Analytical Investigations on Silver, Copper and the Earliest Tin Bronzes from Ur

Abstract

The present study is focused on the investigation of metal objects: particularly copper, arsenical copper, copper-tin alloys and silver objects excavated at the cemetery of Earl Bronze Age Ur in Mesopotamia. A key to understand economic and cultural relationships between Mesopotamia and other Early Bronze Age cultures lies in the analytical investigation of this archaeological objects having the potential to answer specific archaeological questions. One is the question of the Bronze Age raw material supply of the region in question which may be traceable through the archaeological material. The present results already point to the geological setting, in which the source regions for copper and silver from Ur are located.