referencing archival sources with archaeological data can we reconstruct the strategies employed by those involved in metal production on the eastern slopes of the French Pyrenees between the thirteenth and sixteenth centuries.
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TÉREYGEOL (F.), ARLES (A.), Mise en forme et provenance des plombs halieutiques, in Dumont A., Mariotti J.-F., (dir.), Archéologie et Histoire du fleuve Charente, Taillebourg-Port d’Envaux : une zone portuaire du haut Moyen Age sur le fleuve Charente, coll. Art et Archéologie & Patrimoine, EUD, 2...more
Difficulties related to non-ferrous metal workshops detection led to test a new way of survey by a real portable x-ray spectrometer. After a calibration phase which yielded very good results for lead, zinc and cooper, three approaches... more
Difficulties related to non-ferrous metal workshops detection led to test a new way of survey by a real portable x-ray spectrometer. After a calibration phase which yielded very good results for lead, zinc and cooper, three approaches were tried in south-west of France at the site of Castel-Minier, (mining and multi metallurgical site from the second Middle Ages). Thanks to an interdisciplinary work (geochemistry, archeology, history and geophysic), the results were particularly positive. They led to a better understanding of chronological phases. They give the location of slag processing workshops and classification of geochemical anomalies.
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Archaeometallurgical experiments were carried out at the platform of Melle (France) to study how the trace elements of gold, in particular platinum and palladium behave when gold is melted, cupelled and then cemented. Our tests proved... more
Archaeometallurgical experiments were carried out at the platform of Melle (France) to study how the trace elements of gold, in particular platinum and palladium behave when gold is melted, cupelled and then cemented. Our tests proved that platinum and palladium are reliable tracers of ancient gold. They can therefore shed light on the provenance of the gold coined by Caesar in Rome around 46-44 BC. Did he indeed melt down the Celtic gold gained from his conquest of Gaul in 51 BC as suggested by tex-tual sources? To give a first insight into this tricky problem LA-ICP-MS was performed on some Late Celtic coins and some of Caesar's coins in order to compare especially their platinum and palladium contents, and in fact our first results support this hypothesis.
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In the late nineties, excavations in La Rochelle (France) have discovered the remains of a royal mint of the sixteenth century. This discovery enabled the collection of artefacts directly related to the manufacture of coins. The... more
In the late nineties, excavations in La Rochelle (France) have discovered the remains of a royal mint of the sixteenth century. This discovery enabled the collection of artefacts directly related to the manufacture of coins. The exceptional corpus gathered is the subject of a study of the chaine operatoire of coining in the medieval time. Special attention is paid to an operation which takes place before the strike: the blanching of blanks. Well documented in ancient times, the samples from La Rochelle offer the opportunity to study this process during the medieval period and in a royal mint. In addition, thanks to reconstitution experiments, it is possible to define a reaction mechanism that helps to understand our historical observations.
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Experiments on Greek minting techniques are not a new deal: D. G. Sellwood, in the fifties, carried out a series of practical experiments which still represent a reference work. Our global approach focuses on the different aspects of... more
Experiments on Greek minting techniques are not a new deal: D. G. Sellwood, in the
fifties, carried out a series of practical experiments which still represent a reference work. Our
global approach focuses on the different aspects of the chain of operations from the metal through
the minting of coins. 12 281 coins were struck during our two sessions, giving some new results
on the melting of blanks or on the wear of dies. The incapacity of our team to produce blanks of
a regular weight for example, ventures new hypotheses on the Greek minting process. The main
aim of these experiments was to produce a maximum of coins in order to study the dies wear due
to striking. It emerges that the production of an obverse die could be different depending on blank
size, team experience and metal used. Nevertheless, the results should set its production range
between 10 000 and 15 000 coins. Further experimentations would give us new data and the
possibility to sharpen our estimations.
fifties, carried out a series of practical experiments which still represent a reference work. Our
global approach focuses on the different aspects of the chain of operations from the metal through
the minting of coins. 12 281 coins were struck during our two sessions, giving some new results
on the melting of blanks or on the wear of dies. The incapacity of our team to produce blanks of
a regular weight for example, ventures new hypotheses on the Greek minting process. The main
aim of these experiments was to produce a maximum of coins in order to study the dies wear due
to striking. It emerges that the production of an obverse die could be different depending on blank
size, team experience and metal used. Nevertheless, the results should set its production range
between 10 000 and 15 000 coins. Further experimentations would give us new data and the
possibility to sharpen our estimations.
