Article · 1997
Lead isotope characteristics of the Cyprus copper ore deposits applied to provenance studies of copper oxhide ingots
Z. A. Stos-Gale, G. Maliotis, N. H. Gale and N. Annetts
Archaeometry 39(1) 83-123
An article on lead isotope analyses of Cypriot copper ores, compared with copper oxhide ingots to test where the metal of the ingots came from.
Stos-Gale and colleagues present new lead isotope analyses of Cypriot copper ores and compare them with copper oxhide ingots found around the Mediterranean. They relate the isotope patterns of the ores to the geology of the Troodos ophiolite, then ask what those patterns mean for the provenance of the ingots and for copper production.
The programme prioritised precise geological and geographical provenance and admitted only isotope measurements that met a stated precision threshold. Deposits are grouped by the Limni, Solea, Larnaca and Kalavasos fossil spreading axes, with further samples from the Limassol Forest, and tables and plots give the groupings, sample counts and isotope ratios (pp. 85–101).
The argument
Ore data, in the authors’ view, should be compared with specific mines or with geologically related groups of deposits and not treated as one all-encompassing Cypriot isotope field. Geological evidence about the fossil spreading axes explains differences between deposits, and the isotope compositions of the ingots match particular Cypriot ores. They challenge the proposal that extensive mixing of copper from different sources accounts for the ingots’ isotope patterns (pp. 91–97, 108–110, 117–119).
The evidence
Ore data are set beside isotope and gold and silver measurements for ingots from Cyprus and other Mediterranean finds. The Cypriot material comes from Enkomi, Kalavasos, Maa, Maroni, Mathiati, Pyla and Skouriotissa; other comparisons include finds in Crete, Greece, Sardinia, Turkey and Bulgaria. The text also reviews archaeological contexts and dating evidence, among them the mining remains and smelting evidence at Apliki-Karamallos (pp. 105–117).
Isotope ratios distinguish several ore groups and, in some cases, individual mines, though some deposits overlap. Apliki emerges as the principal source for the analysed oxhide ingots, with a few ingots possibly overlapping Mavrovouni or Skouriotissa. The authors connect this reading with the Bronze Age mining and smelting at Apliki-Karamallos, and they leave the provenance of the Sardinian ingots to further analysis of Sardinian ores (pp. 109–118).
What it records
- Included data had to meet an internal within-run precision better than 0.01% standard error of the mean on 60 ratios.p. 86
- Isotope data come from 26 Cypriot deposits and 210 samples.p. 91
- Different Cypriot mine groups have distinctive lead isotope ratios, with some overlap between deposits, the authors report.p. 91
- Limni was the largest of the three deposits on the Limni axis, at about 8.1 million tonnes.p. 97
- The authors report that isotope data suggest Kinousa mineralization is younger than Evloymeni, while Evloymeni and Limni are practically the same geological age.p. 98
- No Bronze Age metals analysed match the lead isotope composition of Sha ores.p. 99
- The analysed Cypriot oxhide ingots match ores from Apliki, the authors state, with one fragment potentially matching Mavrovouni or Skouriotissa.p. 109
- The analysed Cypriot oxhide ingots date from the mid-thirteenth century BCE to about 1200 BCE.p. 111
- Ingots of different dates and from a wide geographical area closely match Apliki ore compositions, in the authors’ account.p. 112
- The Apliki-Karamallos settlement lasted from the beginning of the fourteenth century BCE to the first half of the twelfth century BCE.p. 117
- Apliki-Karamallos yielded large D-shaped and elbow tuyères and substantial copper slag, especially in House A.p. 117
- Isotopic data for the Limni axis appear to be of the same age as those for the Solea axis, the authors state.p. 118
Where to read
- Sample counts and lead isotope patterns by ore deposit and fossil spreading axispp. 89–101
- Cypriot ore comparisons with Sardinian, Anatolian, Bulgarian and Omani depositspp. 102–105
- Contexts and dating of oxhide ingots found in Cypruspp. 107–111
- Lead isotope and trace-element comparisons for ingots around the Mediterraneanpp. 109–116
- Mining, smelting and settlement evidence at Apliki-Karamallospp. 115–118
Contents
- Introduction83
- Methodology of Collecting Lead Isotope Data for Cypriot Metal Ores85
- Plate Tectonics and Cypriot Ore Genesis87
- The Lead Isotope Data for Cypriot Copper Ore Deposits89
- The Limni axis97
- The Solea axis98
- The Larnaca axis98
- The Kalavasos axis100
- Ores from the Limassol Forest101
- Comparison of Lead Isotope Compositions of Cypriot Ores with Other Deposits102
- Copper Oxide Ingots and Copper Production in Late Bronze Age Cyprus105
- Metal Recycling108
- Trace Elements in the Oxhide Ingots109
- The Lead Isotope Compositions of Copper Oxhide Ingots109
- Cypriot oxhide ingots109
- Miscellaneous copper oxhide ingots112
- Oxhide ingots from Sardinia115
- Independent Archaeological Evidence for Ancient Mining/Metallurgy in North-West Cyprus115
- Conclusions117
- Acknowledgements119
- References119
Objects published here
2- Whole copper oxide ingot from the Enkomi Foundry hoard, Enkomi Foundry hoard, 1897/4-1, 1535 (p. 107)
- Whole copper oxide ingot, said to be from the Ingot hoard, Enkomi, pl. 49a,b (p. 107)
People, places and institutions
People
- Budd et al.authors of a disputed provenance hypothesis
- Pernickaauthor of cited provenance arguments
- J. D. Muhlyauthor cited on ingots and mining
- Joan du Plat Taylorexcavated Apliki-Karamallos
- Adamidesstudied the geology of the ore deposits
- Panayiotouproposed the genesis of Limassol Forest ores
Institutions
- Isotrace Laboratoryproduced the lead isotope analyses and data
- Cyprus Museumholds a whole ingot and fragments
- British Museumholds an Enkomi ingot and fragments
- Hellenic Mining Company Ltd.mined and supported the fieldwork
Places
- Troodosgeological setting of the ore deposits
- Aplikiore source matched to many ingots
- Skouriotissamine with associated ingot finds
- MavrovouniSolea axis copper deposit
- LimniLimni axis copper deposit
- KinousaLimni axis deposits and workings
- EvloymeniLimni axis copper deposit
- ShaLarnaca axis copper deposit
- Kalavasoscopper mining region and ingot find
- Limassol Forestarea of complex sulphide occurrences
- Apliki-KaramallosBronze Age miners' settlement
- Ambelikou-AletriMiddle Cypriot I copper-smelting site
- Enkomiingot finds and smelting evidence
- Maroniingot fragments from excavated contexts
- Maa-PalaeokastroLate Bronze Age ingot find
- Pyla-KokkinokremosLate Bronze Age ingot find
- Mathiatiore deposit and ingot hoard findspot
- Gourniafindspot of Cretan ingots
- Kommosfindspot of Cretan ingots
- Mycenaefindspot of oxhide ingots
- Tcherkovofindspot of a Bulgarian ingot
- Villanovaforrufindspot of a Sardinian ingot hoard
Extent pp. 83–123, figs 1–12; geological map of the Troodos ophiolite complex as fig. 2
Defines Cyprus-type deposits
Early Bronze AgeMiddle Bronze AgeLate Bronze AgeCypro-GeometricCypro-ArchaicCypro-ClassicalRomanLate AntiqueModernCopperMetalworkTradeChronology and DatingTechnology
Cited on Ancient Cyprus
1 page- Copper Metallurgy in Ancient CyprusCompendium