عنوان

Copper-based metalwork in Roman to early Islamic Jerash (Jordan):

Number

LA0cb5c70t

Title Proper

Copper-based metalwork in Roman to early Islamic Jerash (Jordan):

General Material Designation

[Article]

First Statement of Responsibility

Orfanou, VBirch, TLichtenberger, ARaja, RBarfod, GHLesher, CEEger, C

Title Proper by Another Author

Insights into production and recycling through alloy compositions and lead isotopes

Text of Note

© 2020 The Authors Metallographic, chemical and lead isotopic analyses of copper-based artefacts recovered from the Northwest Quarter in Jerash (ancient Gerasa) in Jordan provide new information on the civic life and material culture from a key urban site in the Roman Empire's eastern provinces. The samples span the city's occupation from its flourishing under Roman rule into the Byzantine and early Islamic periods. We examined 49 copper-based artefacts were examined using reflected light microscopy and micro-X-ray fluorescence. A subset of these artefacts was analysed by electron microprobe spectroscopy for major and minor elements at higher spatial resolution, and by multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for lead isotopes. Results imply that binary bronze dominated the Roman period, (leaded) brass characterised the Byzantine period, while tin-containing alloys were prevalent during the Islamic period. Lead isotopes suggest that during the Roman and Byzantine periods some of the metal in Jerash came from European and/or Mediterranean sources, while copper used during the Islamic period may have been sourced more locally from Timna. The changes in alloy types and lead isotopes suggest that recycling of metals took place in Jerash possibly as early as the Roman period and more frequent from the Byzantine period onwards.

Date of Publication

2020

Title

UC Davis

Electronic name

[Article]

275624

a

Y