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Between the second half of the XVIth century and 1645, an important transformation occurs in minting process leading from handcraft by hammering to a mechanization using roll-mill and screw press. In the French kingdom, this change took... more
Between the second half of the XVIth century and 1645, an important transformation occurs in minting process leading from handcraft by hammering to a mechanization using roll-mill and screw press. In the French kingdom, this change took one century. This process enables a better-standardized production. Whatever the minting process, the blanching, the last step before striking, remains the same. Nowadays, the definition of the process used for some coinage is still difficult. Both modern and ancient counterfeits of coinage make difficult the numismatic assessment. Coinage, as museum items and valuable object, needs a non-destructive method to be analyzed. A dual approach has been performed involving experimental archaeology and X-ray diffraction texture analysis. First, Cu-25wt%Ag sheets (70x20x4 mm) were cast in a steel mould. Then, they have been hammered or cold rolled and annealed (at 700°C-30 min) to a total thickness reduction of 88%, namely 0.5 mm thickness. The texture measured on the (222) reflection of the silver rich -phase after the last hardening cycle, is found to be a compression type texture in the case of hammering and exhibits a “brass” type texture after cold rolling. Three historical coins, made of bullion (Cu25wt%Ag), were analyzed and compared with the texture of the experimental coins. A very good agreement is obtained between the two approaches.
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From the 13th to the 16th century, iron was produced at the site of Castel-Minier. The excavations since 2003 have found structures and materials that allow us to understand how past metallurgists improved a forge of rather classic design... more
From the 13th to the 16th century, iron was produced at the site of Castel-Minier. The excavations since 2003 have found structures and materials that allow us to understand how past metallurgists improved a forge of rather classic design to a real iron production site, relying on a system of inter-valley exchange. This paper relates especially to the discovery of 28 slag pieces. They carry imprints of tuyeres that were embedded in ventilation holes into which bellow pipes were inserted. Traditional and 3-D plots were used to estimate their shapes and diameters.
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ABSTRACT Both environmentalists and archaeologists are interested in the detection and quantification of the remains of mine slag heaps from ancient smelters: possible pollution of the slag heaps and information concerning the history of... more
ABSTRACT Both environmentalists and archaeologists are interested in the detection and quantification of the remains of mine slag heaps from ancient smelters: possible pollution of the slag heaps and information concerning the history of the smelter's mine. Although magnetic surveys can be used to detect subsurface slag accumulations, it is not possible to derive the total amount of material from such surveys or to accurately delineate the heaps through the use of this method. Conversely, 'Induced Polarization' (IP) surveying allows a relevant and robust assessment of the volume of slag concentrations to be determined. In the present study, we follow up on results obtained in a previous study, carried out at the 14th Castel-Minier mine (Ariege, France) site, where we have shown that the chargeability is proportional to the slag concentration in the ground and have used this property to perform 3D tomography of the heap. Based on a previous investigation using spectral induced polarization along a simple profile showing that the phase peak related to the slags is situated at approximately 1 Hz, in the present paper we extend our prospection to 3D by using a Terrameter SAS 1000 and measuring temporal chargeability. The set of three-dimensional data is recorded by means of classical transect measurements along parallel close profiles and is then interpreted using the RES3DINV code. Finally, archaeological and auger soundings confirmed the assessments derived from this geophysical investigation. We also briefly discuss the source of the IP signal, which we suspect to be induced by magnetite particles embedded in the slags.
