Hi Luke,
these are litharge cones that are produced by sticking iron or wood in molten oxidized lead and taking it out again. This is repeated several times and then you receive such a structure. It is the same process by which you can produce candles from molten wax. The find indicates that lead was cupelled (oxidized) to extract silver.
Best wishes, Ernst Pernicka
____________________________
Prof. Dr. Ernst Pernicka
Institut für Ur- und Frühgeschichte
und Archäologie des Mittelalters
Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen
Schloss Hohentübingen
72070 Tübingen
Tel.: 07071-297 4363 (direkt)
07071-297 4394 (Sekretariat)
Fax: 07071-29 39 96
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Internet: http://www.ufg.uni-tuebingen.de
und
Curt-Engelhorn-Zentrum Archäometrie gGmbH
An-Institut der Universität Tübingen
C5, Zeughaus
68159 Mannheim
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-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: Arch-Metals Group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Im Auftrag von Luke Howarth
Gesendet: Donnerstag, 15. Juli 2010 13:04
An: [log in to unmask]
Betreff: Mystery Object
Dear List,
While working on a site in the south of France, not far from the coast we recovered a "mystery" object in a pit / "large posthole" containing an assortment of archaeological debris, including a large quantity of animal bone and ceramic. The feature is thought to be Antique and is not far from a small kiln (though this is full of spoiled ceramics). On the site we also have large structural features primarily a temple and several ritual deposits of metal artefacts. The site is situated on the interface between a butte and a floodplain which gives on to the sea just a couple of kilometers to the south.
I've discussed with a local geologist just to verify if it's not some kind of local geological oddity, and through the course of our discussion we did come to the conclusions that is is probably the accidental product from a metallurgical process (the geolgist in question has worked on several mines and I have a modest knowledge of metallurgy).
Dimensions:
18cm long x 1.5cm dia.
weight:
200.5g
Brief description:
Examination of the cross section shows an annular accicular crystalline structure - each ring being approximatively the same thickness ~1mm, all fairly regular and showing no inter growth between the rings)
The material has high lustre (when cleaned) and is a dark pinkish in colour, it is partially covered covered with a patena of white oxide - Pb?). Also not magnetic, and doesn't produce a positive reaction with HCL...
hopefully if you click/ copy the link below you should be able to see three pictures (sorry the resolution isn't amazing)
http://thehumanjourney.net/pnp/files/fsXqVBGJl/
If anyone happens to have any ideas, views, opinions or best guesses I'd very interested to know. If anyone wants more info just mail me directly: [log in to unmask]
Thanks in advance
Luke Howarth
Géoarchéologue
OA Méditerranée
France
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