As diversas intervenções realizadas em Cacilhas entre os anos 80 e 90 do século XX revelaram uma ... more As diversas intervenções realizadas em Cacilhas entre os anos 80 e 90 do século XX revelaram uma longa diacronia de ocupação do espaço que recua, pelo menos, à Idade do Ferro. O espólio recolhido nas áreas intervencionadas é numeroso e constitui-se essencialmente por cerâmicas, tendo ainda sido identificado um cadinho e uma faca em ferro. O in-teresse destes vestígios é reforçado pela localização de Cacilhas numa área com potencialidades naturais de ancoragem e pela proximidade relativamente ao povoado da Quinta do Almaraz. O presente trabalho pretende dar a conhecer o conjunto de materiais pré-romanos recolhidos em Cacilhas, integrando-o nas dinâmicas que ocorrem na primeira metade do 1º milénio a.C. no Estuário do Tejo, bem como analisar as estruturas escavadas face à sua função e ligação ao povoado da Quinta do Almaraz.
The archaeological interventions carried out in Cacilhas during the 1980s and 1990s have unearthed a pattern of prolonged occupation dating back to the Iron Age. These excavations have yielded large quantities of pottery, the bulk of assemblage recovered , which also includes a crucible and an iron knife. These finds become increasingly relevant when Cacilhas' location in a natural docking area and its proximity to the Quinta do Almaraz settlement are taken into account. This paper aims to evidence the pre-roman finds collected in Cacilhas, analyse the features encountered , in relation to their use and their connection to Almaraz, all the while integrating them in the backdrop of the first half of the 1st millennium BCE in the Tejo estuary. pAlAVrAs-chAVe Idade do Ferro; Estuário do Tejo; Produção local ; Quinta do Almaraz; Cais.
Archaeological works at Entre Águas 5 (Portugal) uncovered a seasonal LBA settlement with signifi... more Archaeological works at Entre Águas 5 (Portugal) uncovered a seasonal LBA settlement with significant metallurgical remains (crucibles, moulds, prills and a tuyere) related to bronze production. Radiocarbon dating ascribes an occupation period (10the9th century BC) previous to Phoenician establishment in Southwestern Iberia. In spite of the proliferation of metal artefacts during LBA, the production of bronze alloys is still poorly understood. An integrated analytical approach (EDXRF, optical microscopy, SEMeEDS, micro-EDXRF and Vickers microhardness) was used to characterise this metallurgy. Crucibles show immature slags with copious copper nodules, displaying variable tin content (c. 0e26 wt.%), low iron amount (<0.05 wt.%) and different cooling rates. Certain evidences point to direct reduction of oxide copper ores with cassiterite. Scorched moulds with residues of copper and tin indicate local casting of artefacts. Finished artefacts also recovered at the site have an analogous composition (bronze with w10 wt.% Sn and low amounts of Pb, As and Fe) typical of coeval metallurgy in SW Iberia. Some artefacts reveal a relationship between typology and composition or manufacture: a higher tin content for a golden coloured ring or absence of the final hammering for a bracelet. An uncommon gilded nail (gold foil c. 140 mm thick; 11.6 wt.% Ag; w1 wt.% Cu) attests the existence of evolved prestige typologies. This LBA settlement discloses a domestic metallurgy whose main features are typical in Iberian Peninsula. Finally, it should be emphasized that a collection as comprehensive and representative of a single workshop has rarely been studied, enabling a deeper understanding of the various operations involving the bronze production and manufacture of artefacts.
