Rituals, hoards and travellers? Archaeometry of the Iron Age bronze wheel amulets

0532913 - ARÚ 2021 RIV CZ eng J - Journal Article
Danielisová, Alžběta - Bursák, Daniel - Strnad, L. - Trubač, J. - Čižmářová, H. - Daněček, David - Smíšek, K.
Rituals, hoards and travellers? Archaeometry of the Iron Age bronze wheel amulets.
Interdisciplinaria Archaeologica. Natural Sciences in Archaeology. Roč. 11, č. 1 (2020), s. 33-45. ISSN 1804-848X
R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA18-20096S
Institutional support: RVO:67985912
Keywords : Iron Age * Central Europe * amulets * coin hoards * fahlores * trace elements * lead isotopes
OECD category: Archaeology
Method of publishing: Open access
https://www.iansa.eu/papers/IANSA-2020-01-danielisova.pdf

This paper aims to discuss the origin and significance of the so-called spoked-wheel amulets from the late Iron Age (3rd to 1st century BC). The type with eight spokes, which most resembles a real chariot wheel, was discovered to be made of a specific alloy containing a large amount of lead and a significant amount of antimony, plus traces of silver and arsenic. This combination of elements signifies the use of a copper known as fahlore (tetrahedrite). Its use in Bohemia after the early Bronze Age is rarely observed, if at all. These amulets are therefore a conspicuous exception. Research in Bavaria has revealed other objects made from fahlore copper. Another connection to Bavaria may be indicated by coin hoards accompanied by bronze closure rings of a similar alloy design. Other cases may suggest that antimony was added as a separate component. Here we discuss the composition and provenance of these objects from the perspective of compositional and lead isotope analysis.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0311288