Abstract
We report on new chemical and lead isotopic results and interpretations of archaic Greek silver coins from the Asyut hoard which was buried around 475 B.C. Aeginetan coins were of central interest in this study. Possible ancient silver mines were explored in the Aegean region in the course of several geologic expeditions, and chemically and isotopically investigated. Some of the silver sources in Greece were traced by combination of the analytical methods and questions of provenance were solved. In addition, processes of silver smelting and refining were studied. Results and implications of this work are summarized in the final section on Conclusions.
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Many colleagues assisted in providing and collecting valuable ore samples. In Greece, we much appreciated the kind cooperation of President Prof. A. Deliyannis, Dr. J.D. Stavropodis, and Mr. S. Manolarakis, Greek Atomic Energy Commission, Demokritos, Athens, the support of the Compagnie Française des Mines de Laurion in Attica, especially Eng. A. Papathanassiou and Mr. Y. Spanos, and of the Kassandra Mining Company in Stratoni. We are grateful to Dipl.-Geol. J. Kampanellos, Kavalla, Dr. Lutat, Athens, Dr. D. Theophilopoulos, Athens, and Prof. W.E. Petraschek, Leoben.-In Turkey, the kind cooperation of Prof. Ö. Öztunali, Istanbul, Dr. I. Uzkut, Izmir, and Dipl.-Geophys. E. Temiz, M.T.A. in Ankara, is highly acknowledged. -The experimental assistance of Mr. A. Haidmann, Ms. C. Lehr, Mr. K. Oberfrank, Ms. K. Träumer, and Mr. H. Weber from the Heidelberg institute contributed greatly to the project. Neutron irradiations have been performed at the reactors FR2 in Karlsruhe, TRIGA at Universität Mainz, and TRIGA, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum in Heidelberg, which is much appreciated. Finally, we are thankful to the Stiftung Volkswagenwerk for funding this project.
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Gentner, W., Müller, O., Wagner, G.A. et al. Silver sources of archaic Greek coinage. Naturwissenschaften 65, 273–284 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00368368
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00368368