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Poster Session “Archaeology in Turkey” of 15th SOMA (Symposium of the Mediterranean Archaeology)The “Paolo Orsi” – The Regional Archaeological Museum, SYRACUSE-SICILY, Syracuse, Italy, 5 - 19 March 2011, vol.BAR 2695, pp.27-35, (Full Text)
In this study, Early Bronze Age mining activities in Central Anatolia are presented based on datas about main types of metal works, find places, mineral deposits and local workshops. Types of artifacts, quantity and diversity of minerals point out that Central Anatolian people have an advanced mining technology during Early Bronze Age. There are rich mineral deposits which were used by prehistoric miners in northern Central Anatolia . Metal artifacts dating to EBA I are very few. In Central Anatolia there are some metal finds of native copper, dated to the beginning of the EBA I . However, the presence of tin bronze examples are noteworthy in terms of metal processing. Most of the first type of metal artifact has begun to appear in EBA II. Metal production is increasing in the region approximately by the the period of EBA II. In the whole region, metal artifacts are large in number at EBA III. Crucibles and moulds, discovered in the region, prove the existence of the local workshops . From south to north findspots of metals are gradually increasing in number (Fig. 1). This situation should be linked to spreading of mineral deposits and so presence of workshops towards the north. It is considered that the presence of regional metal schools began to emerge at the beginning of the EBA II in the region . According to the results of the analysis it can be assumed that natural arsenical copper was used in the whole region. In addition to that tin-bronze was used at the northern part of the region at beginning of EBA . The varieties of metals in EBA II and III illustrate the development of regional mining . Most of the metal finds which discussed in this study are either from hoards or from graves. The majority of metal works were produced for the royal families. The distribution of this varied metal works made of gold, silver, lead, unalloyed copper, arsenical-copper, tin-bronze, meteoric iron demonstrate that in Central Anatolia craftmen were expert in metal works . It is known that varied techniques as forging, casting, soldering, inlaying, riveting, plating were used by miners.