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Les travaux archéologiques conduits sur le site de Castel-Minier (Ariège, France) depuis 2003 ont amené à la découverte d'une mouline. Cet appareil est connu par les textes mais il n'avait jamais été possible d'en fouiller un. Les... more
Les travaux archéologiques conduits sur le site de Castel-Minier (Ariège, France) depuis 2003 ont amené à la découverte d'une mouline. Cet appareil est connu par les textes mais il n'avait jamais été possible d'en fouiller un. Les campagnes de terrain ont clairement mis en évidence l'usage de l'eau pour actionner les soufflets du four et le marteau. L'ensemble a été abandonné entre 1550 et 1580, c'est-à-dire peu de temps avant l'avènement de la forge à la Catalane. La qualité de conservation des vestiges permet de proposer une restitution de l'ensemble.
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... Leur analyse constitue le premier pas d'approche analytique globale sur le thème de la production du fer à la ... 3. Méthodes analytiques. ... 16Ces premières analyses métallographiques appellent un certain nombre de commentaires... more
... Leur analyse constitue le premier pas d'approche analytique globale sur le thème de la production du fer à la ... 3. Méthodes analytiques. ... 16Ces premières analyses métallographiques appellent un certain nombre de commentaires en relation avec les questions évoquées dans l ...
The recent excavations at the archaeological site of Castel-Minier (Aulus-les-Bains, Pyrenees, France) reveal the presence of a large number of slag and iron artefacts, providing evidence on the entire operating chain. This paper... more
The recent excavations at the archaeological site of Castel-Minier (Aulus-les-Bains, Pyrenees, France) reveal the presence of a large number of slag and iron artefacts, providing evidence on the entire operating chain. This paper discusses the first results obtained on metallic products, slag and Mn-rich ores coming from the site and the neighbouring valley of Vicdessos. Metallic products were analysed using classical metallographic techniques. Analyses show that metal is often made of highly carburised steel and slag inclusions contain high levels of manganese oxide. From compositional data and comparison of slag and inclusions, it is demonstrated possible to establish a chemical relationship between slag and the semi-finished iron products. As a result, the ratios in several non-reduced compounds are shown to be helpful in identifying the production site. These different aspects will be examined in further studies performed on the totality of products and wastes.
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For the ancient periods, the refining of silver is classically practiced by cupellation. However, there are other processes that can be used to obtain fine silver. Based on a recipe from the beginning of the 16th century, we show the... more
For the ancient periods, the refining of silver is classically practiced by cupellation. However, there are other processes that can be used to obtain fine silver. Based on a recipe from the beginning of the 16th century, we show the relevance of treating a silver alloy by adding glass and soap through archaeological experimentation. The archaeometric approach to refining silvers and on the glasses allows the different experimental productions to qualify. We also show the filiation of this process from the 10th century to the 20th century.
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Cupellation remains are among the most significant evidences of silver production for the Medieval period. However, these debris are rarely unearthed in archaeological context due to their fragility and their possible recycling. The... more
Cupellation remains are among the most significant evidences of silver production for the Medieval period. However, these debris are rarely unearthed in archaeological context due to their fragility and their possible recycling. The exceptional corpus of cupellation remains from the metallurgical workshop at Castel-Minier (Ariège, France), dating from the XIV th century, provides the opportunity for a better understanding of the cupellation process for the late Middle Ages. Moreover, several pieces of earth lining impregnated with litharge entrapped metallic prills which were analysed using LA-ICP-MS. On the one hand our results highlight the quality of lead-silver bullion and silver produced in the workshop. On the other hand it is demonstrated how the distribution of metallic prills in the impregnated lining fragments reflects the manufacturing and recycling practices. Next, combining location of prills on linings' surface and their elemental composition, a thermodynamic model of the cupellation in Castel-Minier is proposed. Finally, LA-ICP-MS allows measurements of trace elements which are frequently used in prov-enance studies (bismuth, tin, antimony). Their behaviour during cupellation is studied and their relevance as ore tracers is discussed.
