Crucibles, wastes, and metals from the terramara settlement of Beneceto (PR, Italy): report of preliminary archaeometric investigation, Italy.

During the years 2001-2005 field excavations took place at the terramara of Forno del Gallo, a Bronze Age settlement located in Beneceto, near Parma, Italy. In the village, several excavation zones show clear evidence of secondary metalworking. The aim of the present work is the study of the Late Bronze Age finds related to the metallurgical activity and the investigation of the pyrotechnological process used. A selection of different material was chosen for the archaeometallurgical analyses: crucibles, wastes, metal/slag drops, ingot and/or lamina fragments and a few materials having a poorly defined shape and function. Here we present the preliminary results of the analyses carried out on crucibles and several related materials. The samples were investigated by optical microscopy (OM); scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive analysis (XRD). The results of the chemical and mineralogical investigations will be discussed, together with a preliminary interpretation of the metallurgical process carried out at the Beneceto site.