A Study of the Bronze Age Metalwork from the Iberian Peninsula in the British Museum
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A M P U R I A S (Barcelona) t. 43, 1981, pagines 113- 170 A Study of the Bronze Age Metalwork from the Iberian Peninsula in the British Museum By RICHARDJ. HARRISONand PAULT. CRADDOCK with an appendix by MICHAELJ. HUGHES" The collections of prehistoric bronze the Very Reverend Canon Greenwell of metalwork discussed here have accumula- Durham Cathedral. He was actively co- ted in a fortuitous manner for over llecting bronzes in the latter part o£ 125 years, with a succession of gifts large the nineteenth century, and through his aild small, purchases, and transfers from friendly contacts with Horace Sandars, he other collections. The opportunity arose to was able to acquire type-specimens from catalogue and examine the entire collec- the Iberian Peninsula. The part of his tion, and to make it available for inclu- collection containing these items was sion into the synthetic works that are now bought by the American financier James actively in progress. Pierpont Morgan, and presented outright The year 1849 marks the acquisition of to the Museum as a gift in 1909. the first prehistoric bronze implement Other important pieces were acquired from Spain, donated by Mr. S. P. Pratt, in 1964 when the Wellcome Collection was F. R. S., and published the same year by presented to the Museum. The included Mr. James Yates. For a long time this a dozen Early Bronze Age pieces from double-looped palstave was one of the George Bonsor's old excavations around Few published prehistoric bronzes known Carmona (Prov. Sevilla) in the period Erom the Peninsula, and it has been illus- 1890-1910, and which seem to have come trated many times since then. It has the from the site of El Acebuchal. Al1 of them added interest of being the only palstave carry bold but illegible catalogue num- to be recorded as hafted, since it was dis- bers written in Bonsor's own hand. covered in sailcient coa1 workings in An- The interest of the collection lies in dalusia~,attached to a straight wooderi its range of types and the secure prove- handle. nances for many of the pieces. Not in- But the largest number of pieces came cluded in this study are the Siret Collec- from the famous collection amased by tion of antiquities, purchased in 1889, and * Richard J. Hamison: Dept. of Classics and Arihaeolagy University of Bristol; Paul T. Craddock: Re- aearch Laboratory, Britich Museum, London; Michael J. Hughes: Research Laboratory, British Museurn, London. This manirscript was submitted in. Spring, t977, and there has been no opportunity to revise it since then. 8 114 R. J. HARRISON, P. T. CRADDOCK AND M. J. HUGHES Fig. 1. - Location of al1 provenanced bronzes. Tlie numbers are the same as those in the Catalogue. fully published by the Sirets' themselves A) Catalogue and Figures. in 1887, nor the Iron Age finds. The co- B) Tables of Analyses. llection of Bronze Age Gold from the Pe- C) Discussion, ninsula has been recently published afresh (Almagro Gorbea, 1974; Harrison 1977; The present location of al1 the pieces Hawkes 1971), thus making al1 the Bronze is in the Department of Prehistoric and Age metalwork widely accesible. Romano-British Antiquities, of the British The paper is divided into three parts: Museum, London WClB 3DG. The catalogue is arranged in a stan- Donor: Greenwell Collection, presented dard format, and one set of numbers are by J. P. Morgan. used throughout. The numbers of the pie- Description: Tbin flat axe with a rectan- gular cross section, cast in an open rnould. ces are retained both on the Figures and One face is covered with casting irregula- in the Tables of Analyses. rities, the other has been roughly smoothed. Tbe butt and cutting edge are both finely Abbreviations used in the Catalogue: ground on one face, and covcred by a dark green-brown patina. Arsenical copper. Al1 measurements are in centimetres. Size: L. 11.1 ; W. 4.1 ; Th. 0.6: L.: Length. Unpublished. Th.: Thickness. Comments: Millaran Type, c. 2500 - W.: Width. 