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Michael Brauns

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The Cyprus Institute

The British Museum

Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski"

Laurent CHIOTTI

Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle

Maria Filomena Guerra

National Council for Scientific Research

National Museums Scotland

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Papers by Michael Brauns

Authentication and analysis of goldwork

Revue d'archéométrie 33 | 2009 Authentication and analysis of goldwork Helium, uranium and thoriu... more Revue d'archéométrie 33 | 2009 Authentication and analysis of goldwork Helium, uranium and thorium analyses of ancient and modern gold objects: estimates of their time of manufacturing Analyse de l'hélium, de l'uranium et du thorium dans des objets anciens et modernes en or : estimation de leur date de fabrication

From Cyprus, or to Cyprus? A pilot study with osmium isotopy and siderophile trace elements to reconstruct the origin of corroded iron billets from the Kyrenia shipwreck

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports

La circulation des objets en fer au Hallstatt D dans l’est de la France et le sud de l’Allemagne : approches interdisciplinaires de la provenance des fers anciens

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), Oct 27, 2016

International audienc

Pouvoirs et échanges de matériaux à la fin du premier âge du Fer : apports des approches isotopiques et élémentaires à la compréhension des sociétés anciennes

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), Oct 24, 2016

International audienc

The Circulation of Iron Products in Eastern France and Southern Germany during the Late Hallstatt and Early La Tène : Combined Elemental and Isotopic Approaches for Provenance of Iron

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), May 30, 2017

International audienc

$Research paper thumbnail of Extreme fractionation of selenium isotopes and possible deep biospheric origin of platinum nuggets from Minas Gerais, Brazil$

Extreme fractionation of selenium isotopes and possible deep biospheric origin of platinum nuggets from Minas Gerais, Brazil

Geology, 2021

Platinum-rich nuggets offer an opportunity for understanding how precious metals accumulate. We a... more Platinum-rich nuggets offer an opportunity for understanding how precious metals accumulate. We analyzed the selenium (Se) isotopic composition of Se-rich (102–103 µg g−1) platinum-palladium (Pt-Pd) nuggets from a recent placer deposit in Minas Gerais, Brazil, for which a biogenic origin has been inferred. We obtained Se isotopic values with a relatively narrow range (δ82/76SeNIST3149 = −17.4 to −15.4 ± 0.2, two standard deviations [2 SD]). The Pt-Os age of the nuggets is 181 ± 6 Ma (2 SD). The data indicate that the nuggets did not form in the recent placer deposit, but by replacement of hydrothermal vein minerals at ~70 °C and at least 800 m below the surface. The high abundance and extreme isotopic composition of Se as well as the presence of other biophilic elements like iodine, organic carbon, and nitrogen within the nugget matrix are consistent with a microbial origin. Although abiogenic reduction of Se oxyanions cannot be ruled out, the nuggets plausibly record Se-supported m...

Strontium Isotopes Provenance Ancient Iron Artifacts

Authentification and analysis of goldwork

Moeglichkeiten und Grenzen von Osmium-Isotopenverhaeltnissen zur Herkunftsbestimmung von archaeologischen Eisenobjekten - eine Modellstudie an Verhuettungsresten aus Huettenberg (Oesterreich)

status: publishe

Revealing ancient gold parting with silver and copper isotopes: implications from cementation experiments and for the analysis of gold artefacts

Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2021

Gold parting enabled the production of very pure gold for various purposes from the sixth century... more Gold parting enabled the production of very pure gold for various purposes from the sixth century BC onwards, but analytical proof of this pyrotechnical process is difficult. We describe a new analytical approach for the identification of purified gold combining silver and copper isotopic with trace element analyses. Parting experiments were performed with gold-silver-copper alloys using the classical salt cementation process to investigate potential silver and copper isotope fractionation and changes in trace element concentrations. In addition, we provide the first comprehensive dataset of silver isotope ratios of archaeological gold objects from the Mediterranean and Central Europe to test whether or not gold refining can be identified on the basis of isotope systematics. The results show that very heavy silver and copper isotopic compositions are clear evidence for parted gold, but that the application of copper isotopes might be limited.

