Metallkundliche und analytische Untersuchungen an den im Deposito Archeologico der Soprintendenza Archeologica di Pompei aufbewahrten Metallgefäßen

Abstract

In 1996-1998 our research group had the opportunity to carry out macroscopic examination and to take samples of material from a selection of metal vessels from the ancient town of Pompei. As is generally known, the town was destroyed and almost completely buried on 24 August AD 79 and the following days, as a result of a catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius. This means that there is a fixed chronological reference point for the entirety of the material. 1 678 vessels and fragments of vessels made of copper and copper alloys are kept in the stores of the Soprintendenza Archeologica di Pompei, as well as several boxes of deformed fragments of vessels that were damaged during an air raid by the Royal Air Force in 1943 that damaged numerous buildings and completely destroyed the Antiquarium. For the majority of the objects their original find spot within the living quarters is known (Tassinari 1993, 122−193). In contrast to other archaeometric projects where the objects analysed come from different periods, and must be collected from the different places where they are kept, we had the considerable advantage that we knew exactly where and when the material came from. In this study we present a joint project, the aim of which was to combine archaeological questions closely with scientific analysis, whereby the main focus was on the presentation of the analytical methods and the discussion of the results. There was no intention of prsenting a simplified version of Suzanne Tassinari’s typology (Tassinari 1993: Tavole sinottiche A−X), desirable as that might be, nor of producing a finer chronology of the material that goes beyond the general terminus ante quem of AD 79. This would be possible with a study of find contexts outside the Vesuvius region, but would require analysis of the distribution of all Campanian products from the Hellenistic-Roman world. In his chronological study of the relevant types of stamped vessels, Petrovszky (1993) has already shown the way, but answering such questions would go far beyond the intentions of this study. The main aim was to determine differences in the physical and chemical properties and their consequences for the production processes of the vessels. A distinction must be made between the individual bodies of the vessels and the elements that were produced separately and attached to them. It turned out that the copper-based alloy for the vessels consisted of tin bronze that revealed only minor variations of composition. Only in the leaded zinc bronze alloy that was frequently used for handles and attachments did the amount of lead vary widely. It is clear that the individual workshops had exact empirical knowledge of the proportions of the main elements of bronze, that is copper and tin, that had to be mixed together to produce usable and hard-wearing bodies for the vessels. This was apparently a kind of general knowledge all across the ancient world, and was not some kind of secret kept by individual workshops (Furger / Riederer 1995, 166 ff.; Voss / Hammer / Lutz 1999, 159 ff.; 277 f.). Surprisingly, it was possible to identify the use of brass in the production of metal vessels in Campania, as previously the reverse was thought to be the case. It is well known that this alloy had been used in Italy for the Roman Imperial Coinage since the coin reform of Augustus. Another aim of the project was to determine the origin of the metal by analysing the lead isotopes. With the aid of the metallographic analysis of numerous fragments it was also possible to gain insights into the production processes. (D. W.-W).