Abstract
Forty-two lead objects (mainly sling bullets) from archaeological sites in Spain and Italy, dating into the late Roman Republican period, two ore samples from Portman (Cartagena region) and one further ore sample from a deposit on Ibiza were analysed for their lead isotope ratios by multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC ICP-MS). The objective of the present study was to answer questions, which cannot be solved by conventional archaeological methods alone but require further information on the materials composition. For this, MC ICP-MS as a modern and fast analytical method to obtain both chemical and isotopic information paired with very low material consumption is a helpful analytical tool to answer archaeological and technological considerations and questions like (a) on the origin of the raw metals used for the objects, (b) if individual production sites used more than one metal source and (c) if certain metal mining areas were preferred during particular periods in time. The results of this study, which were obtained by combining lead isotope analysis with common archaeological methods, clearly demonstrate that Late Republican sling bullets and some other lead objects of other usage from Menorca originate from ore minerals that were predominantly mined on the Iberian mainland. Mixing relationships also show that a number of them were manufactured from reprocessed material. This is also true for single Italian lead sling bullets. Additionally, some of the objects have lead isotope signatures interpreted as mixing relationships, which point towards a manufacturing from reprocessed material.
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Notes
These two samples were collected in 2009 during the field excursion of the Mineralogical Institute of the Goethe University Frankfurt by Prof. Dr. Brey. The samples stem from the area of the Portman harbour, from where the lead ores from the surrounding metallic district “La Union” were processed and shipped by the Romans.
Whilst in progress of finishing the paper, Dr. M. Grünewald (RGZM) kindly informed us about the possibility that some of the Italian bullets, marked with Poggibonsi as origin, might be forgeries from late nineteenth century Italian workshops. Since there is no evidence to either confirm or rebut these possible forgeries within our lead isotope analysis data, we decided to keep these in our research for now, nevertheless carefully regarding the given information. Our decision to take Dr. Grünewalds information into regard is based upon the consideration that a forger would rather resort to ancient metal—which by then must have been quite easily accessible (i.e. Roman lead pipes)—for the production of imitations than to modern metal. Further publication of the problem by Dr. Grünewald might help to enlighten the problem.
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Acknowledgments
Our sincere thanks go to Prof. H.-M. von Kaenel (Goethe Universität Frankfurt a. M.), for his support in financing the study as well as mentoring the PhD thesis in progress. We would like to also thank F. Contreras (The Sanisera Field School), Dr. W. Zanier (Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften), Dr. M. Scholz and Dr. M. Grünewald (Römisch Germisches Zentralmuseum), F. Muntaner (Cehimo—Centro de Estudios de Monzón y Cinca Medio) and Dr. J. Hernandes and his colleagues (Museu Arqueològic d’Eivissa i Formentera) for granting access to the various collections of lead objects for analysis and supporting the research at the sites.
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The study presented is an excerpt of a PhD thesis in progress, written within the Department of Archaeology and History of the Roman Provinces at the Goethe University in Frankfurt a. M.
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Müller, R., Brey, G.P., Seitz, HM. et al. Lead isotope analyses on Late Republican sling bullets. Archaeol Anthropol Sci 7, 473–485 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-014-0209-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-014-0209-0