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This paper is a chapter in "Studies in Experimental Archaeometallurgy. Methodological Approaches from Non-Ferrous Metallurgies", which can be purchased directly at the publisher's website:... more
This paper is a chapter in "Studies in Experimental Archaeometallurgy. Methodological Approaches from Non-Ferrous Metallurgies", which can be purchased directly at the publisher's website:
https://www.editions-mergoil.com/fr/monographies-instrumentum/209-studies-in-experimental-archaeometallurgy-methodological-approaches-from-non-ferrous-metallurgies.html
https://www.editions-mergoil.com/fr/monographies-instrumentum/209-studies-in-experimental-archaeometallurgy-methodological-approaches-from-non-ferrous-metallurgies.html
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Research Interests: Mining Engineering, Modern History, Archaeology, Geology, Mineralogy, and 100 morePhotogrammetry, Data Mining, Metallurgy, Extractive Metallurgy, Mediterranean Studies, Medieval Archaeology, Minerals, Mediterranean, Cultural Intermediaries In The Early Modern Mediterranean, Cultural Industries, Mining, Geopark and geotourism, Geopark, Archeologia, Mediterranean archaeology, Archaeology of Mediterranean Trade, Histoire moderne, Arqueología, Ancient Metallurgy, Arqueologia Medieval, Archeologia medievale, Teoría Arqueológica, Mineral exploration, Arqueologia, Corsica, Histoire Des Techniques, Corsican archaeology, Geoparks, Archeologie, Arqueología del Paisaje, Archéologie, - Minería, Sardegna, Archeometallurgy, Archeologia dei paesaggi, Mines, Ancient Mining and Metallurgy, Mineral Resources, Geologia, Pyrite, Minería, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Archeologia Della Sardegna, âge du Fer en Corse, Chalcopyrite, Mineria, Geologie, Mineria Y Geologia, Archäologie, Metallurgie, Corse, Mines in Sardinia, Souterrain, Metallurgia medievale, Metallurgia, Métallurgie, Matériaux Minéraux, Age du Bonze final, premier Age du fer en Corse, Archeology of Medieval Mining, Mineral Prospecting/Mineral Exploration/Field Geology/Ore mineralogy/Petrography/Ore Deposits Modeling, Plomb, Mettalurgy, La métallurgie du fer au Moyen Age, Geoparque, Métallurgie du bronze, Fonderie, Patrimoine Industriel, Mineria Metalurgia, Geopatrimónio, Métallurgies Anciennes, Storia Delle Miniere E Della Metallurgia, Archéologie Minière, Géologie Des Ressources Minérales, Arqeologia, Archeiology, Geoparsing, Archeology, Geo Archeology, Moyen Age Corse, Métallurgie Du Fer, Archéologie Moderne, Objets Métalliques, Mineral Sand Industry, Malachite, Langue Et Culture Corse, Archeologia Mineraria, Arqeuology, Archéologie moderne et contemporaine, Objets en alliage cuivreux, Techologie De Fonderie, Age du Cuivre France du sud, Arqeuologia Mediaval, Archeology of Mining, Usine, Hache en cuivre, Corse moderne, Corse moderne, Cuivre, étain, and Site d'extraction
Castel-Minier is a mining and metallurgical site located in the central French Pyrenees. During the 13th-15th centuries C. E., its workshops extracted copper, lead and silver from non-ferrous ores mined nearby. Recent excavations... more
Castel-Minier is a mining and metallurgical site located in the central French Pyrenees. During the 13th-15th centuries C. E., its workshops extracted copper, lead and silver from non-ferrous ores mined nearby. Recent excavations unearthed heating structures and an exceptional corpus of metallurgical artefacts highlighting the broad range of metallurgical activities at Castel-Minier. Among these artefacts, nine fragments of crucibles were discovered. This paper presents the study of their paste and the analysis of the vitrification and metallic remains on their surface. On the one hand, the results account for the polymetallurgical nature of the site by underlining the use of different metals (lead, silver or copper), and by identifying some of the metallurgical process for which ceramics were used, in particular silver refining. On the other hand, the results pointed out different strategies in technical ceramics making. Thus, those used for the metallurgy of lead and silver recycle common pastes or pots, while the copper metallurgy uses specific pastes whose physical qualities seem more suited to metallurgy.
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From the 13th to the 16th century, iron was produced at the site of Castel-Minier. The excavations since 2003 have found structures and materials that allow us to understand how past metallurgists improved a forge of rather classic design... more
From the 13th to the 16th century, iron was produced at the site of Castel-Minier. The excavations since 2003 have found structures and materials that allow us to understand how past metallurgists improved a forge of rather classic design to a real iron production site, relying on a system of inter-valley exchange. This paper relates especially to the discovery of 28 slag pieces. They carry imprints of tuyeres that were embedded in ventilation holes into which bellow pipes were inserted. Traditional and 3-D plots were used to estimate their shapes and diameters.
