A LEAD ISOTOPE DATABASE: THE LOS PEDROCHES – ALCUDIA AREA (SPAIN); IMPLICATIONS FOR ARCHAEOMETALLURGICAL CONNECTIONS ACROSS SOUTHWESTERN AND SOUTHEASTERN IBERIA*

Abstract

One hundred and twenty‐five new lead isotopic analyses on galena, mainly from the Los Pedroches – Alcudia Valley area of southern Iberia, are presented. These data allow us to define four compositional groups in the 207Pb/206Pb versus 208Pb/206Pb and 207Pb/206Pb versus 206Pb/204Pb diagrams. Group I compositions are intermediate between those previously reported for southeastern and southwestern Iberian ore mineral locations. The compositions of Group II, the largest group, overlap with ore data from southwestern Spain. Groups III and IV have compositions that have never before been identified in this region and are comparable to those from the Sardinian Cu ores, which might explain the previously assumed exotic origin for local Bronze Age artefacts.