$Research paper thumbnail of Silver isotope analysis of gold nuggets: An appraisal of instrumental isotope fractionation effects and potential for high-resolution tracing of placer gold$

Silver isotope analysis of gold nuggets: An appraisal of instrumental isotope fractionation effects and potential for high-resolution tracing of placer gold

Chemical Geology, 2019

Silver isotope analysis of gold nuggets: An appraisal of instrumental isotope fractionation effec... more

Circulation of iron products in the North-Alpine area during the end of the first Iron Age (6th-5th c. BC): A combination of chemical and isotopic approaches

Journal of Archaeological Science, 2017

Os isotopic ratios and trace element approaches were used to compare the signatures of ore and sl... more Os isotopic ratios and trace element approaches were used to compare the signatures of ore and slag from different potential production sites located in eastern France and SouthWest Germany with the signature of artefacts from the end of the first Iron Age. A set of 31 artefacts was tested, consisting of bipyramidal semi-products, chariot tires, blooms and other commodities. The complementarity of the two approaches is demonstrated. Bipartite bipyramidal semi-products made by assembling two crude masses of distinct origins are evidenced suggesting the existence of intermediate producing centres assembling products from different origins. Only the provenance of blooms and wheel-tires could be established as local. Two spheres of metal circulation were evidenced: prestige and local. Bipyramidal semi-products and chariot tires belong to different long distance distribution networks.

Platiniferous gold–tourmaline aggregates in the gold–palladium belt of Minas Gerais, Brazil: implications for regional boron metasomatism

Mineralogy and Petrology, 2017

The platiniferous gold-palladium belt of Minas Gerais, Brazil, forms an approximately 240-km-long... more The platiniferous gold-palladium belt of Minas Gerais, Brazil, forms an approximately 240-km-long, roughly north-south-trending domain that includes numerous auriferous lodes and platiniferous alluvium. The belt transects two Precambrian terranes, the Quadrilátero Ferrífero in the southern part, and the southern Serra do Espinhaço in the northern part. Both terranes were overprinted by regional fluid flow that led to tourmalinisation, with or without hematitisation, and precious-metal mineralisation. Here, we report the occurrence of coarse-grained gold-tourmaline aggregates and integrate recently obtained ages and tourmaline boron-isotope values published elsewhere. One type of aggregate is unique because it has patches that are close to stoichiometric PdPt, in which gold content varies from 2.5 to 33.5 at.%. The gold-tourmaline aggregates seem to be the ultimate expression of the boron metasomatism.

Precise and Accurate Analysis of Gold Alloys: Varna, the Earliest Gold of Mankind—A Case Study

Natural Science in Archaeology, 2016

During the last decade an analytical routine was established that allows determining the composit... more During the last decade an analytical routine was established that allows determining the composition of gold artifacts for major and trace elements by LA-ICP-MS. This micro-invasive method has proven highly suitable for detailed characterization of prehistoric gold in order to investigate its chaine operatoire. At the CEZA laboratory (Mannheim, Germany) two different analytical set-ups were developed that yielded accurate and precise results for determining the whole range of matrix components within the gold. They are based upon different calibration strategies—liquid calibration with the ICP-MS operating under wet plasma conditions, and external calibration by solid standard reference materials with the ICP-MS operating under dry plasma conditions—that enable flexible adjustment according to different sample properties. They are described and compared within this paper. An archaeological case study of gold finds from the chalcolithic cemetery of Varna (Bulgaria) demonstrates the applicability of the analytical methods for archaeometallurgical studies. These analyses yielded valuable information for defining and comparing groups of gold artifacts that allude to their distribution within the burial site. However, the comparison of artifact gold with geological gold samples proved problematic, and clear relations between artefacts and specific gold occurrences are difficult to demonstrate.

