The Advent of Complex Metallurgy

This study investigates the origins of extractive metallurgy in the southern Levant, particularly during the Ghassulian culture of the Chalcolithic period (circa 4700/4500-3800 BCE). It presents evidence that the production of complex alloys began earlier than previously thought. Using a novel radiocarbon sampling method focused on the production dates of metal objects, the research examines artifacts from the Naḫal Mishmar hoard and their ritual context in Israel's Judean Desert. The study highlights the evolution of long-distance trade in copper alloys, contrasting sophisticated lost-wax technique objects made from distant sources with simpler local copper tools. This reflects the technological and socio-economic complexities of early metallurgy and trade in West Asia. Recent excavations at the Chalcolithic shrine in Ein Gedi provide further insights, enhancing our understanding of Ghassulian culture's chronology and clarifying the long-discussed relationship between the Ein Gedi shrine and the Naḫal Mishmar hoard.