Unit of Earth Sciences
Department of Geosciences | University of Fribourg
Archaeometry of ancient metals
Metals are basic
commodities of highest importance in ancient societies. Shinning gold and
silver are used primarly for prestige objects. Iron replaced bronze for
weapons, tools and utilitarian artefacts.
The material remains of the
metallurgical activities like wastes (slag), products (objects) and structures
(mines, workshops, furnaces) are very frequent finds on archaeological sites
later than the Neolithic (in Switzerland : from the late 3d
millenium BC).
Metals and slag can be
studied by the means of techniques used in natural sciences, like chemical
analysis, measures of physical characteristics, mineralogical and
petrographical investigations.
This site provides a general introduction on archaeometallurgy and more specific outlines on our current research, our laboratory facilities and our publications.
