Abstract
Archaeological field-work realised at the site of Gorny (occupied from 1700 to 1400 BC) has furnished an important collection of materials related to metallurgical activities (ores, slags, by-products and copper objects). These have been analyzed by a variety of instrumental techniques (scanning electron microscopy, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and metallography). The results show that metallurgy was a primitive one that worked oxidised copper ores by a non-slagging smelting process. Cast objects were finished by cold hammering and, on some occasions, annealing. A replication of the prehistoric technology has been achieved by means of on-site smelting experiments. Thus, economic variables such as the efficiency of copper recovery and charcoal consumption have been evaluated and, using them, theoretical models of copper production and its behavioural impact have been constructed.
Highlights
Archaeological field-work realised at the site ofGorny has furnished an important collection of materials related to metallurgical activities
The results show that metallurgy was a primitive one that worked oxidised copper ores by a non-slagging smelting process
A replication of the prehistoric technology has been achieved by means of on-site smelting experiments
Summary
Los trabajos arqueológicos de campo en el sitio de Gorny (habitado durante los siglos XVII-XV AC) han proporcionado una importante colección de materiales relacionados con actividades metalúrgicas (minerales, escorias, restos de fundición y objetos metálicos). En su estudio analítico se han empleado diversas técnicas de laboratorio (microscopía electrónica de barrido, espectrometría por fluorescencia de rayos x, metalografía) cuyos resultados caracterizan una metalurgia de rasgos primitivos que parte de la fundición directa de minerales oxídicos de cobre. Con la ayuda de experimentos de fundición ¿n situ se ha reproducido el proceso prehistórico, permitiendo de ese modo establecer variables económicas tales como el rendimiento en cobre de las fundiciones y el consumo de combustible, a partir de las cuales se elaboran modelos teóricos estimativos de la producción metalúrgica y su impacto en el medio ambiente
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