Prehistoric Gold In Europe Mines, Metallurgy And Manufacture
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Interest in the study of early European cultures is growing. These cultures have left us objects made of gold, other metals and ceramics. The advent of metal detectors, coupled with improved analytical techniques, has increased the number of findings of such objects enormously. Gold was used for economic and ceremonial purposes and thus the gold objects are an important key to our understanding of the social and political structures, as well as the technological achievements, of Bronze and Iron Age European societies. A correct interpretation of the information provided by gold and other metal objects requires the cooperation of experts in the fields of social, materials and natural science. Detailed investigation of gold deposits in Europe have revealed the composition and genesis of the deposits as sources of the metal. In Prehistoric Gold in Europe, a group of leading European geoscientists, metallurgists and archaeologists discuss the techniques of gold mining and metallurgy, the socioeconomic importance of gold as coinage and a symbol of wealth and status, and as an indicator of religious habits, as well as a mirror of trade and cultural relations mirrored by the distribution and types of gold objects in prehistoric times.
PrefaceThe participants of the NATO-ARW meetingNotes on a general chronological scheme for Europe3Outline of climatic and environmental changes in southern central Europe over the past 20,000 years7Considerations on the real and the symbolic value of gold19Gold and society in prehistoric Europe29The monetary aspect of gold from prehistoric to modern times33From gift to commodity: The changing meaning of precious metals in the later Prehistory of the Iberian Peninsula45The rise and fall of gold metallurgy in the Copper Age of the Carpathian Basin: The background of the change65Gold and silver during the 3rd Mill. cal. B.C.77Mineral economics, mineralogy, geochemistry and structure of gold deposits: An overview97The gold deposits of Europe: An overview of the possible metal sources for prehistoric gold objects115Accumulation of gold by electrochemical processes145Ore mining in prehistoric Europe: An overview159Gold deposits and the archaeological distribution of gold artefacts: A case-study of the La Tene period in the Swiss Midlands183Gold in the Alps: A view from the south199Celtic gold mines in west central Gaul219The metallurgy of gold and silver in prehistoric times243Industry in Celtic oppida - aspects of high temperature processes261Coin moulds and other ceramic material: A key to Celtic precious metal working273Gold analysis: From fire assay to spectroscopy - a review303On non-destructive analysis of gold objects317Some experiences with the analysis of gold-objects329A look into the interior of Celtic gold coins341Electrochemical corrosion of natural gold alloys357The composition of gold from the ancient mining district of Verespatak/Rosia Montana, Romania369Technical aspects of prehistoric gold objects on the basis of material analyses385Rotary motion - lathe and drill. Some new technological aspects concerning Late Bronze Age goldwork from southwestern Europe399The appearance of black patinated copper-gold alloys in the Mediterranean area in the Second Millenium B.C. - Material characterization and problem of origin425Sintering, welding, brazing and soldering as bonding techniques in Etruscan and Celtic goldsmithing435Gold wire techniques of Europe and the Mediterranean around 300 B.C.453The gold from Arrabalde471Celtic goldwork in the Iberian Peninsula491Gold in Early Bronze Age graves from Denmark and Schleswig-Holstein503Bronze Age gold in Britain515The ceremonial jewellery from the Regolini-Galassi tomb in Cerveteri. Some ideas concerning the workshop533La Tene gold and silver in Italy: A review of the archaeological evidence561Celtic gold in Bohemia577New Aspects on Celtic coin hoards in southern Germany597Index609