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... B : résultat acquis par un générateur portable Nilton Xlt). Plombs à 2 anses. 9 Les plombs à deux anses sont au nombre de 16 (fig. 4). Il s'agit de masses ou de plaques comportant, dans la majeure partie des cas, deux... more
... B : résultat acquis par un générateur portable Nilton Xlt). Plombs à 2 anses. 9 Les plombs à deux anses sont au nombre de 16 (fig. 4). Il s'agit de masses ou de plaques comportant, dans la majeure partie des cas, deux excroissances dans lesquelles sont inscrits les yeux. ...
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Unearthing a weapon in an ancient mining area during an excavation is very unlikely. The discovery made at Castel-Minier is even more important since its stratigraphical context is well characterized, dating from the 15th century. This... more
Unearthing a weapon in an ancient mining area during an excavation is very unlikely. The discovery made at Castel-Minier is even more important since its stratigraphical context is well characterized, dating from the 15th century. This ear-dagger of an uncommon type, found along with its scabbard, differs greatly from those known in the museum collections by its sobriety. An archaeometric study was carried out focusing on the chemical characterization of its distinct components, putting in light the choice of the assembled materials (wood, gold, lead and copper alloys). Beyond the purpose of this dagger lost in a 15th century silver mine, its study makes it possible to see for the first time a Catalan area ear dagger produced for a regional market.
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annual field report on Castel-Minier excavation
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PCR Paléométallurgies et expérimentations, rapport intermédiaire, 2017, 92-112
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A l’occasion de ce workshop couplant présentations et expérimentations, nous souhaitons porter au cœur de nos réflexions, en plus du métal, l’usage des matériaux et outils qui permettent l’extraction, l’élaboration et le recyclage des... more
A l’occasion de ce workshop couplant présentations et expérimentations, nous souhaitons porter au cœur de nos réflexions, en plus du métal, l’usage des matériaux et outils qui permettent l’extraction, l’élaboration et le recyclage des matières métalliques autant que des déchets. Cette approche se double d’une réflexion sur l’interdisciplinarité de notre pratique de l’expérimentation archéologique qui associe archéologues, archéomètres et historiens autour de l’objet et du texte.
Cette approche par les matières métalliques autant que par les matières minérales et organiques se veut diachronique et ouverte à différentes aires culturelles. Cette ouverture qui caractérise les travaux expérimentaux conduits sur la plateforme permet des inter comparaisons fructueuses dans une visée transdisciplinaire cultivée de longue date au sein de l’IRAMAT.
Le WS se tiendra en hybride. Il est ouvert à tous. Les personnes inscrites pour assister en distanciel recevront un lien peu avant le workshop.
Cette approche par les matières métalliques autant que par les matières minérales et organiques se veut diachronique et ouverte à différentes aires culturelles. Cette ouverture qui caractérise les travaux expérimentaux conduits sur la plateforme permet des inter comparaisons fructueuses dans une visée transdisciplinaire cultivée de longue date au sein de l’IRAMAT.
Le WS se tiendra en hybride. Il est ouvert à tous. Les personnes inscrites pour assister en distanciel recevront un lien peu avant le workshop.
Research Interests:
Le séminaire du laboratoire DYPAC poursuit l'exploration des thématiques de l’axe transversal « (Im)matérialités » . Ce séminaire porte sur l’étude de la matérialité des objets patrimoniaux, culturels et scientifiques. La question de la... more
Le séminaire du laboratoire DYPAC poursuit l'exploration des thématiques de l’axe transversal « (Im)matérialités » . Ce séminaire porte sur l’étude de la matérialité des objets patrimoniaux, culturels et scientifiques.
La question de la matérialisation de l’immatériel et de la dématérialisation de ce qui est matériel continuera à être au cœur des interrogations et des méthodes du séminaire.
