Exploring Late Bronze Age systems of bronzework production in Switzerland through Network Science

YesMany hundreds of Bronze Age bronze artefacts are known from excavations in Switzerland, yet the interpretation of production networks from the object find locations remain problematic. It is proposed that the decorative elements used on items, such as ring-jewellery, can be used as elements to assist in the identification of artisanal traditions and ‘schools’, and also regional or community preference and selection of specific designs. Combining the analysis of over 1700 items of ring-jewellery from Switzerland with approaches from network science has facilitated the identification of regional clustering of design elements, comparable with cultural typologies in the area. It is also possible to identify potential instances of cultural differentiation through decoration within the broader regional cultural traditions. The study highlights important facets of bronzework production in the region of Switzerland, while also demonstrating future potential directions which could build upon the European wide dataset of prehistoric bronzework.Primary research conducted under previous funding at University of Basel, Switzerland – SNF gran

Neutron analyses of eight Bronze Age swords from Austria: The question of ‘stabbing’ or ‘cut-and-thrust’ weapons

European Bronze Age swords are rare finds; they cannot normally be sampled in the destructive manner that would be necessary to assess their manufacturing technique, or to obtain evidence regarding their use primarily as ‘stabbing’ or ‘slashing’ weapons. Therefore, non-invasive neutron-based methods are potentially ideal. In this paper, neutron diffraction (ND) and Neutron Resonance Capture Analyses (NRCA) are presented. The analyses were undertaken on eight Bronze Age metal-hilted swords of various types, from three Austrian museums. Neutron diffraction measurements were carried out on all eight swords at the ISIS Neutron Facility, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (UK), giving information about crystallographic microstructure, and major metal alloy and mineral compound proportions. NRCA was carried out on four of the swords at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Geel (BE), to determine the elemental compositions at various regions of these swords, because no invasive sampling was permitted. X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) was used to measure the elemental compositions of four swords from which one sample each was permitted to be cut for metallographic examination. The tin contents of the swords determined by NRCA, XRF and neutron diffraction data are in good agreement; some small differences could be well understood. Questions about the use of these swords as primarily either ‘stabbing’, or ‘cut-and-thrust’ weapons were addressed based on the neutron diffraction results and provide information which will be especially relevant for experimental archaeology and use-wear analysis.JRC.G.2-Standards for Nuclear Safety, Security and Safeguard