Archaeometry 29

Re-examination of pottery links between Egypt and the Aegean vindicates the 'high' radiocarbon chronology and indicates that the Aegean LBA began during the Hyksos period. This moves the Mycenaean Shaft Graves a century closer to the Wessex Culture and to the N European cultures using Baltic amber and Aegean-related metalwork.

Reports a range of dates from Palaeolithic onwards.

Analysis of early copper-base artefacts from a wide range of cultures and locations invariably reveals traces of iron, which enters the copper during the smelting process and so indicates, by the level of iron, the smelting technology. In areas such as Western Europe where prehistoric slag heaps are absent even in the proximity of undoubted ancient mines, the iron content is low, reinforcing the link between smelting technology and iron content. Very occasionally the iron content was deliberately encouraged and alloys containing between 30% and 50% of iron in copper were made, mainly for use in currency. These alloys are without modern parallel and their metallography and method of production are considered in some detail here. Au(adp)

Reports results from two French sites of Upper Perigordian and Neolithic age respectively.

Sodium, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and aluminium are shown to be adequate indicators of geographical origin.