Pour la programmation 2021-2022, le thème principal du séminaire est le "Trésor"
Deuxième séance du séminaire 'Matérialité' 2021 - 2022
Ce séminaire, en partenariat avec le LAPA et avec le soutien de la Fondation des sciences du patrimoine (FSP), est proposé pour favoriser une réflexion commune au sein du laboratoire DYPAC, à propos du thème "(Im)matérialités". La deuxième session sera autour du Trésor monétaire.
le jeudi 25 novembre 2021, de 13h30 à 18h00
Programme :
Valentina Mussa, docteur en Histoire, Sorbonne Université : "Troncs à offrandes et micro-économie des sanctuaires grecs : autour de quelques exemples de thesauroi attiques"
Thibault Cardon, Chargé de recherche CNRS, Craham Centre Michel de Boüard (UMR 6273) et Vincent Geneviève, Inrap, chargé de recherche, chercheur rattaché à l'IRAMAT-CEB, UMR 5060, CNRS/Univ. Orléans: "Trésors ou dépôts monétaires ? Enjeux d'une approche scientifique"
Jérôme Jambu, MCF en Histoire moderne, Université de Lille, IRHiS - UMR CNRS 8529, expert en mobilier archéologique numismatique près le ministère de la Culture: "Ce que les trésors monétaires des époques moderne et contemporaine révèlent... et ne disent pas".
Arnaud Clairand, chercheur associé au CESCM (Poitiers) et numismate professionnel (CGB): "La législation française en matière de déclaration de dépôts monétaires : évolution, étude d'impact..."
https://www.dypac.uvsq.fr/deuxieme-seance-du-seminaire-materialite-2021-2022
La question de la matérialisation de l’immatériel et de la dématérialisation de ce qui est matériel continuera à être au cœur des interrogations et des méthodes du séminaire.
Pour la programmation 2021-2022, le thème principal du séminaire est le "Trésor"
Deuxième séance du séminaire 'Matérialité' 2021 - 2022
Ce séminaire, en partenariat avec le LAPA et avec le soutien de la Fondation des sciences du patrimoine (FSP), est proposé pour favoriser une réflexion commune au sein du laboratoire DYPAC, à propos du thème "(Im)matérialités". La deuxième session sera autour du Trésor monétaire.
le jeudi 25 novembre 2021, de 13h30 à 18h00
Programme :
Valentina Mussa, docteur en Histoire, Sorbonne Université : "Troncs à offrandes et micro-économie des sanctuaires grecs : autour de quelques exemples de thesauroi attiques"
Thibault Cardon, Chargé de recherche CNRS, Craham Centre Michel de Boüard (UMR 6273) et Vincent Geneviève, Inrap, chargé de recherche, chercheur rattaché à l'IRAMAT-CEB, UMR 5060, CNRS/Univ. Orléans: "Trésors ou dépôts monétaires ? Enjeux d'une approche scientifique"
Jérôme Jambu, MCF en Histoire moderne, Université de Lille, IRHiS - UMR CNRS 8529, expert en mobilier archéologique numismatique près le ministère de la Culture: "Ce que les trésors monétaires des époques moderne et contemporaine révèlent... et ne disent pas".
Arnaud Clairand, chercheur associé au CESCM (Poitiers) et numismate professionnel (CGB): "La législation française en matière de déclaration de dépôts monétaires : évolution, étude d'impact..."
https://www.dypac.uvsq.fr/deuxieme-seance-du-seminaire-materialite-2021-2022
Research Interests:
Castel-Minier is polymetallic production site settled in the Viscounty of Couserans in French Pyrenees and isolated in the valley four kilometers from Aulus-les-Bains village. Between the XIIIth and the XVth centuries, silver, lead and... more
Castel-Minier is polymetallic production site settled in the Viscounty of Couserans in French Pyrenees and isolated in the valley four kilometers from Aulus-les-Bains village. Between the XIIIth and the XVth centuries, silver, lead and copper were produced with ore extracted on the site and in closed valleys. Besides, by necessity and opportunism, iron was produced using ore extracted from the Rancié iron mine.
The survey and the excavation, led since 2003, allow today to understand, thanks to discovery of 33 millstones, complete or fragments, how metallurgists separated waste rock to precious ore by grinding. This poster presents this work, from study of archaeological millstones to experimentation, with help of traditional and 3-D plots.
