A wet-tye from the Troiboden. Interdisciplinary research into Bronze Age mining in the Mitterberg (Salzburg, Austria)

Abstract

The Mitterberg belongs to the most important copper-ore deposits of Bronze Age Europe. In 2008 and 2009 in the processing area of the Troiboden (Sulzbachmoos) near the largest mining monument, the mining depression line of the Main lode, the wet-processing of washed copper-ores was investigated further and a wet-tye was discovered. In vestigations up to now have revealed a washing plant constructed in 1377/1376 BC, which was raised a year later and used further. It is plain that it was set into the silty soil and, especially in the upper part of the tye, coarser low-grade ore, but also finely ground ore were washed and upgraded to 3-5 %, possibly by »suprafloating« over the central head-board. Finer ore meal was washed and upgraded, perhaps with the aid of sieves covered with cloth. However, it is unclear whether the fine clean ore upgraded up to 10 % of copper was produced in such apparatuses. The washing plant can be described as a simple and efficient construction and in principle allows comparisons to be made with later structures and their technical principles.