NINMACH 2017

What is inside in the bronze weapons and tools? Archaeometallurgical Characterization of Late Bronze Age Metal Artefacts by Neutron Methods

11 Oct 2017, 17:20

20m

Hungarian Academy of Sciences

Oral presentation Multi-technique approach and complementary techniques Multi-technique approach and complementary methods 1.

Speaker

Mr Gábor János Tarbay (Hungarian National Museum, Archaeological Department, Prehistoric Collection)

Description

The aim of the presentation is to show the results of a cooperative work between the Hungarian National Museum, Archaeological Department, Prehistoric Collection and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Centre for Energy Research, Nuclear Analysis and Radiography Department, which focused on the bronze alloy artefacts from the Late Bronze Age (LBA, ca. 1500-1000 BC) Carpathian Basin. In the presentation, three different minor and major projects will appear: 1. Spearheads, 2. Warrior Equipment, 3. Project Axe. Although, the samples of these projects are different, they are all linked by the same analytical methods (PGAA, neutron radiography and imaging) and the same research questions, such as how the objects were made, what kind of casting defects their bare. Within project Spearheads, four spearhead with the remains of the prehistoric wooden shaft were investigated with the above non-destructive methods which allowed us to provide a completely new data on the LBA spear-use in the Carpathian Basin. Project Warrior Equipment focuses on an unparalleled assemblages of defensive and offensive weapons (e.g. pair of greaves, cap helmet) as well as rare artefacts (e.g. metal cup). By the aid of the applied analytical methods, the manufacturing of these objects as well as their prehistoric manipulation during deposition was evaluated in details. Project Axe is a brand new approach for the detailed characterization of casting defects of prehistoric cast artefacts. Non-destructive neutron based methods as well as destructive ones (metallography) and even experimental casting was involved in this project. As a results, detailed characterization and classification of visible and invisible defects in prehistoric bronze artefacts was possible, as well as the description of the main causes which allowed us to interpret the LBA casting defects from a different point of view than before.