Titelaufnahme

In the interdisciplinary framework of the special research program (SFB) HiMAT "The History of Mining Activities in the Tyrol and Adjacent Areas: Impact on Environment and Human Societies" financed by the Austrian Science Fund 2007-2012), petrological and mineralogical investigations of ores from several copper mining sites in Tyrol (Schwaz-Brixlegg, Bachalm-Kelchalm-Röhrerbühel) and adjacent areas (Pfunderer Berg in South-Tyrol, Bartholomäberg-Silbertal in Vorarlberg, Mitterberg in Salzburg) have been carried out in the sub-project “Mineralogical- geochemical Characterization of Historic Mining Sites”. The main goal of this sub-project was to summarize new and additional information on the mineralogical composition of the ores and on the chemical composition (major-, minor-, and trace elements) of the ore minerals, which were used as raw material for historic and prehistoric copper smelting. The results of this sub-project, which are summarised here provide a mineralogical and geochemical basis to develop i.) a better understanding of Bronze Age smelting in the Lower Inn Valley with respect to technological advances, and ii.) geochemical fingerprinting with respect to ore and artefact provenance and trade involving metallurgical artefacts in order to obtain a comprehensive overview of Bronze Age metallurgy in the Eastern Alps.