TY - JOUR
T1 - Iron and bronze production in Iron Age IIA Philistia
T2 - New evidence from Tell es-Safi/Gath, Israel
AU - Eliyahu-Behar, Adi
AU - Yahalom-Mack, Naama
AU - Shilstein, Sana
AU - Zukerman, Alexander
AU - Shafer-Elliott, Cynthia
AU - Maeir, Aren M.
AU - Boaretto, Elisabetta
AU - Finkelstein, Israel
AU - Weiner, Steve
N1 - Funding Information:
We would like to thank Dr. Yishai Feldman for help with the XRD analysis, and Dr. Lior Regev from the Kimmel Center for Archaeological Science for help with the interpretation of calcite grinding curves. This study was undertaken under the auspices of the European Research Council under the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013)/ERC grant agreement no 229418. Laboratory work was undertaken in the Kimmel Center for Archaeological Science, Weizmann Institute of Science.
PY - 2012/2
Y1 - 2012/2
N2 - A metallurgically-oriented excavation in Area A at Tell es-Safi/Gath yielded evidence for iron and bronze production dating to the early Iron Age IIA. Two pit-like features, which differed considerably from one another in colour, texture and content, were excavated. Evidence shows that each feature represents a different in situ activity related to iron production, inferred by the presence of hammerscales, slag prills and slag. An upturned crucible was found on top of one of the features. Analysis of the crucible slag showed that it was used for bronze metallurgy. Tuyères, both round and square in cross-section, were found in and around the two features. The presence of the two industries together presents a unique opportunity to explore the relationship between copper and iron working. This is especially important against the background of the scarcity of evidence for iron production in the Levant during the early phases of the Iron Age.
AB - A metallurgically-oriented excavation in Area A at Tell es-Safi/Gath yielded evidence for iron and bronze production dating to the early Iron Age IIA. Two pit-like features, which differed considerably from one another in colour, texture and content, were excavated. Evidence shows that each feature represents a different in situ activity related to iron production, inferred by the presence of hammerscales, slag prills and slag. An upturned crucible was found on top of one of the features. Analysis of the crucible slag showed that it was used for bronze metallurgy. Tuyères, both round and square in cross-section, were found in and around the two features. The presence of the two industries together presents a unique opportunity to explore the relationship between copper and iron working. This is especially important against the background of the scarcity of evidence for iron production in the Levant during the early phases of the Iron Age.
KW - Bronze crucible
KW - Iron Age IIA
KW - Iron production
KW - Microarchaeology
KW - Philistia
KW - Philistines
KW - Slag
KW - Tuyères
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/82155168271
U2 - 10.1016/j.jas.2011.09.002
DO - 10.1016/j.jas.2011.09.002
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AN - SCOPUS:82155168271
SN - 0305-4403
VL - 39
SP - 255
EP - 267
JO - Journal of Archaeological Science
JF - Journal of Archaeological Science
IS - 2
ER -