M. Járó - L. Költő szerk.: Archaeometrical research in Hungary (Budapest, 1988)

Analysis - BAKOS Miklós, BAUMANN Miklós, GEGUS Ernő: Results of archaeometric examination of prehistoric copper artifacts found in Gorzsa

BAKOS Miklós*, BAUMANN Miklós*, GEGUS Ernő** RESULTS OF ARCHAEOMETRIC EXAMINATION OF PREHISTORIC COPPER ARTIFACTS FOUND IN GORZSA Abstract — Five helical bracelets, two beads and three tiny fragments were examined by means of laser-microspectrochemical analysis and transmission electron microscope. All the artifacts were hammered from very pure native copper. Whether the native copper originated in the Mátra or the Gömör mountains, cannot be verified by the method used though the trace element content of the artifacts is very similar to one of the finds of Kápolna and Aszód (near to the Gömör mountains). The loose corrosion product on the uncleaned artifacts is basic cupric carbonate, corresponding to malachite. At the request of the Hungarian National Museum, ten prehistoric copper artifacts and fragments found in Gorzsa (in the vicinity of Hódmezővásárhely, Hungary) have been examined. One part of them is restored, the other part uncleaned, in* the state as they were found. The artifacts examined are recorded in Table 1. (See also Photos 1-10 ) At the places marked on the photos [1 ] the examinations have been performed as follows: 1. Laser-microspectrochemical analysis as described earlier [2] for determining the composition and for the detection of trace elements (at the places marked with L). 2. Examination by means of the electron diffraction method for determining the structure and the method of forming (on the samples removed from the places marked with M). 3. Examination by means of electron diffraction for mineralogical determination of the corrosion product (on the samples removed from the places marked with E). The results of the laser-microspectrochemical analyses are presented in Table 2. For quantitative determination, the copper étalons JM-CA, JM-CB and JM-CC of Johnson, Matthey and Co., Ltd. (London) were used. From the results of the analyses it can be concluded that all the artifacts are fabricated from very pure native copper. It is well known that native copper was found in Hungary in large quantities as recently as in the last century [3]. As mentioned by von Cotta [4], in the environs of Recsk in the Mátra mountains large pieces (up to 15 kg) of native copper were found on the surface of the earth in the form of nodes, sheets and arborescent lumps. As von Márton [5 ] has it, the birth of the metal culture in the region of contemporary Hungary did not need any, foreign impetus; the presence of native copper in the Mátra and Gömör mountains was sufficient. The man ferreting about for stone material could easily hit the copper lying on the surface of the earth, especially in the environs of Recsk. His hand — accustomed to hammering while working with stone could give lum the experience of the workability of copper. This native copper is of high purity. The remarkable purity of the copper artifacts originating in the early Metal Age is verified by the finds of Lengyel: Montelius [6] reported the analytical results of two copperheads containing 99.60% and 99.93% copper, respectively. Montelius also referred to other copper finds originating in the early Metal * Veszprém University of Chemical Engineering H-8201 Veszprém, P.O.B. 158 ** Research Group of Analytical Chemistry of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences H-8201 Veszprém, P.O.B. 158