The Iberian stelae of the Final Bronze Age: iconography, technology and the transfer of knowledge between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean

• Applicant: Dr. Ralph Araque Gonzalez
• Subject Area: Prehistory and World Archaeology
• Term: since 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 446739573

This renewal proposal aims at completing the study of the complex triangular relationship between culture, technology and communication that is represented by the Iberian stelae of the Final Bronze Age/Early Iron Age (1200-550 BC). The main objective of this DFG research project, initiated in 2021, is a contribution to the comprehensive, systematic investigation of these stelae, encompassing scientific testing of prevalent hypotheses on the tools and materials used for their making. The fundamental bases are archaeometry and geo-archaeology, complemented by experimental archaeology. A multidisciplinary team of researchers and craftspeople cooperated to significantly enhance scientific knowledge on technological aspects of prehistoric stone working. The first project results revealed entirely new scientific problems that justify its continuation with the well-established research group.First and foremost, the finding of medium-high carbon content steel in a protohistoric chisel from Portugal opened entirely new perspectives. Additional analyses that are now authorized must examine whether the chisel was actually hardened and whether it was possibly locally produced. Based on the analyses and experimentation, the hypothesis can be advanced that hardenable steel tools were necessary to accurately engrave the stelae made from extremely hard silicate quartz-sandstone used in the Zújar valley (Spain). This would establish the introduction of iron technology as a terminus post quem for the elaboration of stelae made from these rocks and demands a reassessment of early iron technology in Iberia. This proposal encompasses comprehensive archaeometallurgical analyses, including pioneering approaches towards slag analyses.Second, the geo-scientific evaluation of stelae in Iberian museums has shown that that the declared rock types in the bibliography are mostly incorrect or vague and must be corrected. Furthermore, it revealed the precise provenance of rock outcrops for several monuments. This so far unique approach could be extended to a greater number of stelae. From both the experimental and traceological points of view, new desiderata involve the making of a chisel from the actual blooms that can be obtained by traditional smelting, using the minerals from the ores located from around where the chisel and the stelae have been found. This will be followed by the chisels utilization on granitoid rocks and silicate quartz-sandstone that were actually used for stelae. Innovative traceological analyses, developed for this project, using 3D-scanning and digital methods to identify the materiality of tools by comparing engravings on original and experimental stelae. The combined approach will result in new insights on the social and cultural significance of stelae, technology transfer and innovation, and on the emergence Iberian iron metallurgy.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants