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Production of arsenical bronze using speiss on the Elephantine Island (Aswan, Egypt) during the Middle Kingdom (Middle Bronze Age) (c.2000–1650 BCE)

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Martin Odler

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).

Abstract

This paper presents the first direct evidence of the slags produced during the cementation alloying process of Cu with speiss inside ceramic crucibles, thus representing Cu alloying with As in Middle Kingdom Egypt. The settlement deposits from the Middle Bronze Age were excavated on Elephantine Island, within modern Aswan. The intentional production of arsenical bronze at the site is supported by the identification of a speiss fragment from the remains of House 175, dated to advanced Dynasty 12 (19th century BCE). These materials, discussed in detail, were analysed on Elephantine Island and in Cairo using pXRF, optical microscopy and SEM-EDX.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Kmosek J, Odler M

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Archaeometry

Year: 2025

Pages: Epub ahead of print

Online publication date: 30/06/2025

Acceptance date: 09/06/2025

Date deposited: 05/07/2025

ISSN (print): 0003-813X

ISSN (electronic): 1475-4754

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Ltd

URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/arcm.70008

DOI: 10.1111/arcm.70008

Data Access Statement: The data that supports the findings of this study are available in the supplementary material of this article.

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