Metals Summary

We recovered only small quantities of metals in T90 in 2017.  All metal finds were either bronze or iron.  Of the 26 metal finds, 6 are iron and 20 are bronze.  All metal finds were either fragments of unidentifiable shape or bronze flakes.  No metal finds from T90 were cataloged in 2017. 

Although we recovered only small quantities of metal finds and none were cataloged, metal finds correlate to three discernible chronological phases in T90.  The earliest chronological phase is that predating the construction of EPOC4 and consists of Loci 9 and 10.  The middle chronological phase is the functional floor surface of EPOC4, which corresponds to Locus 8.  The latest phase postdates the occupation of EPOC4 and is associated with the construction of a small, rectilinear building over the remains of the front porch of EPOC4.  The majority of all metals found in T90 came from contexts associated with the earliest chronological phase, that predating EPOC4. 

In total, 15 metal fragments or flakes were recovered from strata predating the construction of EPOC4 (Loci 9 and 10); these amount to 58% of all metals found in T90.  While none of these metal finds were cataloged, they do correlate to evidence for metal production found in these two loci.  Locus 9, and especially Locus 10, yielded high quantities of slag and crucible fragments, indicating that copper extration and bronze production occurred in the area of EPOC4’s front porch in the period preceding the building’s construction.  Of the 15 metal finds recovered from these two loci, 12 are bronze and 3 are iron.  The bronze fragments, 7 of which are small flakes, could be associated with bronze production.

In Locus 8, which is the floor surface of EPOC4, we found three bronze fragments and one iron fragment.  These amount to 15% of all metal finds from T90 in 2017.  While small in number, this percentage also accords with the pottery and slag found in T90.  In Locus 8, we found high quantities of slag and crucible fragments, indicating that metal production continued in EPOC4’s front porch.  The percentage of metals found in Locus 8 further indicates that metallurgy continued in this area of the site across multiple chronological phases. 

Likewise, the dearth of metal finds from Loci 1-7, which are associated with the later rectilinear building, suggest that metallurgy was no longer practiced in this particular area of the site following the abandonment of EPOC4.  We recovered only 3 metal fragments from strata associated with the later rectilinear, building, amounting to just 12% of all metals found in T90.

In conclusion, while we found few metals in T90 in 2017, the metal finds further support the ceramic and slag evidence.  Based on this combination of evidence, we hypothesize that metallurgy, specifically copper extraction and bronze production, occurred in the area that became the front porch of EPOC4, prior to the building’s construction.  Metallurgy continued in this same space, which became the porch of EPOC4.  However, after EPOC4 was abandoned, metallurgy was practiced in a different area of the site.