The survey and the excavation, led since 2003, allow today to understand, thanks to discovery of 33 millstones, complete or fragments, how metallurgists separated waste rock to precious ore by grinding. This poster presents this work, from study of archaeological millstones to experimentation, with help of traditional and 3-D plots.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
The coins brought to light during archeological excavations represent a very important source of information on the economic relations in addition of bringing the elements for dating. However, it is rare that the coins and other monetary... more
The coins brought to light during archeological excavations represent a very important source of information on the economic relations in addition of bringing the elements for dating. However, it is rare that the coins and other monetary items such as molds or blank are easily readable and at best, after restoration, they could be entrusted to a numismatist. Beyond this issue, another problem occurs frequently: the archaeological item cannot circulate so freely as the archaeologist for physical and legal reasons. Today the development of numerical shooting and the increase of computers calculation ability bring a simple and a cheap solution to this limitation.
The development of freeware RTIbuilder and RTIviewer, set up by the CNR (italian national research council, see www.culturalheritageimaging.com ) for the second, led to the realization of a lighting system managed artificially. From our part, we developed a tool for shooting of reduced size items. The aim of this work was to create a system allowing easier circulation of historical and archaeological information. Thus we shall present the system worked out with the first results taking as example the following items of archaeological excavations: a medieval coin and an antique monetary mold. We shall also estimate the saving of time, the limits of the tool and propose new .
The development of freeware RTIbuilder and RTIviewer, set up by the CNR (italian national research council, see www.culturalheritageimaging.com ) for the second, led to the realization of a lighting system managed artificially. From our part, we developed a tool for shooting of reduced size items. The aim of this work was to create a system allowing easier circulation of historical and archaeological information. Thus we shall present the system worked out with the first results taking as example the following items of archaeological excavations: a medieval coin and an antique monetary mold. We shall also estimate the saving of time, the limits of the tool and propose new .
Research Interests:
Cette journée d’étude organisée par le laboratoire DYPAC en partenariat avec la Fondation des Sciences du Patrimoine offre la possibilité de renouveler le dialogue sur les enjeux des travaux actuels du domaine de la culture matérielle... more
Cette journée d’étude organisée par le laboratoire DYPAC en partenariat avec la Fondation des Sciences du Patrimoine offre la possibilité de renouveler le dialogue sur les enjeux des travaux actuels du domaine de la culture matérielle permettant une réflexion commune sur les objets du quotidien médiéval et moderne en réunissant à la fois les chercheurs des sciences humaines et sociales, des sciences expérimentales et les archéologues. Le caractère résolument interdisciplinaire de l’événement est l’occasion de fédérer la recherche en centrant le propos sur des objets généralement peu accessibles et très mal connus du grand public.
Research Interests: Medieval History, Medieval Studies, Medieval Archaeology, History of Daily Life, Dress and Personal Adornment (Archaeology), and 21 moreMedieval Art, History of Medieval Technology, Archeometry, Copper Artefacts, Archeometallurgy, Medieval Daily life, Medieval small finds, Household Inventories, Mobilier Métallique Médiéval, Mobilier Métallique Moderne, Archéologie du mobilier métallique des périodes historiques, Archéologie médiévale, Archaeology of Daily Life, Petits objets, seal matrices, seals, Medieval and Post Medieval Archaeology, Iconology of medieval seals, Copper Alloys, Medieval Seals, Inventaires, Medieval Inscriptions, and Objets en alliage cuivreux
The second meeting of the International Conference on Archaeometallurgy (ICA II) proposes to open its research field to all disciplines making use of experimental research with the goal of improving archaeological excavation techniques... more
The second meeting of the International Conference on Archaeometallurgy (ICA II) proposes to open its research field to all disciplines making use of experimental research with the goal of improving archaeological excavation techniques and the understanding of archaeological sites. This conference will present a range of varied subjects related to the discovery of structures identified in excavation.