Helium, uranium and thorium analyses of ancient and modern gold objects: estimates of their time of manufacturing

ArchéoSciences, 2009

Revue d'archéométrie 33 | 2009 Authentication and analysis of goldwork Helium, uranium and thoriu... more Revue d'archéométrie 33 | 2009 Authentication and analysis of goldwork Helium, uranium and thorium analyses of ancient and modern gold objects: estimates of their time of manufacturing Analyse de l'hélium, de l'uranium et du thorium dans des objets anciens et modernes en or : estimation de leur date de fabrication

Chemical, lead isotope and metallographic analysis of extraordinary arsenic-rich alloys used for jewellery in Bronze Age Armenia

In this paper we discuss chemical compositions, lead isotope ratios and results of metallographic... more

Isotopic and technological variation in prehistoric Southeast Asian primary copper production

Journal of Archaeological Science, 2011

The ‘Southeast Asian Lead Isotope Project’ (SEALIP) is intended to provide reliable geochemical p... more The ‘Southeast Asian Lead Isotope Project’ (SEALIP) is intended to provide reliable geochemical proxies for late prehistoric through early historic (2nd/1st millennium BCE and 1st millennium CE) local, regional, and inter-regional social interactions, in an archaeological arena lacking established ceramic typologies with which to cross modern national boundaries. We present lead isotope characterisations of the three currently known Southeast Asian

Provenance of Iron Age iron in southern Germany: a new approach

Journal of Archaeological Science, 2013

Ores, slag, and blooms from an Early Iron Age smelting site in the Black Forest, southern Germany... more Ores, slag, and blooms from an Early Iron Age smelting site in the Black Forest, southern Germany, were analysed in view of their possible provenance in combination with products from a modern smelting experiment. Rather than employing lead isotope ratios, like in a previous study, osmium and strontium isotope ratios are used for the discussion of provenance. The results of the smelting experiment with iron ores from the archaeological site and their comparison with original finds show the high potential of osmium as a tracer to determine provenance. Strontium may be an additional indicator but possible contaminations need to be assessed. A Celtic iron ingot has also been analysed to check the potential of osmium for further provenance studies.

On the origins of extractive metallurgy: new evidence from Europe

Journal of Archaeological Science, 2010

This article appeared in a journal published by Elsevier. The attached copy is furnished to the a... more This article appeared in a journal published by Elsevier. The attached copy is furnished to the author for internal non-commercial research and education use, including for instruction at the authors institution and sharing with colleagues. Other uses, including reproduction and distribution, or selling or licensing copies, or posting to personal, institutional or third party websites are prohibited. In most cases authors are permitted to post their version of the article (e.g. in Word or Tex form) to their personal website or institutional repository. Authors requiring further information regarding Elsevier's archiving and manuscript policies are encouraged to visit: http://www.elsevier.com/copyright

Chemical, lead isotope and metallographic analysis of extraordinary arsenic-rich alloys used for jewellery in Bronze Age Armenia

by Steffen Kraus, Ernst Pernicka, and Michael Brauns

Hauptmann, A.; Modaressi-Tehrani, D. & Prange, M. (eds.), International Conference Archaeometallurgy in Europe III. Abstracts, Metalla, Sonderheft 4, 211-212, 2011

In this paper we discuss chemical compositions, lead isotope ratios and results of metallographic... more

Authentication and analysis of goldwork

Revue d'archéométrie 33 | 2009 Authentication and analysis of goldwork Helium, uranium and thoriu... more Revue d'archéométrie 33 | 2009 Authentication and analysis of goldwork Helium, uranium and thorium analyses of ancient and modern gold objects: estimates of their time of manufacturing Analyse de l'hélium, de l'uranium et du thorium dans des objets anciens et modernes en or : estimation de leur date de fabrication