Archaeological artefacts recovered at Castanheiro do Vento (Northern Portugal) were characterised... more Archaeological artefacts recovered at Castanheiro do Vento (Northern Portugal) were characterised by integrating macro and micro-energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (EDXRF) and scanning electron microscopy with X-ray microanalysis. The collection includes metallurgical remains (ceramic crucibles, a metallic nodule and a vitrified fragment) and metals (tools and ornaments) whose chronology spans from the Chalcolithic to the Roman Age. The study of production remains was able to identify distinct copper-based metallurgical operations including the smelting of copper ores, the melting of copper and tin and/or the melting of bronze scrap. Micro-EDXRF identified copper and arsenical copper tools as well as bronze and leaded bronze ornaments. The composition of tools (Cu with varying As contents: 0.46-3.6%) reveals an incipient technology, typical of the Chalcolithic till the Middle Bronze Age. On the contrary, ornaments are composed by different alloyslow tin bronze (4.8% Sn), high tin bronze (14.9% Sn) and high tin-leaded bronze (16.5% Sn and 2.4% Pb) À evidencing technological and economic choices that clearly indicate a late period such as the Roman Age. In conclusion, this multiproxy approach was able to study those ancient artefacts with a minimum impact on their archaeological and museological significance while providing important answers to the interpretation of the archaeological settlement and to better understand the metallurgical evolution in the Portuguese territory.
Early Iron Age gold buttons from Castro dos Ratinhos, Fortios and Outeiro da Cabeça were analysed... more Early Iron Age gold buttons from Castro dos Ratinhos, Fortios and Outeiro da Cabeça were analysed by conventional EDXRF, Micro-PIXE, SEM-EDS and Optical Microscopy. EDXRF results point out to a rather homogeneous alloy composition throughout all the analysed buttons. PIXE microanalyses show that all the button components (disk, tab and peripheral grooved decorated rod) have the same alloy composition. PIXE and SEM-EDS microanalyses, supplemented with optical microscopy characterization, show the absence of chemical composition differences between distinct components and joining zones, suggesting that no solder had been applied, i.e. that a partial melting/solid state diffusion process had been used for the welding of button components. Finally, the noticeable similar compositions together with the use of the same welding process and the very similar artefact typologies suggest that those small gold treasures could be interpreted as the result of the work of a single metallurgical workshop, probably located somewhere in the South-Western Iberian Peninsula.
Archaeological works at Entre Águas 5 (Portugal) uncovered a seasonal LBA settlement with signifi... more Archaeological works at Entre Águas 5 (Portugal) uncovered a seasonal LBA settlement with significant metallurgical remains (crucibles, moulds, prills and a tuyere) related to bronze production. Radiocarbon dating ascribes an occupation period (10the9th century BC) previous to Phoenician establishment in Southwestern Iberia. In spite of the proliferation of metal artefacts during LBA, the production of bronze alloys is still poorly understood. An integrated analytical approach (EDXRF, optical microscopy, SEMeEDS, micro-EDXRF and Vickers microhardness) was used to characterise this metallurgy. Crucibles show immature slags with copious copper nodules, displaying variable tin content (c. 0e26 wt.%), low iron amount (<0.05 wt.%) and different cooling rates. Certain evidences point to direct reduction of oxide copper ores with cassiterite. Scorched moulds with residues of copper and tin indicate local casting of artefacts. Finished artefacts also recovered at the site have an analogous composition (bronze with w10 wt.% Sn and low amounts of Pb, As and Fe) typical of coeval metallurgy in SW Iberia. Some artefacts reveal a relationship between typology and composition or manufacture: a higher tin content for a golden coloured ring or absence of the final hammering for a bracelet. An uncommon gilded nail (gold foil c. 140 mm thick; 11.6 wt.% Ag; w1 wt.% Cu) attests the existence of evolved prestige typologies. This LBA settlement discloses a domestic metallurgy whose main features are typical in Iberian Peninsula. Finally, it should be emphasized that a collection as comprehensive and representative of a single workshop has rarely been studied, enabling a deeper understanding of the various operations involving the bronze production and manufacture of artefacts.
Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research Section B-beam Interactions With Materials and Atoms, 2007
Metallurgical production in Central Portugal during the Late Bronze Age was primarily based on co... more Metallurgical production in Central Portugal during the Late Bronze Age was primarily based on copper-tin alloys, despite influences from the Atlantic area where copper-tin-lead alloys are common. Metallic artefacts from archaeological site of Canedotes (Central Portugal) were analysed by EDXRF to establish the type of alloys present. Polished spots in selected artefacts were also analysed by micro-EDXRF to determine the major and minor elemental composition of the original alloys. The collection constitutes 18 copper-tin artefacts and one unalloyed copper artefact with tin and arsenic as minor constituents. Artefacts that require a thermomechanical finishing process, such as tools and weapons, seem to have improved control over the tin content. The composition of two buttons, one cramp and one metallic droplet suggest that some of the copper sources were rich in arsenic. Finally, the low iron content of the artefacts seems to agree well with the smelting of copper ores in crucible furnaces, a smelting process used in certain areas of the Iberian Peninsula until pre-Roman times.
A collection of 54 bronze artefacts recovered from the inland settlement of Castro dos Ratinhos (... more A collection of 54 bronze artefacts recovered from the inland settlement of Castro dos Ratinhos (Portugal) and belonging mainly to the 9th–8th centuries BC, was studied by the use of non-invasive and micro analytical techniques. EDXRF, Micro-EDXRF, SEM-EDS and Optical Microscopy were used to determine the alloy composition and to identify the different thermo mechanical operations applied in the production
As diversas intervenções realizadas em Cacilhas entre os anos 80 e 90 do século XX revelaram uma ... more As diversas intervenções realizadas em Cacilhas entre os anos 80 e 90 do século XX revelaram uma longa diacronia de ocupação do espaço que recua, pelo menos, à Idade do Ferro. O espólio recolhido nas áreas intervencionadas é numeroso e constitui-se essencialmente por cerâmicas, tendo ainda sido identificado um cadinho e uma faca em ferro. O in-teresse destes vestígios é reforçado pela localização de Cacilhas numa área com potencialidades naturais de ancoragem e pela proximidade relativamente ao povoado da Quinta do Almaraz. O presente trabalho pretende dar a conhecer o conjunto de materiais pré-romanos recolhidos em Cacilhas, integrando-o nas dinâmicas que ocorrem na primeira metade do 1º milénio a.C. no Estuário do Tejo, bem como analisar as estruturas escavadas face à sua função e ligação ao povoado da Quinta do Almaraz.
The archaeological interventions carried out in Cacilhas during the 1980s and 1990s have unearthed a pattern of prolonged occupation dating back to the Iron Age. These excavations have yielded large quantities of pottery, the bulk of assemblage recovered , which also includes a crucible and an iron knife. These finds become increasingly relevant when Cacilhas' location in a natural docking area and its proximity to the Quinta do Almaraz settlement are taken into account. This paper aims to evidence the pre-roman finds collected in Cacilhas, analyse the features encountered , in relation to their use and their connection to Almaraz, all the while integrating them in the backdrop of the first half of the 1st millennium BCE in the Tejo estuary. pAlAVrAs-chAVe Idade do Ferro; Estuário do Tejo; Produção local ; Quinta do Almaraz; Cais.
Archaeological works at Entre Águas 5 (Portugal) uncovered a seasonal LBA settlement with signifi... more Archaeological works at Entre Águas 5 (Portugal) uncovered a seasonal LBA settlement with significant metallurgical remains (crucibles, moulds, prills and a tuyere) related to bronze production. Radiocarbon dating ascribes an occupation period (10the9th century BC) previous to Phoenician establishment in Southwestern Iberia. In spite of the proliferation of metal artefacts during LBA, the production of bronze alloys is still poorly understood. An integrated analytical approach (EDXRF, optical microscopy, SEMeEDS, micro-EDXRF and Vickers microhardness) was used to characterise this metallurgy. Crucibles show immature slags with copious copper nodules, displaying variable tin content (c. 0e26 wt.%), low iron amount (<0.05 wt.%) and different cooling rates. Certain evidences point to direct reduction of oxide copper ores with cassiterite. Scorched moulds with residues of copper and tin indicate local casting of artefacts. Finished artefacts also recovered at the site have an analogous composition (bronze with w10 wt.% Sn and low amounts of Pb, As and Fe) typical of coeval metallurgy in SW Iberia. Some artefacts reveal a relationship between typology and composition or manufacture: a higher tin content for a golden coloured ring or absence of the final hammering for a bracelet. An uncommon gilded nail (gold foil c. 140 mm thick; 11.6 wt.% Ag; w1 wt.% Cu) attests the existence of evolved prestige typologies. This LBA settlement discloses a domestic metallurgy whose main features are typical in Iberian Peninsula. Finally, it should be emphasized that a collection as comprehensive and representative of a single workshop has rarely been studied, enabling a deeper understanding of the various operations involving the bronze production and manufacture of artefacts.
