Khirbet Hamra Ifdan (KHI) is an (mainly) EBA III site locates at the western
edge of the copper ore district of Feinan, Jordan. It is not a production
site sensu stricto: it is a settlement where raw copper and copper rich slag
smelted at a number of sites at Feinan was transported to. At KHI, raw
copper was further processed in a multistage melting process to larger and
larger batches in crucibles (and in such a way it was purified - not
"refined"!- and homogenized)and was finally cast to ingots and other
objects.
The site is the largest EBA metal factory in the Middle East and the best
example of how copper was processed after smelting ore. It was excavated by
T. Levy, UCSD, and by R. Adams. Archaeometallurgical finds are investigated
by A. Hauptmann at Bochum.
Don't worry: everything is explained in the most recent volume of Antiquity.
A. Hauptmann
-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: Chris Salter [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Gesendet am: Monday, July 01, 2002 10:27 AM
An: [log in to unmask]
Betreff: From the WEB
From Explorer 5.9
A number of versions of newpaper type articles on an Early Bronze Age
copper-working site, Khirbat Hamra Ifdan in Jordan. As usual that
quality of the reporting is such that it is impossible to tell what sort
of production is being described, other there are molds for axes and
ingots. Hopefully, the forthcoming paper in Anitiquity, which is not
mentioned in the National Geographic versions of the press release, will
give more details.
A bronze age 'metal factory' has been found in Jordan:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/06/020626070920.htm
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/06/0620_020625_metalfactory.htm
l
http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/newsrel/soc/dlevymetalfactory.htm
--
Chris Salter,
Electron Microscopy and MicroAnalysis Group,
Department of Materials, Begbroke Business and Science Park,
Sandy Lane, Yarnton, Oxford, OX5 1PF
Tel 01865 283722, EPMA 283741, Mobile 07776031608
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