Choice of the Topic
Archaeology generally speaking is the systematic study of antiquities as a means of reconstructing the past. Metallurgy is the science of the process of extracting metals from their ores and readying them for use by smelting, purifying, etc., and of producing desired objects from such metals. The word Archaeometallurgy deals with the systematic and scientific and metallurgical study of ancient metal objects, ores, slag, etc., which throws light on the technical aspects of the past. The analysis of ores, -lag, and metals provide the most useful information on the early techniques of metal extraction. The conclusion and inferences drawn from these studies often help in the solution of practical problems the archaeologist. It may be possible for instance to determine whether ancient metallurgical operations were carried out in a random fashion or under controlled conditions. The chemical analysis provides evidence as to whether metals from different archaeological periods show differences in their elemental composition. Modern scientific techniques also provide at least some of the answers regarding the geographical provenance of the metal, thereby ancient trade, trade routes and details regarding the industries can be established. Comparative analysis of metal objects produced for various utilitarian purposes shows how the early metal workers understood the materials they work with and how skillfully they exploited the different properties of different metals and alloys to the best advantage.
Review of the Literature
Archaeometallurgy is a specialist study nowadays. It shows the importance and relevance of metallurgy to man's cultural development. In recent years, a lot of interest and curiosity was created in the old world of metallurgy or preindustrial age metallurgy all over the world. Many organizations have come up to encourage studies in this line and numerous scientists have worked on this line of study in various countries. Among these BAAS (1) (British Association for the Advancement of Science in England) is the oldest of all.
Desch carried out a large number of analyses of prehistoric objects from many countries including Harappan artifacts from India for BAAS. In recent times the Comite Pour la Siderugie Ancienne de FVISPP (CPSA in 1966) in Prague; Historical Metallurgical Society London; MASCA (Museum Applied Science Centre for Archaeology), University of Pennsylvania, Metallographic laboratory of the archaeological Institute Prague, Czechoslovakia; Scientific study center at Varse. Italy: Centre per la Storia della Metallurgia Associazione Italiana di Metallurgia di Milano, Italy; The University research laboratory for archaeology and the history of art in Oxford: The Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford; The ancient mining metallurgical committee of the Royal Anthropological Institute, London, Institute for Archaeometallurgical Studies, Institute of Archaeology. University College, London; National Museum, Dublin; Belfast. Museum in Ireland: Historical Metallurgical Commute founded by the Metallurgical Society of CIM (Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy); The Metals Museum, Institute of Metals, Japan: are actively engaged in this research work.
The interesting results of research work are published in concerned journals like Archaeomaterials, MASCA, Historical Metallurgy, History of technology, Archaeometry, Bulletin of the Metal Museum, etc. Abstracts of the research work appear in the Art and Archaeology abstracts, Chemical abstracts, Historical Metallurgy section in metal abstracts, etc. These interdisciplinary organizations arrange symposia on the subject. Old world archaeometallurgy symposia were conducted at Zhengzhou in 1986 and at Heidelberg in 1987, at Prague in 1987 In India too a national seminar on Indian archaeometallurgy was conducted by Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi in 1990.