Archaeological artefacts recovered at Castanheiro do Vento (Northern Portugal) were characterised... more Archaeological artefacts recovered at Castanheiro do Vento (Northern Portugal) were characterised by integrating macro and micro-energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (EDXRF) and scanning electron microscopy with X-ray microanalysis. The collection includes metallurgical remains (ceramic crucibles, a metallic nodule and a vitrified fragment) and metals (tools and ornaments) whose chronology spans from the Chalcolithic to the Roman Age. The study of production remains was able to identify distinct copper-based metallurgical operations including the smelting of copper ores, the melting of copper and tin and/or the melting of bronze scrap. Micro-EDXRF identified copper and arsenical copper tools as well as bronze and leaded bronze ornaments. The composition of tools (Cu with varying As contents: 0.46-3.6%) reveals an incipient technology, typical of the Chalcolithic till the Middle Bronze Age. On the contrary, ornaments are composed by different alloyslow tin bronze (4.8% Sn), high tin bronze (14.9% Sn) and high tin-leaded bronze (16.5% Sn and 2.4% Pb) À evidencing technological and economic choices that clearly indicate a late period such as the Roman Age. In conclusion, this multiproxy approach was able to study those ancient artefacts with a minimum impact on their archaeological and museological significance while providing important answers to the interpretation of the archaeological settlement and to better understand the metallurgical evolution in the Portuguese territory.
Early Iron Age gold buttons from Castro dos Ratinhos, Fortios and Outeiro da Cabeça were analysed... more Early Iron Age gold buttons from Castro dos Ratinhos, Fortios and Outeiro da Cabeça were analysed by conventional EDXRF, Micro-PIXE, SEM-EDS and Optical Microscopy. EDXRF results point out to a rather homogeneous alloy composition throughout all the analysed buttons. PIXE microanalyses show that all the button components (disk, tab and peripheral grooved decorated rod) have the same alloy composition. PIXE and SEM-EDS microanalyses, supplemented with optical microscopy characterization, show the absence of chemical composition differences between distinct components and joining zones, suggesting that no solder had been applied, i.e. that a partial melting/solid state diffusion process had been used for the welding of button components. Finally, the noticeable similar compositions together with the use of the same welding process and the very similar artefact typologies suggest that those small gold treasures could be interpreted as the result of the work of a single metallurgical workshop, probably located somewhere in the South-Western Iberian Peninsula.
