Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Microchemical, structural and mineralogical study of ancient Moroccan pyrometallurgical remains and data sharing through the support of a QGIS software

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The mining areas of the Middle Atlas, already inhabited in the Neolithic period, have been under the influences of different cultures, firstly Phoenician, then Punic or Ibero-Punic, Berber, Roman and finally Islamic. The impact of external cultures on the evolution and development of ancient metallurgy in the north-central Atlas region and the Southern Rift occurred since prehistoric times to Arab domination in the Middle Ages. This study proposes the development of an up-to-date protocol for archaeometallurgical investigation, based on the correlation between the chemical-physical analysis of the pyrometallurgical materials and the contextual systematic geoarchaeological excavations. The microchemical analysis has been carried out on opportunely selected pyrometallurgical materials, coming from different mining areas of the Middle Atlas regions in Morocco (Tabarouch for Cu and Aouam for Pb/Ag) in order to understand the evolution of the technological knowledge in archaeometallurgical work of local people. After that, the analytical results have been included in a Geographic Information System (GIS) software with the aim of creating an easily usable database that will support multidisciplinary research on the ancient metallurgical activities also with its future development and implementation. The GIS application could indeed correlate all the data coming from different extraction/work sites, present in the exploited mining veins. Furthermore, the GIS application is a starting point for an integrated study of the different mining archaeological sites in the Mediterranean basin proposing an innovative method of data exchange of archaeological, physical and geological chemical results.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Auajjar J, Noronha F (2011) The role of brines on genesis of Pb-Zn-Ba mineralization in basement and in cover: the example of Tazekka Pb-Zn district, eastern Morocco. Cadernos Lab Xeolóxico de LaxeCoruña 36:25–40

    Google Scholar 

  • Biallo G (2004) Introduzione ai Sistemi Informativi Geografici. Mondo GIS

  • Bouabdellah M, Beaudoin G, Leach DL, Grandia F, Cardellach E (2009) Genesis of the Assif El Mal Zn–Pb (Cu, Ag) vein deposit. An extension-related Mesozoic vein system in the High Atlas of Morocco. Structural, mineralogical, and geochemical evidence. Mineral DepositaMiner Deposita 44:689–704. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00126-009-0232-8

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Celauro A (2013) Archaeometric investigation for provenance studies about copper metallurgy in the Phoenician and Punic cultures. PhD Dissertation Università Sapienza, Rome. http://hdl.handle.net/10805/2134

  • Celauro A, Merola P, Susanna S (2016) Les prospections archéométriques et archéologiques. In: Manfredi LI, Festuccia S (eds) AOUAM I. Rapport préliminaire de la première campagne de prospection et de fouille dans la zone minière du Jebel Aouam. BraDypUS Communicating Cultural Heritage, Bologna, pp 31–44

    Google Scholar 

  • Craddock PT (1989) The scientific investigation of early mining and smelting. In: Henderson (ed) Scientific analysis in archaeology and its interpretation. Oxford University Committee for Archaeology, Oxford, pp 19–35

    Google Scholar 

  • de Caro T (2017) The ancient metallurgy in Sardinia (Italy) through a study of pyrometallurgical materials found in the archaeological sites of Tharros and Montevecchio (West Coast of Sardinia). J Cult Herit 28:65–74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.culher.2017.05.016

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • de Caro T, Riccucci C, Paris EI (2013a) Ancient silver extraction in the Montevecchio mine basin (Sardinia, Italy): micro-chemical study of pyrometallurgical materials. Appl Phys A Mater Sci ProcessAppl Phys A 113:945–957. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-013-7722-3

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • de Caro T, Riccucci C, Paris EI, Renzulli A, Del Moro S, Santi P, Faraldi F (2013b) Archaeo–metallurgical studies of tuyeres and smelting slags foundat Tharros (north–western Sardinia, Italy). Appl Phys A Mater Sci ProcessAppl Phys A 113:933–943. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-013-7720-5

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • De Rosa G (2008). Implementazione di una applicazione GIS per l’analisi storica della regione del RIF (Marocco). PhD Dissertation, Università degli Studi di Trieste

  • Di Paola G, Trotta V (2013) La viewshed analysis in ArcGIS 10.1. I casi di Populonia e Segesta. Archeomatica IV(3):12–15

    Google Scholar 

  • Fabijańczyk P, Zawadzki J, Magiera T (2017) Magnetometric assessment of soil contamination in problematic area using empirical Bayesian and indicator kriging: a case study in Upper Silesia, Poland. Geoderma 308:69–77

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Favretto A (2010) Strumenti per l’analisi geografica GIS e telerilevamento. Pàtron, Bologna

  • Ferrer-Eres MA, Valle-Algarra FM, Gimeno Adelantado JV et al (2008) Archaeometric study on polymetallic remains from the archaeological dig in Lixus (Larache, Morocco) by scanning electron microscopy and metallographic techniques. Microchim Acta 162:341–349

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ferro D, Graziani V, Sulpizio R, Lucarelli C, Trojsi G, Meucci C (2016) Definizione di un protocollo analitico per lo studio archeometrico di materiali piro-metallurgici del sito di Aouam-Marocco. In: Manfredi LI, Festuccia S (eds) AOUAM I. Rapport préliminaire de la première campagne de prospection et de fouille dans la zone minière du Jebel Aouam. BraDypUS Communicating Cultural Heritage, Bologna, pp 75–79

