{"id":5621,"date":"2025-09-11T09:48:04","date_gmt":"2025-09-11T07:48:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ceza.de\/english\/?p=5621"},"modified":"2025-10-09T11:13:37","modified_gmt":"2025-10-09T09:13:37","slug":"archaeometric-breakthrough-local-copper-imported-tin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ceza.de\/english\/archaeometric-breakthrough-local-copper-imported-tin-5621","title":{"rendered":"Archaeometric Breakthrough: Local Copper, Imported Tin"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

An international research team has discovered the origins of the metal used to craft Sardinia\u2019s famous bronze figurines, known as Bronzetti<\/em>. Using an innovative multi-proxy approach\u2014employing osmium isotopes for the first time\u2014the team was able to draw precise conclusions about the sources of the metals used. The study revealed not only that the copper was mostly sourced from Sardinia itself, but also that the tin required for bronze production was imported from distant regions\u2014primarily the Iberian Peninsula. These findings provide fascinating insights into the trade networks and metallurgical practices of the Nuragic culture during the Late Bronze Age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The project involved researchers from Aarhus University, the Moesgaard Museum (Denmark), the Curt-Engelhorn-Zentrum Arch\u00e4ometrie Mannheim, and the Archaeological Authority of Southern Sardinia. The analyses were carried out as part of the \u201cMetals & Giants\u201d project, funded by the Danish Augustinus Foundation and led by Helle Vandkilde, Mads Holst, and Gianfranca Salis.<\/p>\n\n\n

\"\"
Bronze warrior figurine from the sanctuary of Abini-Teti in central Sardinia – a typical example of the so-called Bronzetti<\/em>. (Photo: CEZA)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Precise Analyses through New Isotopic Methods<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the center of the investigation were the small bronze statuettes found in numerous sanctuaries across Sardinia. What made the study special was the application of a new method to determine the origin of the copper used. Several isotopic systems\u2014including copper, tin, lead, and, for the first time, osmium\u2014were combined. This so-called multi-proxy approach was developed at the Curt-Engelhorn-Zentrum Arch\u00e4ometrie and allows for a significantly more precise differentiation of metal sources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Kleine
Small bronze statuette with dagger and cloak from the important Sardinian sanctuary of Santa Vittoria near Serri. (Photo: CEZA)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n


The result: the Bronzetti<\/em> were primarily made from Sardinian copper, sometimes mixed with copper from the Iberian Peninsula. Copper from the Near East\u2014such as from Timna (Israel) or Faynan (Jordan)\u2014was not used. Only the analysis of osmium isotopes made this distinction possible with certainty\u2014traditional methods could barely achieve this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Supra-regional Standards and International Trade Routes<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A look at three major Nuragic cult sites also revealed that, despite geographical distances, all sanctuaries used metal in a very similar manner. This suggests that supra-regional standards existed in the production of the Bronzetti<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n

\"Graphic
Graphic showing osmium analysis: The examined Bronzetti<\/em> (orange dots) differ significantly in their osmium composition and concentration from ores (green dots) and other artefacts (green squares) from the Near East (Arabah Valley of Israel and Jordan). (Graphic: CEZA)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Another surprising finding: although Sardinia is rich in copper, tin, and lead, only copper was sourced locally for the Bronzetti<\/em>. The tin necessary for bronze production did not come from Sardinian deposits. Isotopic signatures and chemical compositions indicate that the tin was primarily imported from the Iberian Peninsula.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The study by Daniel Berger, senior researcher at the CEZA in Mannheim, and his co-authors powerfully demonstrates how modern scientific methods can help reconstruct the trade relationships and production techniques of ancient cultures\u2014and confirms that Sardinia was part of a vast network during the Bronze Age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Den vollst\u00e4ndigen Artikel in PLOS One finden Sie hier<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Isotope Research with Osmium Sheds Light on Sardinia\u2019s Bronze Age.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[42,32,43],"class_list":["post-5621","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-allgemein","tag-late-bronze-age","tag-multi-parameter-approaches","tag-osmium-isotopes"],"yoast_head":"\nArchaeometric Breakthrough: Local Copper, Imported Tin - CEZA EN<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ceza.de\/english\/archaeometric-breakthrough-local-copper-imported-tin-5621\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Archaeometric Breakthrough: Local Copper, Imported Tin - 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