Research Interests:
This book can be purchased directly at the publisher's website: https://www.editions-mergoil.com/fr/monographies-instrumentum/209-studies-in-experimental-archaeometallurgy-methodological-approaches-from-non-ferrous-metallurgies.html
Research Interests:
Castel-Minier is a mining and metallurgical site located in the central French Pyrenees. During the 13 th –15 th centuries C. E., its workshops extracted copper, lead and silver from non-ferrous ores mined nearby. Recent excavations... more
Castel-Minier is a mining and metallurgical site located in the central French Pyrenees. During the 13 th –15 th centuries C. E., its workshops extracted copper, lead and silver from non-ferrous ores mined nearby. Recent excavations unearthed heating structures and an exceptional corpus of metallurgical artefacts highlighting the broad range of metallurgical activities at Castel-Minier. Among these artefacts, eight fragments of crucibles were discovered: two of which contained metallic prills entrapped in the ceramic fabric. These prills were analysed by laser ablation inductively coupled mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) and results show the presence of a silver-lead alloy. Thus, we propose that the crucibles were technical ceramics used in the silver chaîne opératoire at Castel-Minier, probably to concentrate the silver-enriched lead before further refining. To further investigate the function of these crucibles, the entire assemblage was analysed using electron and optical microscopy, and elemental analyses by SEM–EDS. Electron microscopy focused on the slag layer in order to better understand what was being refined, and estimate the working temperature. Optical microscopy and petrography were used to understand the raw materials used to manufacture the crucibles and their origin, evaluate their production, and determine their technical performance characteristics (refractoriness, chemical resistance to metals). Of particular interest is the function of the quartz temper, not typically used in technical/metallurgical ceramics because of its reactivity with metals.
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Archaeology, Physics, Humanities, Antiquity, Coin, and 6 moreExperimentation, Melting, Monnaie, Expérimentation, Orichalcum, and Blanks
Un musée minier ancré dans le présent ... A Melle, dans les mines d'argent des rois francs Ouvertes au public depuis 1987, les mines d'argent des rois francs de Melle, dans les Deux-Sèvres, n'ont cessé de se transformer pour apporter une... more
Un musée minier ancré dans le présent ... A Melle, dans les mines d'argent des rois francs Ouvertes au public depuis 1987, les mines d'argent des rois francs de Melle, dans les Deux-Sèvres, n'ont cessé de se transformer pour apporter une expérience toujours renouvelée auprès des visiteurs. Non contentes d'être les plus vieilles mines visitables en Europe, le lieu est également exceptionnel par l'alliance réussie qu'il propose entre valorisation touristique du patrimoine et recherche académique. Le musée abrite la plateforme des arts du feu. Chaque année, des scientifiques viennent tester des procédés métallurgiques anciens sous les yeux du public. Ici, la frappe de monnaie.
Research Interests:
Direct dating of prehistoric paintings is playing a major role in Paleolithic art studies. Very few figures can be directly dated since the necessary condition is that they contain organic carbon-based material. Thus, it is very important... more
Direct dating of prehistoric paintings is playing a major role in Paleolithic art studies. Very few figures can be directly dated since the necessary condition is that they contain organic carbon-based material. Thus, it is very important to check the presence of organic carbon-based material in situ before sampling in order to protect the visual integrity of the paintings or drawings. We have tested and compared 3 different portable analytical systems that can be used in cave environments for detecting carbon in prehistoric paintings: (1) a very compact X-ray fluorescence (XRF) system in Villars Cave (Dordogne, France); (2) a portable micro-Raman spectrometer in Rouffignac Cave (Dordogne, France); and (3) an infrared reflectography camera in both caves. These techniques have been chosen for their non-destructiveness: no sample has to be taken from the rock surface and no contact is made between the probes and the paintings or drawings. The analyses have shown that all the animal figures have been drawn with manganese oxides and cannot be directly dated by radiocarbon. However, carbon has been detected in several spots such as black dots and lines and torch marks. 14 C results were obtained from 5 torch marks selected in Villars Cave, with ages between 17.1–18.0 ka cal BP. Three methods were used to identify carbon in black pigments or to confirm the presence of torch marks by carbon detection. Thanks to these new analytical developments, it will be now possible to select more accurately the samples to be taken for 14 C dating prehistoric paintings and drawings.