In‐depth study of a speiss/matte sample from Castillo de Huarmey, North Coast of Peru, and its implications for the pre‐Columbian production of arsenic bronze in the Central Andes

Datos Bibliográficos

ID7147484
AutoresRafał Warchulski (0000-0002-0508-347X, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Earth Sciences University of Silesia Sosnowiec Poland), Maciej Kałaska (0000-0001-5649-4466, Faculty of Geology University of Warsaw Warsaw Poland, autor de correspondencia), Branden Cesare Rizzuto (0000-0003-4312-4858, Department of Anthropology University of Toronto Toronto Ontario Canada), Paula Sierpień (0000-0002-2587-0016, Institute of Geological Sciences Polish Academy of Sciences Warsaw Poland), Marcin Pisarek (0000-0002-7424-5954, Institute of Physical Chemistry Polish Academy of Sciences Warsaw Poland), Grzegorz Kaproń (0000-0002-8456-182X, Faculty of Geology University of Warsaw Warsaw Poland), Beata Marciniak‐Maliszewska (Faculty of Geology University of Warsaw Warsaw Poland), Beata Marciniak-Maliszewska (0000-0001-9147-6693, University of Warsaw), Petras Jokubauskas (0000-0002-1099-4497, Faculty of Geology University of Warsaw Warsaw Poland), Jakub Kotowski (0000-0002-3542-3519, Faculty of Geology University of Warsaw Warsaw Poland), Dorota Środek (0000-0003-0458-6531, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Earth Sciences University of Silesia Sosnowiec Poland), Patrycja Przadka‐Giersz (0000-0001-6635-9241, Faculty of ‘Artes Liberales’ University of Warsaw Warsaw Poland), Miłosz Giersz (0000-0003-0507-8555, Faculty of Archaeology University of Warsaw Warsaw Poland)
Año2025
Volumen67
Número1
Páginas112-131
Fecha de publicación2025-02-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaArchaeometry (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0003-813X • E-ISSN: 1475-4754
EditorialWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/arcm.13000
OpenAlexW4399439896
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas1
Referencias citadas57

This study aims to characterize the phase composition and chemistry of the speiss/matte sample from the Metallurgist's Burial at Castillo de Huarmey and to use the information derived from these analyses to infer the temperatures, furnace conditions, and ores associated with the smelting processes, which created the speiss/matte sample. For this purpose, a number of geochemical analyses were performed on the spies/matte fragment: analysis of the general chemical composition (handheld X‐ray fluorescence spectrometry [hhXRF], X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy [XPS]), analysis of the chemical composition in the micro area (field emission scanning electron microscope with an energy dispersive spectroscopy detector [FE‐SEM‐EDS], field emission electron probe microanalysis [FE‐EPMA]), analysis of the mineral composition (X‐ray diffraction [XRD]), and analysis of the phase composition (Raman spectroscopy). Chemical and mineralogical analyses of the speiss/matte specimen determined that the specimen is composed of distinct arsenide, arsenate, sulfide, and glass phases. During the smelting process, the charge material consisted mainly of Cu, Fe, and As sulfides. Arsenopyrite is the most likely candidate as the mineral source of arsenic. In addition, temperatures of at least 1200°C were achieved during the smelting process, with smelting occurring over a relatively short timeframe given that effective density separation of speiss and matte phases was not achieved

Analytical Chemistry (journal) · Arsenic · Chemical composition · Electron microprobe · Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy · Metallurgy · Microanalysis · Mineralogy · Scanning electron microscope · Smelting · X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy · Chemical Engineering · Chemistry · Cultural Heritage Materials Analysis · Environmental Chemistry · Materials Science · Metallurgical Processes and Thermodynamics · Mineralogy and Gemology Studies