Archaeological works at Entre Águas 5 (Portugal) uncovered a seasonal LBA settlement with signifi... more Archaeological works at Entre Águas 5 (Portugal) uncovered a seasonal LBA settlement with significant metallurgical remains (crucibles, moulds, prills and a tuyere) related to bronze production. Radiocarbon dating ascribes an occupation period (10the9th century BC) previous to Phoenician establishment in Southwestern Iberia. In spite of the proliferation of metal artefacts during LBA, the production of bronze alloys is still poorly understood. An integrated analytical approach (EDXRF, optical microscopy, SEMeEDS, micro-EDXRF and Vickers microhardness) was used to characterise this metallurgy. Crucibles show immature slags with copious copper nodules, displaying variable tin content (c. 0e26 wt.%), low iron amount (<0.05 wt.%) and different cooling rates. Certain evidences point to direct reduction of oxide copper ores with cassiterite. Scorched moulds with residues of copper and tin indicate local casting of artefacts. Finished artefacts also recovered at the site have an analogous composition (bronze with w10 wt.% Sn and low amounts of Pb, As and Fe) typical of coeval metallurgy in SW Iberia. Some artefacts reveal a relationship between typology and composition or manufacture: a higher tin content for a golden coloured ring or absence of the final hammering for a bracelet. An uncommon gilded nail (gold foil c. 140 mm thick; 11.6 wt.% Ag; w1 wt.% Cu) attests the existence of evolved prestige typologies. This LBA settlement discloses a domestic metallurgy whose main features are typical in Iberian Peninsula. Finally, it should be emphasized that a collection as comprehensive and representative of a single workshop has rarely been studied, enabling a deeper understanding of the various operations involving the bronze production and manufacture of artefacts.
Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research Section B-beam Interactions With Materials and Atoms, 2007
Metallurgical production in Central Portugal during the Late Bronze Age was primarily based on co... more Metallurgical production in Central Portugal during the Late Bronze Age was primarily based on copper-tin alloys, despite influences from the Atlantic area where copper-tin-lead alloys are common. Metallic artefacts from archaeological site of Canedotes (Central Portugal) were analysed by EDXRF to establish the type of alloys present. Polished spots in selected artefacts were also analysed by micro-EDXRF to determine the major and minor elemental composition of the original alloys. The collection constitutes 18 copper-tin artefacts and one unalloyed copper artefact with tin and arsenic as minor constituents. Artefacts that require a thermomechanical finishing process, such as tools and weapons, seem to have improved control over the tin content. The composition of two buttons, one cramp and one metallic droplet suggest that some of the copper sources were rich in arsenic. Finally, the low iron content of the artefacts seems to agree well with the smelting of copper ores in crucible furnaces, a smelting process used in certain areas of the Iberian Peninsula until pre-Roman times.
A collection of 54 bronze artefacts recovered from the inland settlement of Castro dos Ratinhos (... more A collection of 54 bronze artefacts recovered from the inland settlement of Castro dos Ratinhos (Portugal) and belonging mainly to the 9th–8th centuries BC, was studied by the use of non-invasive and micro analytical techniques. EDXRF, Micro-EDXRF, SEM-EDS and Optical Microscopy were used to determine the alloy composition and to identify the different thermo mechanical operations applied in the production
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Papers by Pedro Valério
The archaeological interventions carried out in Cacilhas during the 1980s and 1990s have unearthed a pattern of prolonged occupation dating back to the Iron Age. These excavations have yielded large quantities of pottery, the bulk of assemblage recovered , which also includes a crucible and an iron knife. These finds become increasingly relevant when Cacilhas' location in a natural docking area and its proximity to the Quinta do Almaraz settlement are taken into account. This paper aims to evidence the pre-roman finds collected in Cacilhas, analyse the features encountered , in relation to their use and their connection to Almaraz, all the while integrating them in the backdrop of the first half of the 1st millennium BCE in the Tejo estuary. pAlAVrAs-chAVe Idade do Ferro; Estuário do Tejo; Produção local ; Quinta do Almaraz; Cais.
The archaeological interventions carried out in Cacilhas during the 1980s and 1990s have unearthed a pattern of prolonged occupation dating back to the Iron Age. These excavations have yielded large quantities of pottery, the bulk of assemblage recovered , which also includes a crucible and an iron knife. These finds become increasingly relevant when Cacilhas' location in a natural docking area and its proximity to the Quinta do Almaraz settlement are taken into account. This paper aims to evidence the pre-roman finds collected in Cacilhas, analyse the features encountered , in relation to their use and their connection to Almaraz, all the while integrating them in the backdrop of the first half of the 1st millennium BCE in the Tejo estuary. pAlAVrAs-chAVe Idade do Ferro; Estuário do Tejo; Produção local ; Quinta do Almaraz; Cais.