David Schwarcz

The paper presents a small circular mirror frame found in the rural settlement at Acic Suat. The mirror is made out of lead and decorated with radial lines on the frame, missing the reflective surface. Even though, such finds are numerous in the Danubian and Black Sea provinces, their functionality is still questionable, ranging from cosmetic to votive. Discussing the find from Acic Suat, together with the analogies and their potential functions, allows us to integrate the item in a wider context. Two sets of analyses were performed on the mirror, ED-XRF and PIXE, revealing its composition and highlighting the presence of bismuth and silver which can be indicators for the provenance of the lead core.

Early Byzantine non-ferrous metalworking practices are studied based on archaeological data gathered from older and recent excavations in Ephesus. The main focus lies on the find material encompassing crucibles, casting moulds and copper-alloy objects from the metal workshops in Terrace House 2. Different scientific analysis methods were applied to gain a better understanding of workshop organization as well as the utilization and recycling of metal resources.

The aim of this paper is to discuss methodological issues of comparative tool mark studies (with special attention to decorative punched motifs), using a case study on sheet-gold metalwork from the Middle and Late Avar Period (7th–8th centuries AD). The historical interpretation of tool marks on nonferrous metalwork can take place at different levels of complexity. In some cases, the identification of products from the same craftsperson is possible, via the identification of specific tools. However, when interpreting the results of comparative tool mark studies, many aspects are relevant, including individual variations in tool usage. In this context, experimental archaeology can facilitate the interpretation of tool marks, as is demonstrated in a preliminary study on two types of punches, which are common on high-quality metalwork from the Avar Period.

The catalogue encompasses over 1000 Byzantine artefacts from Ephesos. Their context (grave and settlement finds from older and recent excavations), material (non-ferrous and ferrous metal objects, ivory, bone, glass) and funcionality (jewellery and dress accessories, tools and implements, lighting devices, lithurgical instruments, weapons, etc.) represents a wide range of the Late Antique and Medieval material culture. The scientific evaluation includes both traditional archaeological (interpretation, dating, classification) and natural scientific (optic microscopy, XRF, SEM) analyses.

The project and the publication of the final results was supported by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW) and the Austrian Archaeological Institute (ÖAW-ÖAI). The complete volume is available (open access) at: https://verlag.oeaw.ac.at/byzantinische-kleinfunde-ephesos1

The research paper highlights the preliminary results of the ongoing dissertation project 'Non-ferrous metalworking in Byzantine Ephesos'. Archaeological sources (i. e. moulds for casting or embossing) provide evidence for metalworking activities within the city or on its outskirts up untill the 12/13th century. However, the main research focus lies on the Early Byzantine metal workshop(s) located in the - formerly prominent - building complex, the Terrace House 2. The characteristic find material encompasses fragments and fully-preserved crucibles and casting moulds, scrap metals (including fragments of bronze statues), semi-finished and finished products, as well as iron objects, which possibly represent the tools once used at the places of production. Our scientific evaluation is based on the interpretation of the finds and their context according to the traditional archaeological method. Furthermore, in order to gain a better understanding of metalworking practices in the given time frame, analyses methods of natural sciences (optic microscopy, scanning electronic microscopy, XRF-analyses and thin section analyses) were applied on selected artefacts.

The 'Byzantine Small Finds and Their Workshops in Ephesos'-project and the publication of the final results was supported by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW) and the Austrian Archaeological Institute (ÖAW-ÖAI). The complete volume is available (open access) at: https://verlag.oeaw.ac.at/byzantinische-kleinfunde-ephesos1

Over 800 non-ferrous metal artefacts (e. g. jewellery and dress accessories, crosses, etc.) from Ephesos were studied by XRF and μ-XRF analyses methods. For the interpretation of the natural scientific results more than 170 objects, mainly dated to the post-Antique periods, (with secure context and/or analogies) were selected. The main research focus lies on the the role of various alloys used in the Early (4/5th-7th c.) and Middle Byzantine (8th-12th) periods for the production of specific object groups (e. g. buckles, rings, etc.). Even though the analyses methods provide limited information concerning fine technological details, special attention was paid to metalworking techniques, such as soldering and gilding.

The project and the publication of the final results was supported by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW) and the Austrian Archaeological Institute (ÖAW-ÖAI). The complete volume is available (open access) at: https://verlag.oeaw.ac.at/byzantinische-kleinfunde-ephesos1

Brief summary of the research results on the treasure hoard from Wiener-Neustadt, encompassing a great variety of precious metal jewelry and dress accessories as well as tableware, dated to the 13th-14th century. The interdisciplinary studies (including archaeological, historical, art-historical, epigraphical, natural scientific analyzes, etc.) were conducted by a research group in the framework of the 'Der Schatzfund von Wiener-Neustadt'-project of the Bundesdankmalamt in Austria.

The current study is a short summary of the observations made during the one-day field surveys conducted in the bazaar area in the Konak district of Izmir, Turkey in 2011 and 2015. The main aim of the surveys was gathering information regarding the practices of the metalsmiths’ traditional work which could serve as comparative evidence for Antique manufacturing processes. In this regard, the research subjects were small and midscale enterprises, which apply primarily manual labor.