The introduction of metallurgy in Sicily: preliminary data using a pXRF

Several artifacts representing the oldest metals known in Sicily (Copper to Middle Bronze Age) together with many from the Late Bronze Age have been analyzed using a portable XRF to determine their composition. These are nearly all of the early metal artifacts existing in Sicilian museums. Multiple spot analyses have been performed and averages obtained to alleviate potential heterogeneities on the surface of metals, ensuring consistency and validity of the data. Among the materials, there were many swords and daggers, with a more limited selection of ornaments. Evidence of metalworking within Sicily is rare, as are metal vessels and ingots, even if scraps are considered.
The preliminary results show a marked use of nearly pure copper in most cases, especially for the Copper and MBA artifacts. They also reveal a very late introduction of alloys made of added tin or arsenic, with swords in pure copper still present in Late Bronze Age funerary contexts. Metals were probably not widely available until the Early Iron Age, because there are no prehistoric ore sources known in Sicily. A comparison with other areas rich in metals shows marked differences. Future research will target Calabria, the nearest region culturally and geographically with more mines.

本研究采用便携式X射线荧光光谱仪（portable XRF），对西西里岛已知年代最早的铜器时代至中青铜时代金属文物，以及大量晚青铜时代金属遗存开展成分分析；所分析样本几乎涵盖西西里岛各博物馆馆藏的全部早期金属文物。本次研究通过多点位检测并取平均值，以消除金属表面潜在的不均匀性，保障了数据的一致性与有效性。本次分析的文物以刀剑与短剑为主，装饰类器物相对稀缺；西西里岛境内的金属加工遗迹、金属容器及锭块（即便包含残片）均极为罕见。
初步分析结果显示，多数样本（尤其铜器时代及中青铜时代文物）主要采用近乎纯铜制作；研究同时发现，添加锡或砷的合金的使用时间极晚，甚至晚青铜时代的丧葬遗存中仍存在纯铜刀剑。由于目前未在西西里岛发现史前矿源，金属材料可能直至早铁器时代才得到广泛应用。与其他金属资源富集区域相比，西西里岛的金属使用特征存在显著差异。未来研究将聚焦卡拉布里亚——该地区在文化与地理上均为西西里岛近邻，且拥有更为丰富的金属矿脉。