Project description
Uncovering the origins of Laurion ore
Since prehistoric times, Laurion’s mines supplied the Aegean and particularly the Athenians with silver. Around 500 BC, mining yield considerably expanded, allowing the city-state of Athens to build a new fleet, thus defeating the Persians in 480 BC. This has been linked to the discovery of a deeper, subsurface Laurian mineralisation, the so-called ‘Third Contact’. The EU-funded LAURICON project explores the feasibility of examining age and geochemical disparities in the three different ‘contacts’ (ore deposits). This will be achieved by studying ore samples using mineralogical, chemical, and silver-isotope plus lead-isotope analyses. Additionally, LAURICON seeks to correlate ores from distinct contacts with archaeological artefacts crafted from Laurion ores (silver, lead, litharges, slags, etc) exhibiting identical or different silver and lead isotopic signatures.
Objective
Through LAURICON we will show that the geological age differences between the ore deposits (“contacts”) in the Laurion mining region can be systematically investigated by laboratory analyses. In the next step, these different groups, each one deriving from a different geological “contact”, will be linked with archaeological objects made of Laurion ores (coins, by-products) with the same silver and lead isotopic fingerprint, thereby answering questions from mining archaeology and the wider field of ancient history. I, the post-doc researcher, Dr Frank Hulek, will undertake multi-disciplinary research activites and acquire advanced skills in archaeometric approaches at the NSRC “Demokritos” at Athens under the supervision of Dr Yannis Bassiakos and will carry out two secondment phases at the German Mining Museum. During a placement at the Lavrion Technological and Cultural Park, I will pass on my knowledge to a non-academic institution.
The project will increase knowledge about the Laurion mineralization, that, according to recent research, had developed in more than one metallogenetic events. This will be proven by mineralogical and silver plus lead isotope analyses of ore samples from the Laurion. At the same time, these analyses will help to redefine the typical isotope ratios of Laurion ores and by that further improve the accuracy of provenance studies in this project and in archaeometallurgy in general.
Based on this improved analytical data, the project will establish a chronology for the introduction of deep shaft mining techniques in the Laurion mining region, using data from Athenian silver coins as reference material. Likewise, the origin of the raw material that was used for silver production at two important workshop sites, Lambrika and Frankolimano, will be investigated. Based on the improved knowledge about Laurion ores developed through LAURICON, it will be possible to tackle the question if local ore sources or similar imported ores/slags were used.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European FellowshipsCoordinator
15341 Agia Paraskevi
Greece