From Cyprus, or to Cyprus? A pilot study with osmium isotopy and siderophile trace elements to reconstruct the origin of corroded iron billets from the Kyrenia shipwreck

Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports

La circulation des objets en fer au Hallstatt D dans l’est de la France et le sud de l’Allemagne : approches interdisciplinaires de la provenance des fers anciens

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), Oct 27, 2016

International audienc

Pouvoirs et échanges de matériaux à la fin du premier âge du Fer : apports des approches isotopiques et élémentaires à la compréhension des sociétés anciennes

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), Oct 24, 2016

International audienc

The Circulation of Iron Products in Eastern France and Southern Germany during the Late Hallstatt and Early La Tène : Combined Elemental and Isotopic Approaches for Provenance of Iron

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), May 30, 2017

International audienc

$Research paper thumbnail of Extreme fractionation of selenium isotopes and possible deep biospheric origin of platinum nuggets from Minas Gerais, Brazil$

Extreme fractionation of selenium isotopes and possible deep biospheric origin of platinum nuggets from Minas Gerais, Brazil

Geology, 2021

Platinum-rich nuggets offer an opportunity for understanding how precious metals accumulate. We a... more Platinum-rich nuggets offer an opportunity for understanding how precious metals accumulate. We analyzed the selenium (Se) isotopic composition of Se-rich (102–103 µg g−1) platinum-palladium (Pt-Pd) nuggets from a recent placer deposit in Minas Gerais, Brazil, for which a biogenic origin has been inferred. We obtained Se isotopic values with a relatively narrow range (δ82/76SeNIST3149 = −17.4 to −15.4 ± 0.2, two standard deviations [2 SD]). The Pt-Os age of the nuggets is 181 ± 6 Ma (2 SD). The data indicate that the nuggets did not form in the recent placer deposit, but by replacement of hydrothermal vein minerals at ~70 °C and at least 800 m below the surface. The high abundance and extreme isotopic composition of Se as well as the presence of other biophilic elements like iodine, organic carbon, and nitrogen within the nugget matrix are consistent with a microbial origin. Although abiogenic reduction of Se oxyanions cannot be ruled out, the nuggets plausibly record Se-supported m...

Strontium Isotopes Provenance Ancient Iron Artifacts

Authentification and analysis of goldwork

Moeglichkeiten und Grenzen von Osmium-Isotopenverhaeltnissen zur Herkunftsbestimmung von archaeologischen Eisenobjekten - eine Modellstudie an Verhuettungsresten aus Huettenberg (Oesterreich)

status: publishe

Revealing ancient gold parting with silver and copper isotopes: implications from cementation experiments and for the analysis of gold artefacts

Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2021

Gold parting enabled the production of very pure gold for various purposes from the sixth century... more Gold parting enabled the production of very pure gold for various purposes from the sixth century BC onwards, but analytical proof of this pyrotechnical process is difficult. We describe a new analytical approach for the identification of purified gold combining silver and copper isotopic with trace element analyses. Parting experiments were performed with gold-silver-copper alloys using the classical salt cementation process to investigate potential silver and copper isotope fractionation and changes in trace element concentrations. In addition, we provide the first comprehensive dataset of silver isotope ratios of archaeological gold objects from the Mediterranean and Central Europe to test whether or not gold refining can be identified on the basis of isotope systematics. The results show that very heavy silver and copper isotopic compositions are clear evidence for parted gold, but that the application of copper isotopes might be limited.

