Archaeometallurgy
Encyclopedia
Archaeometallurgy is the study of the history and prehistory of metals and their use through humans. It is a sub-discipline of archaeology
and archaeological science
. After initial sporadic work, archaeometallurgy was more widely institutionalised in the 1960s and 70s, with research groups in Britain (The British Museum, the UCL Institute of Archaeology, the Institute for Archeo-Metallurgical Studies (iams)), Germany (Deutsches Bergbau Museum) and the US (MIT and Harvard).
Specialisations within archaeometallurgy focus on metallography
of finished objects, mineralogy
of waste products such as slag
and manufacturing studies.
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
and archaeological science
Archaeological science
Archaeological science, also known as archaeometry, consists of the application of scientific techniques to the analysis of archaeological materials. Archaeometry is now considered its own scientific field. The UK's Natural and Environmental Research Council provides funding for archaeometry...
. After initial sporadic work, archaeometallurgy was more widely institutionalised in the 1960s and 70s, with research groups in Britain (The British Museum, the UCL Institute of Archaeology, the Institute for Archeo-Metallurgical Studies (iams)), Germany (Deutsches Bergbau Museum) and the US (MIT and Harvard).
Specialisations within archaeometallurgy focus on metallography
Metallography
Metallography is the study of the physical structure and components of metals, typically using microscopy.Ceramic and polymeric materials may also be prepared using metallographic techniques, hence the terms ceramography, plastography and, collectively, materialography.-Preparing metallographic...
of finished objects, mineralogy
Mineralogy
Mineralogy is the study of chemistry, crystal structure, and physical properties of minerals. Specific studies within mineralogy include the processes of mineral origin and formation, classification of minerals, their geographical distribution, as well as their utilization.-History:Early writing...
of waste products such as slag
Slag
Slag is a partially vitreous by-product of smelting ore to separate the metal fraction from the unwanted fraction. It can usually be considered to be a mixture of metal oxides and silicon dioxide. However, slags can contain metal sulfides and metal atoms in the elemental form...
and manufacturing studies.
See also
- Archaeometallurgy – slag analysis – ferrous metallurgy
- Archaeometallurgy-slag analysis-non-ferrous metallurgyArchaeometallurgy-slag analysis-non-ferrous metallurgyArchaeometallurgy is the study of the history and prehistory of metals and their use through humans. Slag analysis is a technique used in archaeometallurgy.- Overview :...
- CupellationCupellationCupellation is a metallurgical process in which ores or alloyed metals are treated under high temperatures and carefully controlled operations in order to separate noble metals, like gold and silver, from base metals like lead, copper, zinc, arsenic, antimony or bismuth, that might be present in...
- LiquationLiquationLiquation is a metallurgical method for separating metals from an ore or alloy. The material must be heated until one of the metals starts to melt and drain away from the other and can be collected...
- Roman metallurgyRoman metallurgyMetals and metal working had been known to the people of modern Italy since the Bronze Age. By 86 BC, Rome had already expanded to control an immense expanse of the Mediterranean...
- Metallurgy during the Copper Age in EuropeMetallurgy during the Copper Age in EuropeThe Copper Age, also called the Eneolithic or the Chalcolithic Age, has been traditionally understood as a transitional period between the Neolithic and the Bronze Age, in which a gradual introduction of the metal took place, while stone was still the main resource utilized...
- Metallurgy in Pre-Columbian AmericaMetallurgy in Pre-Columbian AmericaMetallury in pre-Columbian America is the extraction and purification of metals, as well as creating metal alloys and fabrication with metal by Indigenous peoples of the Americas prior to European contact in the late 15th centuries. Indigenous Americans have been using native metals from ancient...
- History of ferrous metallurgyHistory of ferrous metallurgyThe history of ferrous metallurgy began far back in prehistory. The earliest surviving iron artifacts, from the 5th millennium BC in Iran and 2nd millennium BC in China, were made from meteoritic iron-nickel. It is not known when or where the smelting of iron from ores began, but by the end of the...
- Native copperNative copperCopper, as native copper, is one of the few metallic elements to occur in uncombined form as a natural mineral, although most commonly occurs in oxidized states and mixed with other elements...
- Tin sources and trade in ancient timesTin sources and trade in ancient timesTin is an essential metal in the creation of tin bronzes and its acquisition has been an important part of Bronze Age and later cultures throughout ancient history. Its use began in the Near East and the Balkans around 3000 BC...
- Experimental ArchaeometallurgyExperimental ArchaeometallurgyExperimental Archaeometallurgy is a subset of experimental archaeology that specifically involves past metallurgical processes most commonly involving the replication of copper and iron objects as well as testing the methodology behind the production of ancient metals and metal objects...
Further reading
- R. F. Tylecote (1992) A History of Metallurgy, 2nd edn, Institute of Materials ISBN 0-901462-88-8