Prehistoric and Early Roman Period Goldwork from Northwestern Iberia: An Analytical Study of Artefacts from the Archaeological and Historical Museum of A Coruña

Author:

García-Vuelta Óscar1ORCID,Armada Xosé-Lois2ORCID

Affiliation:

1. Institute of History (IH–CSIC), c/Albasanz, 26-28, E-28037 Madrid, Spain

2. Institute of Heritage Sciences (INCIPIT–CSIC), Edificio Fontán-Bloque 4, Monte Gaiás, s/n, E-15707 Santiago de Compostela, Spain

Abstract

This article presents the results of a topographical and analytical study using hh-XRF of 22 gold and gilded objects from the Archaeological and Historical Museum of A Coruña (Galicia, Spain). They are highly representative of the northwestern Iberian goldwork from the Chalcolithic (third millennium BC) to the early Roman period (first century AD). This study contributes to our knowledge of the production techniques used in those periods, as well as their evolution over time. The collection includes some of the most representative types in this area, such as Early Bronze Age “sheet collars” and torcs from the Second Iron Age. In the case of torcs, new data are provided on one of the formally best-documented types (the Artabrian type) and on those known as “Baroque torcs” that are characteristic of the final moments of this goldsmith tradition. While pieces from the Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age were made with alluvial gold, the torcs from the Late Iron Age contain variable amounts of silver and copper. Also detected is the frequent use of cores made of less precious metals, which were subsequently given a golden appearance using gilding techniques. The new data are discussed in light of our current knowledge of NW Iberian goldwork, one of the most representative of this craft tradition in Western Europe for those periods.

Funder

Xunta de Galicia

Spanish National Research Council

Publisher

MDPI AG

Reference87 articles.

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