Article · 2016
Tripod cauldrons produced at Olympia give evidence for trade with copper from Faynan (Jordan) to South West Greece, c. 950–750 BCE
M. Kiderlen, M. Bode, A. Hauptmann and Y. Bassiakos
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 8 303-313
An article on chemical and lead isotope analyses of copper from 11 tripod cauldrons cast at Olympia, and on what they show about the copper supply between about 950 and 750 BCE.
Kiderlen and colleagues present chemical and lead isotope analyses of 13 samples from 11 tripod cauldrons excavated at Olympia, and compare the results with copper ores and metallurgical remains from the eastern Mediterranean and Europe and with isotope data from tripods found at Delphi. The fragments were chosen after neutron activation analysis of adhering casting ceramics indicated manufacture at Olympia. Chemical composition was measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and lead isotope ratios by multi-collector ICP-MS.
The sampled tripods belong to phases 3, 5 and 6, which the article dates to about 975–925, 850–800 and 800–750 BCE. The 11 form a compact chemical and isotope group, which the authors match to the Dolomite-Limestone-Shale ores of Faynan and to related Iron Age production remains. Comparisons of lead isotope ratios and trace elements lead them to exclude Cyprus and several European and Near Eastern sources. Timna stays in view as a possible but less certain source, because its early Iron Age copper data are insufficiently defined (pp. 307–310).
From this the authors infer a sustained supply to the markets serving Olympia and Delphi, with the copper influx running from the second half of phase 3, about 950 BCE, to the end of phase 6, about 750 BCE; its start and end beyond that span remain undetermined. They call the proposed exchange system the Levantine-Aegean Copper Trail and identify possible routes and political intermediaries without determining their roles (p. 311). Gaza and Tyrus are named as possible ports on a proposed route.
What it records
- The lead isotope cluster of the Olympia tripods is separated from the data for Cyprus copper deposits.p. 308
- Agents based on Cyprus could have helped connect western demand with the copper resources of Wadi Arabah, the authors suggest.p. 311
- Thirteen metal samples from 11 Olympia tripods were analysed; the adhering casting ceramics had been assigned to paste M1.p. 304
- The authors label the Olympia copper of the type of Faynan DLS, with the allowance that some of it may have been produced at Timna.p. 310
- The chemical and lead isotope data of the 11 Olympia tripods form a compact group, which the authors connect with Faynan while conceding that Timna may be involved.p. 310
- Lead isotope measurements of eight Delphi tripods fall close to the Olympia measurements and within the Faynan DLS data cloud.p. 310
Where to read
- Sample selection and analytical methodspp. 304–307
- Copper-source comparisons, Faynan and Timnapp. 308–310
- Delphi tripods and proposed exchange routespp. 310–311
Contents
- Introduction303
- Relevance of tripod studies for political and economic history303
- Previous archaeometric studies on tripod metals304
- Material studied and methods304
- Sample selection304
- Typology and chronology304
- Analytical methods305
- Results and discussion306
- Tin, lead, and iron contents of the tripods of Olympia306
- Tin306
- Lead307
- Iron307
- The copper source of the tripods of Olympia307
- Exclusion of Cyprus and the "Aegean Field"308
- Exclusion of Sardinia308
- Exclusion of the Alpine (and Apennine) region308
- Exclusion of the Sinai peninsula and Egyptian eastern desert309
- Faynan and Timna in the Wadi Arabah309
- LIA by the Isotrace Laboratory in Oxford 1981–1983 of EIA tripods excavated at Delphi310
- Conclusions and perspectives310
- Functional elements of the Levantine-Aegean Copper Trail311
- References312
Objects published here
2- Complete tripod cauldron, not sampled, Olympia, B 1240, Fig. 1 (p. 304)
- Leg fragment of a tripod cauldron, Olympia, B 1665, Fig. 3 (p. 306)
People, places and institutions
Places
- Olympiasanctuary where the tripods were cast
- Faynanproposed source of the tripod copper
- Wadi Arabahcopper-producing region
- Timnapossible alternative copper source
- Delphifindspot of tripods used for comparison
- Neve Yamfindspot of copper ingots
Also named: Lefkandi, Stamná, Khirbet Faynan site 5, Gaza, Tyrus, Deutsches Bergbau-Museum Bochum, National Center for Scientific Research (NCSR) "Demokritos", German Archaeological Institute (DAI) at Athens.
Extent pp. 303–313, figs 1–9
Defines Levantine-Aegean Copper Trail