$Research paper thumbnail of Silver isotope analysis of gold nuggets: An appraisal of instrumental isotope fractionation effects and potential for high-resolution tracing of placer gold$

Silver isotope analysis of gold nuggets: An appraisal of instrumental isotope fractionation effects and potential for high-resolution tracing of placer gold

Chemical Geology, 2019

Silver isotope analysis of gold nuggets: An appraisal of instrumental isotope fractionation effec... more

Circulation of iron products in the North-Alpine area during the end of the first Iron Age (6th-5th c. BC): A combination of chemical and isotopic approaches

Journal of Archaeological Science, 2017

Os isotopic ratios and trace element approaches were used to compare the signatures of ore and sl... more Os isotopic ratios and trace element approaches were used to compare the signatures of ore and slag from different potential production sites located in eastern France and SouthWest Germany with the signature of artefacts from the end of the first Iron Age. A set of 31 artefacts was tested, consisting of bipyramidal semi-products, chariot tires, blooms and other commodities. The complementarity of the two approaches is demonstrated. Bipartite bipyramidal semi-products made by assembling two crude masses of distinct origins are evidenced suggesting the existence of intermediate producing centres assembling products from different origins. Only the provenance of blooms and wheel-tires could be established as local. Two spheres of metal circulation were evidenced: prestige and local. Bipyramidal semi-products and chariot tires belong to different long distance distribution networks.

Platiniferous gold–tourmaline aggregates in the gold–palladium belt of Minas Gerais, Brazil: implications for regional boron metasomatism

Mineralogy and Petrology, 2017

The platiniferous gold-palladium belt of Minas Gerais, Brazil, forms an approximately 240-km-long... more The platiniferous gold-palladium belt of Minas Gerais, Brazil, forms an approximately 240-km-long, roughly north-south-trending domain that includes numerous auriferous lodes and platiniferous alluvium. The belt transects two Precambrian terranes, the Quadrilátero Ferrífero in the southern part, and the southern Serra do Espinhaço in the northern part. Both terranes were overprinted by regional fluid flow that led to tourmalinisation, with or without hematitisation, and precious-metal mineralisation. Here, we report the occurrence of coarse-grained gold-tourmaline aggregates and integrate recently obtained ages and tourmaline boron-isotope values published elsewhere. One type of aggregate is unique because it has patches that are close to stoichiometric PdPt, in which gold content varies from 2.5 to 33.5 at.%. The gold-tourmaline aggregates seem to be the ultimate expression of the boron metasomatism.

Precise and Accurate Analysis of Gold Alloys: Varna, the Earliest Gold of Mankind—A Case Study

Natural Science in Archaeology, 2016

During the last decade an analytical routine was established that allows determining the composit... more During the last decade an analytical routine was established that allows determining the composition of gold artifacts for major and trace elements by LA-ICP-MS. This micro-invasive method has proven highly suitable for detailed characterization of prehistoric gold in order to investigate its chaine operatoire. At the CEZA laboratory (Mannheim, Germany) two different analytical set-ups were developed that yielded accurate and precise results for determining the whole range of matrix components within the gold. They are based upon different calibration strategies—liquid calibration with the ICP-MS operating under wet plasma conditions, and external calibration by solid standard reference materials with the ICP-MS operating under dry plasma conditions—that enable flexible adjustment according to different sample properties. They are described and compared within this paper. An archaeological case study of gold finds from the chalcolithic cemetery of Varna (Bulgaria) demonstrates the applicability of the analytical methods for archaeometallurgical studies. These analyses yielded valuable information for defining and comparing groups of gold artifacts that allude to their distribution within the burial site. However, the comparison of artifact gold with geological gold samples proved problematic, and clear relations between artefacts and specific gold occurrences are difficult to demonstrate.

Helium, uranium and thorium analyses of ancient and modern gold objects: estimates of their time of manufacturing

ArchéoSciences, 2009

Revue d'archéométrie 33 | 2009 Authentication and analysis of goldwork Helium, uranium and thoriu... more Revue d'archéométrie 33 | 2009 Authentication and analysis of goldwork Helium, uranium and thorium analyses of ancient and modern gold objects: estimates of their time of manufacturing Analyse de l'hélium, de l'uranium et du thorium dans des objets anciens et modernes en or : estimation de leur date de fabrication

Chemical, lead isotope and metallographic analysis of extraordinary arsenic-rich alloys used for jewellery in Bronze Age Armenia

