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Archaeo-metallurgical studies of tuyeres and smelting slags found at Tharros (north-western Sardinia, Italy)

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Abstract

A large number of pyrometallurgical materials such as tuyeres, slags and refractory tools likely associated with metal extraction processes have been found at Tharros (north-western Sardinia, Italy) during archaeological excavations stratigraphically related to the Phoenician–Punic period (VI–III centuries BC). Micro-chemical, micro-structural and mineralogical studies have been carried out by means of the combined use of X-ray diffraction (XRD), selected-area X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) combined with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS) in order to identify pyrometallurgical processes and main relevant technological parameters. The results reveal that tuyeres, slags and refractory tools can be associated with an iron ore smelting process to extract the metal by slagging the unwanted by-products. Moreover, temperature and duration of the smelting process have been estimated through mineralogical studies and by a comparative analysis between the micro-chemical and structural features of thermally treated refractory materials and tuyeres. The results disclose the high level of technological competence of the ancient metallurgists able to carry out complex high-temperature processes to extract iron from ores by separating the metal from unwanted siliceous species.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge E. Acquaro (University of Bologna, Italy) and P. Bernardini (University of Sassari, Italy) for their valuable support and helpful discussions. Furthermore, Claudio Veroli is gratefully acknowledged for XRD technical assistance. The activities have been partially performed in the framework of the European Commission funded projects EFESTUS (contract No. ICA3-CT-2002-10030, V FP) and PROMET (contract no. 509126, VI FP) and the Progetto Finalizzato Beni Culturali of Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (Italy).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Istituto per lo Studio dei Materiali Nanostrutturati, Area della Ricerca del CNR RM1-Montelibretti, via Salaria km 29.5, Monterotondo Stazione, Rome, Italy

    T. de Caro, C. Riccucci & E. I. Parisi

  2. Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, della Vita e dell’Ambiente, Università degli Studi di Urbino ‘Carlo Bo’, Campus Scientifico ‘Enrico Mattei’, Urbino, Italy

    A. Renzulli, S. Del Moro & P. Santi

  3. Dipartimento Scienza dei Materiali e Ingegneria Chimica, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, Torino, Italy

    F. Faraldi

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  1. T. de Caro
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Correspondence to T. de Caro.

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de Caro, T., Riccucci, C., Parisi, E.I. et al. Archaeo-metallurgical studies of tuyeres and smelting slags found at Tharros (north-western Sardinia, Italy). Appl. Phys. A 113, 933–943 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-013-7720-5

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