Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age metallurgical practices at Limenaria, Thasos: evidence for silver and copper production

Abstract

Excavations at Limenaria in southwestern Thasos brought to light a significant amount of finds associated with metallurgical activities of the Final Neolithic and Early Bronze Age. The recovered evidence includes copper alloy artifacts, one silver pin, copper slags, a crucible fragment, pieces of shallow bowl lead silicates and litharge-resembling cupels, and numerous fragments of hematite/limonite lumps, some containing secondary cupriferous minerals, mainly malachite and azurite. With the exception of the complete artifacts, a representative sample of the finds (approx. 40) was studied by applying instrumental analytical methods. The analytical results strongly suggest that the metalworkers utilized exclusively the local mineral resources for copper and silver production. They demonstrated significant skill and succeeded in extracting metallic copper from the locally available polymetallic (and poor in cupriferous secondary ores) mineral resources, and expanded their practice in crucible working (for copper alloying with arsenic). The technological traits so far recognized appear to be closer to the Aegean pyro-metallurgical practices rather than their northern counterparts in the Balkans.