In this paper we discuss chemical compositions, lead isotope ratios and results of metallographic... more

Isotopic and technological variation in prehistoric Southeast Asian primary copper production

Journal of Archaeological Science, 2011

The ‘Southeast Asian Lead Isotope Project’ (SEALIP) is intended to provide reliable geochemical p... more The ‘Southeast Asian Lead Isotope Project’ (SEALIP) is intended to provide reliable geochemical proxies for late prehistoric through early historic (2nd/1st millennium BCE and 1st millennium CE) local, regional, and inter-regional social interactions, in an archaeological arena lacking established ceramic typologies with which to cross modern national boundaries. We present lead isotope characterisations of the three currently known Southeast Asian

Provenance of Iron Age iron in southern Germany: a new approach

Journal of Archaeological Science, 2013

Ores, slag, and blooms from an Early Iron Age smelting site in the Black Forest, southern Germany... more Ores, slag, and blooms from an Early Iron Age smelting site in the Black Forest, southern Germany, were analysed in view of their possible provenance in combination with products from a modern smelting experiment. Rather than employing lead isotope ratios, like in a previous study, osmium and strontium isotope ratios are used for the discussion of provenance. The results of the smelting experiment with iron ores from the archaeological site and their comparison with original finds show the high potential of osmium as a tracer to determine provenance. Strontium may be an additional indicator but possible contaminations need to be assessed. A Celtic iron ingot has also been analysed to check the potential of osmium for further provenance studies.

On the origins of extractive metallurgy: new evidence from Europe

Journal of Archaeological Science, 2010

This article appeared in a journal published by Elsevier. The attached copy is furnished to the a... more This article appeared in a journal published by Elsevier. The attached copy is furnished to the author for internal non-commercial research and education use, including for instruction at the authors institution and sharing with colleagues. Other uses, including reproduction and distribution, or selling or licensing copies, or posting to personal, institutional or third party websites are prohibited. In most cases authors are permitted to post their version of the article (e.g. in Word or Tex form) to their personal website or institutional repository. Authors requiring further information regarding Elsevier's archiving and manuscript policies are encouraged to visit: http://www.elsevier.com/copyright

Chemical, lead isotope and metallographic analysis of extraordinary arsenic-rich alloys used for jewellery in Bronze Age Armenia

by Steffen Kraus, Ernst Pernicka, and Michael Brauns

Hauptmann, A.; Modaressi-Tehrani, D. & Prange, M. (eds.), International Conference Archaeometallurgy in Europe III. Abstracts, Metalla, Sonderheft 4, 211-212, 2011

In this paper we discuss chemical compositions, lead isotope ratios and results of metallographic... more

On the origins of extractive metallurgy: new evidence from Europe (Radivojevic et al 2010, JAS 37)

by Miljana Radivojević, Thilo Rehren, Ernst Pernicka, and Michael Brauns

"The beginnings of extractive metallurgy in Eurasia are contentious. The ﬁrst cast copper objects... more "The beginnings of extractive metallurgy in Eurasia are contentious. The ﬁrst cast copper objects in this region emerge c. 7000 years ago, and their production has been tentatively linked to centres in the Near East. This assumption, however, is not substantiated by evidence for copper smelting in those centres. Here, we present results from recent excavations from Belovode, a Vin ca culture site in Eastern Serbia, which has provided the earliest direct evidence for copper smelting to date. The earliest copper smelting activities there took place c. 7000 years ago, contemporary with the emergence of the ﬁrst cast copper objects. Through optical, chemical and provenance analyses of copper slag, minerals, ores and artefacts, we demonstrate the presence of an established metallurgical technology during this period, exploiting multiple sources for raw materials. These results extend the known record of copper smelting by more than half a millennium, with substantial implications. Extractive metallurgy occurs at a location far away from the Near East, challenging the traditional model of a single origin of metallurgy and reviving the possibility of multiple, independent inventions.
"