Communication Dans Un Congrès Année : 2021

The metal "ring-idols": a material approach of metalworking during the Aegean Neolithic

Résumé

The “ring-idol” is a type of adornment produced since the 6th millennium in the Aegean and, on a larger scale, in the Balkans. First made of stone, they are mostly made of gold, copper and silver at the end of the Neolithic, between the 5th et the 4th millennium. These objects have a characteristic morphology, described as a concave ring with a pierced extension. In the first deposits of metallic objects found in Neolithic layers, the discovery of “ring-idols” is recurrent. They were sometimes found in groups, but also with other metallic adornments and tools (beads, pins, awls). Thus, it is possible to study metalworking on the same type of object. By comparing the “ring-idols” between them, we can define a first set of techniques and tools used to manufacture them. Some of them seem to have been hammered, others could have been cast. This can be observed by traces on the surface of the objects. The metal is also perforated to permit the suspension, and polished. Therefore, some traces are erased by polishing and we did not find enough clues about the techniques and tools used here. In order to try to complete these gaps, we organized an experiment to retrace the manufacturing process. Cold and hot hammering, casting, polishing and perforation have been tested. We used stone tools, mostly stone hammers and abrasive stones. As a result, we obtain three types of “ring-idols” made of copper, wearing traces that can be compared with the archaeological artefacts.

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Dates et versions

hal-05261296 , version 1 (15-09-2025)

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  • HAL Id : hal-05261296 , version 1

Citer

Valentine Martin. The metal "ring-idols": a material approach of metalworking during the Aegean Neolithic. Sympozjum Egejskie: 8th Conference in Aegean Archaeology, Stephanie Aulsebrook; Katarzyna Żebrowska; Agata Ulanowska; Kazimierz Lewartowski, Jun 2021, Varsovie, Poland. ⟨hal-05261296⟩
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