Preliminary Metallurgical Investigation of Copper-Based Artifacts at Tepe Sagzabad in Qazvin Plain, Iran (1500-800 BC)

Abstract

Tepe Sagzabad, a site situated on the Qazvin Plain of north-central Iran, was excavated from 1970 to 1998 by the Institute ofArchaeology of Tehran University. Recent excavations by H. Tala’i (1997-1999) yielded some metal artifacts dating to theEarly Iron Age. Ten of these copper-based samples were investigated using inductively coupled plasma optical emissionspectroscopy (ICP-OES), scanning electron microscopy combined with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEMEDX)and optical microscopy (OM). The results of these analyses showed that the metal objects at Tepe Sagzabad aremade of different copper alloys, including: pure copper, copper-arsenic and copper-tin. In addition, multiple procedures,including hot-working, cold-working, and annealing were used as manufacturing techniques. The copper-based objectsfrom Tepe Sagzabad provide evidence for the continued use of pure copper and arsenical copper alongside tin bronzes onthe Iranian Plateau during the Early Iron Age.

Keywords

• sagzabad
• qazvin plain
• iranian plateau
• archaeometallurgy
• copper alloys
• iron age