Preliminary Metallurgical Investigation of Copper-Based Artifacts at Tepe Sagzabad in Qazvin Plain, Iran (1500-800 BC)

Tepe Sagzabad, a site situated on the Qazvin Plain of north-central Iran, was excavated from 1970 to 1998 by the Institute ofArchaeology of Tehran University. Recent excavations by H. Tala’i (1997-1999) yielded some metal artifacts dating to theEarly Iron Age. Ten of these copper-based samples were investigated using inductively coupled plasma optical emissionspectroscopy (ICP-OES), scanning electron microscopy combined with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEMEDX)and optical microscopy (OM). The results of these analyses showed that the metal objects at Tepe Sagzabad aremade of different copper alloys, including: pure copper, copper-arsenic and copper-tin. In addition, multiple procedures,including hot-working, cold-working, and annealing were used as manufacturing techniques. The copper-based objectsfrom Tepe Sagzabad provide evidence for the continued use of pure copper and arsenical copper alongside tin bronzes onthe Iranian Plateau during the Early Iron Age.

Preliminary Metallurgical Investigation of Copper-Based Artifacts at Tepe Sagzabad in Qazvin Plain, Iran (1500-800 BC) Keywords:

Sagzabad , Qazvin Plain , Iranian Plateau , Archaeometallurgy , Copper alloys , Iron Age