Towards direct casting: Archaeometallurgical insight into a bronze mould from Elgiszewo, Poland, 900–700 BC

Łukasz Kowalski; Aldona Garbacz-Klempka; Jacek Gackowski; Dominik Ścibior; Małgorzata Perek-Nowak; Kamil Adamczak; Piotr Długosz

doi:10.35686/AR.2019.3

Authors

Łukasz Kowalski Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Institute of Archaeology, Szosa Bydgoska 44/48, PL–87-100 Toruń https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0647-826X
Aldona Garbacz-Klempka AGH-University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Foundry Engineering, Historical Layers Research Centre, Reymonta 23, PL–30-059 Kraków https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8417-6131
Jacek Gackowski Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Institute of Archaeology, Szosa Bydgoska 44/48, PL–87-100 Toruń https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5848-5771
Dominik Ścibior AGH-University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Foundry Engineering, Historical Layers Research Centre, Reymonta 23, PL–30-059 Kraków
Małgorzata Perek-Nowak AGH-University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Non-Ferrous Metals, Mickiewicza 30, PL–30-059 Kraków https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0323-1624
Kamil Adamczak Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Institute of Archaeology, Szosa Bydgoska 44/48, PL–87-100 Toruń https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8847-5670
Piotr Długosz Foundry Research Institute, Zakopiańska 73, PL–30-418 Kraków

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35686/AR.2019.3

Keywords:

casting mould, Lusatian culture, Urnfield complex, Late Bronze Age, archaeometallurgy

Abstract

This study reports the results of archaeometallurgical investigations performed on a complete two-part bronze casting mould discovered in the village of Elgiszewo (north Poland). The mould was part of the so-called Lusatian founder’s hoard deposited on the southern borders of the Chełmno group territory between 900 and 700 BC. The investigations involved the employment of spectral (ED XRF, SEM-EDS, X-ray)and microscopic (SEM-EDS, OM) analyses. The experimental casting of the model mould and socketed axe was carried out in this study as well. The chemical composition of the mould indicates the use of fire-refined (oxidized) fahlore scrap bronze, which could originally be composed of North Tyrolean copper fahlores. The metallographic results furthermore indicate deliberate tin abandonment by the Lusatian metalworker to maintain a thermal resistance of the mould during direct metal casting. Having analysed the results of the performed research, we can state that the mould from Elgiszewo was capable of ensuring direct casting and was in fact used by the Lusatian metalworkers for this purpose before the mould was finally deposited.