    Google Scholar 

  • Hourri F, Dekayir A, Makdoun M (2018) Mineralogy and chemical compositions of ancient slags from Volubilis archaeological site and Awam ancient mine (Morocco). STAR: Science & Technology of Archaeological Research. 3:238–244. https://doi.org/10.1080/20548923.2018.1433269

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ingo GM, Angelini E, Bultrini G, de Caro T, Pandolfi L, Mezzi A (2002) Contribution of surface analytical techniques for the microchemical study of archaeological artefacts. Surf Interface Anal 34:328–336. https://doi.org/10.1002/sia.1311

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lucarelli C, Ferro D, Rapinesi IA (2014) Classification of valuable elements of hairstyles from Roman times through georeferencing. In: Macchia A, Prestileo F, Cagno S, Fariz Khalilli F (eds) Yococu 2014-Professional’s experiences in cultural heritage conservation in America, Europe and Asia. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Cambridge, pp 353–370

    Google Scholar 

  • Merola P (2016) Analisi cartografica e Dati da remoto dell’Area di Aouam. In: Manfredi LI, Festuccia S (eds) AOUAM I. Rapport préliminaire de la première campagne de prospection et de fouille dans la zone minière du Jebel Aouam. BraDypUS Communicating Cultural Heritage, Bologna, pp 21–31

    Google Scholar 

  • Merola P, Cozzolino M, Gentile R, Susanna F (2015) Le mura ottagonali della fortezza di Ighram Aousser (Marocco) attraverso l’integrazione di dati satellitari, indagini elelttromagnetiche ed attività di survey, Archologia Aerea, 9/15

  • Noti V (2014) GIS open source per geologia e ambiente. Analisi e gestione di dati territoriali e ambientali con QGIS. Flaccovio D, Palermo

    Google Scholar 

  • Olovčić A, Memić M, Žero S, Jasna Huremović J, Kahrović E (2014) Chemical analysis of iron slags and metallic artefacts from early iron age. Int Res J Pure Appl Chem 4(6):859–870

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Renzi M, Rovira S (2011) Estudio analitico de escorias y minerals de hierro procedentes de los yacimientos de Ain El-Hajjar y Mogador (Marruecos). Canarias Arqueol 19:149–166

    Google Scholar 

  • Renzi M, Rovira S, Rovira-Hortalà MC, Montero-Ruiz (2013) Questioning research on early iron in the Mediterranean. In: Humphris J, Rehren T (eds) World of iron. Archetype publications, London, pp 178–187

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosenberger B (1964) Autour d’une grande mine d’argent du Moyen Age marocain: le jbel Aouam. Hespéris-Tamuda 5:15–78

    Google Scholar 

  • Shepherd R (1993) Ancient mining. Elsevier Applied Science, London and New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Snodgrass M (1980) Iron and early metallurgy in the Mediterranean. In: Wertime TA, Muhly JD (eds) The coming of the Iron Age. New Haven, London, pp 335–374

  • Susanna F (n.d.) Territoire et économie au Maroc préromain: étude archéologique du paysage et des ressources dans la region de Meknès. Projet de thèse de doctorat, Faculte des Letteres et Sciences humaines, Institut d’Archeologie, chaire d’Archeologie de la Mediterranee antique, Dissertation PhD Université de Neuchâtel

  • Tylecote RF (1992) A history of metallurgy, 2nd edn. The Bath Press, Avon

    Google Scholar 

  • Zawadzki J, Fabijańczyk P (2013) Geostatistical evaluation of lead and zinc concentration in soils of an old mining area with complex land management. Int J Environ Sci Technol 10:729–742

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The interest of the ancient Moroccan pyrometallurgy activities has been developed within the project “Le antiche miniere del Marocco. Studio archeologico e archeometrico dai minerali ai manufatti”, Lorenza Ilia Manfredi (CNR-ISMA) and Abdelilah Dekayir (Département des Sciences de la terre Moulay Ismail University).

The authors acknowledge Claudio Veroli (ISMN-CNR) for XRD skilful technical assistance.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Siena, Via Banchi di Sotto 55, 53100, Siena, Italy

    Chiara Lucarelli

  2. ICVBC–CNR, Montelibretti, via Salaria Km 29.300, Monterotondo Stazione, Rome, Italy

    Daniela Ferro

  3. Université de Neuchatel, Av. Du 1er Mars, 26, 2000, Neuchatel, Switzerland

    Fiammetta Susanna

  4. ISMN–CNR, Montelibretti, via Salaria Km 29.300, Monterotondo Stazione, Rome, Italy

    Tilde de Caro

Authors
  1. Chiara Lucarelli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Daniela Ferro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Fiammetta Susanna
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Tilde de Caro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Chiara Lucarelli or Tilde de Caro.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Lucarelli, C., Ferro, D., Susanna, F. et al. Microchemical, structural and mineralogical study of ancient Moroccan pyrometallurgical remains and data sharing through the support of a QGIS software. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28, 25155–25165 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-05060-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-05060-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation