Archaeometric studies on tripod cauldrons: new data for political and economic connections in Greece, ca. 1200 - 700 BC
Final Report Abstract
The project uses archaeometric methods to determine both the sites of manufacture of the Greek tripod cauldrons and the origin of the copper used in their manufacture. With these basic data, three problem areas will be addressed: (a) the interconnectedness of the Greek central sanctuaries in the period between the beginning of tripod dedications in the Submycenaean period (Olympia and Delphi; ca. mid- 11th century B.C.) and the Late Geometric period (until ca. 700 B.C.) (b) the economic organization of the production of prestige goods in this period of time (c) the connection of the early Greek elites to Aegean and Trans-Mediterranean trade systems, especially the copper and tin trade in the period between the LH IIIC Middle period and the end of the Late Geometric method. The archaeometric methods carried out are: NAA and SEM-EDX of metallurgical ceramic; lead and copper isotope analysis (LIA, CIA) and bulk chemistry of metals, ores and slags with ICP-MS; as well as analyses of polished samples of tripod metal and raw copper with optical microscopy and SEM-EDX. The concept of the project is based on two pilot studies and on the results of Kiderlen's 2011-2013 project "The Find Distribution of Tripod Dedications as an Indicator of Regional and Supra-Regional Public Spheres in Early Greece (11th-8th C. BC)".
Publications
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Das Kupfer der griechischen spätgeometrischen Dreifußkessel (ca. 750 -700 v. Chr.) – eine Diskussion der chemischen und bleiisotopischen Analysen. In: Yalçin, H. G. & O. Stegemeier (Hrsg.) Metallurgica Anatolica Festschrift für Ünsal Yalçın anlässlich seines 65. Geburtstags (Bochum 2020), 329-348, ISBN 978-605-7673-32-9
Bode, M., Kiderlen, M., Mastrotheodoros, G., Filippaki, E. & Bassiakos, Y.
