Κατεύθυνση Προϊστορική Αρχαιολογία
Library of the School of Philosophy

2017-11-23

2017

Nikolopoulou Athina

Κωνσταντίνος Κοπανιάς, Επίκουρος Καθηγητής Αρχαιολογίας Ανατολικής Μεσογείου, Τμήμα Ιστορίας και Αρχαιολογίας, Ε.Κ.Π.Α.
Γιάννης Παπαδάτος, Επίκουρος Καθηγητής Προϊστορικής Αρχαιολογίας,Τμήμα Ιστορίας και Αρχαιολογίας, Ε.Κ.Π.Α.
Λιάνα Φιλιππάκη, Δρ. Γεωλογίας, Ειδικό Επιστημονικό Προσωπικό Ε.Κ.Ε.Φ.Ε. "Δημόκριτος"

Εξόρυξη και εμπόριο κασσίτερου στην Εγγύς Ανατολή και τη Μεσόγειο κατά την Εποχή του Χαλκού

Greek

Tin mining and trade in the Near East and the Mediterranean area during the Bronze Age

This essay deals with the tin mining and trading in the Bronze Age in the Near East and the Mediterranean area. The main aim of it is to clarify the importance of tin introduction in prehistoric societies.
The project consists of three sections. The first one is divided into two parts. The first part deals with the geological data of tin, the forms in which it appears in nature, as well as its properties, which make it ideal for the creation of metal objects.
The second part is about the global tin deposits where this resource can be found until nowadays; and about the locations in which, according to the archaeological and geological research, it seems that sources of this material existed in ancient times, but currently have been depleted.
The technological stages of production of tin concern the second section, which is divided into three parts. In the first part, the procedures and methods of mining the metal are under discussion with a combination of a brief overview of deposits and sources that offer archaeological findings which indicate the exploration throughout antiquity. In the second part, the technological stages of metal production are presented and a particular emphasis is given to the creation of bronze. This alloy was used widely by the societies of the Bronze Age and spreaded around the eastern Mediterranean, central Asia and Europe, as can be assumed by the metal objects. These are presented in the third part.
The introduction of tin in the technological procedure was actually a revolution, which brought about economical, political and social changes since the Early Bronze Age. The extend use of bronze resulted in the rise of the metal’s demand and in combination with the limited deposits, made entire communities import tin from foreign areas. The need of tin compelled people to create a commercial network of both land and sea routes in the East and the West, providing wealth and power to those who controlled it. These trade routes and social changes are examined in the third section.
Based on the data mentioned above, attempts are made to draw some useful conclusions about the importance, the usefulness and the role that tin played in technological, economical and social level and made it one of the most important goods in Bronze Age.

Archaeology

mining, tin deposits, Bronze Age, bronze, central Asia, Near East, Mediterranean, Europe, technology, society, trade

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https://pergamos.lib.uoa.gr/uoa/dl/object/2216176