2000 B.C. Registration Numbers: No. 3. (Fig. 2, no. 3) WG. : William Greenwell Collection. Provenance: Spain. (Al1 other Registration Numbers follow Registration: WG 911. the standard British Museum system). Donor: Greenwell Collection, presented by J. P. Morgan. Description: Flat axe with squared sides, No. 1. (Fig. 2, no. 1) lightly hammered at butt, and witli a blunted cutting edge. Blade edge chipped. One face Provenance : Prov. Huelva. with finely pitted surface (from casting in Registration: WG 909. an open mould), tbe other hammered and Donor: Greenwell Collection, presented ground to a smooth finish. Even, dark brown by J. P. Morgan. patina, in excellent condition. Copper. Description: Flat ase, cast in an open Size: L. 11.95; W. 5.55; Th. 1.0. mould with small casting irregularities on Unpublished. al1 surfaces. The cutting edge has been Comments: Millaran, or Earliest Bronze ground and hammered, and the butt, sides Age, c. 2200 - 1800 B.C. and blade have been blunted at a later date. Hump-backed section. with squared sides. Irregular green patina. Good condition. No. 4. (Fig. 2, no. 4) Copper. Provenance: Prov. Jaén. Size: L. 12.5; W. 4.9; Th. 1.3. Registration: WG 922. Unpublished. Donor: Greenwell Collection, presented Comments: Pre-Millaran Type, c. 3000 - by J. P. Morgan. 2500 B.C. One of a small number of third Description: Thick, rectangular-sectioned millennium copper ases of this type from axe with highly concave surfaces. Thins at S.W. Spain. butt, roughly worked cutting edge, blunted into an assymetrical sbape (? through use). Pitted surface, bright green corrosion on No. 2. (Fig. 2, no. 2) one face. Provenance: Moguer, Prov. Huelva. Size: L. 10.8; W. 3.1; Th. 1.8. Registration: WG 908. Unpublished. 116 R. J. HARRISON, P. T. CRADDOCK AND M. J. HUGHES Fig. 2. - Flat Axes (Pre-Beaker).1, Prov. Huelua; 2, Xo~kcr,Huc1i.a: 3, eSpain»; 4.6, Prov. Jaén A STUDY OF THE BRONZE AGE METAL Comments: Probably Pre-Millaran or Mi- Donor: Greenwell Collection, presented Ilaran, c. 3000 - 2000 B.C. (Compare with num- by J. P. Morgan. ber 5). Profile is similar to axes from the Description: Thick, rectangular-sectioned Alentejo in S. Portugal (Blance 1971, Taf. 24, flat axe, with a shallow, irregular groove nos. 1-2). but those have noticeably thinner down each face. One face and side have a sections than nos. 4 and 5 here. Copper. network of fine surface irregularities, cau- sed by casting in an open mould. The other No. 5. (Fig. 2, no. 5) face and edge are ground smooth. The butt and cutting edges have both been recently Provenance: Prov. Jaén. hamered. Even, deep brown patina, excellent Registration: WG 921. condition. Arsenical copper. Donor: Greenwell Collection, presented Size: L. 15.8; W. 5.3; Th. 1.45. by J. P. Morgan. Unpublished. Description : Thick, rectangular-sectioned copper axe with slightly concave sides. Thin- Comments: Probably related to the Early ner towards butt, with a roughly hammered Argaric triangular-shaped axes, c. 1800 - 1500 cutting edge, blunted into an assymetrieal B.C. shapc. Butt roughly finished, but main faces are ground smooth. Signs of working on one No. 8. (Fig. 3, no. 8) face, with vertical stress lines. Copper. Size: L. 10.4; W. 2.8; Th. 1.8. Provenance: Villacarillo, Prov. Jaén. Unpublished. Registration: 1909. 7-14. 4. Comments: Probably Pre-Millaran or Mi- Donor: Purchased. Ilaran, c. 3000-2000 B.C. (Compare with Description: Flat rectangular-sectioned no. 4.) axe used as a wedge in antiquity. Very hea- vily hammered at butt, deeply scarred on No. 6. (Fig. 2, no. 6) both faces, and with a distorted hlade. Deep brown patina, specks of lime concretion, and Provenance : Prov. Jaén. some modern corroison. Copper with low Registration: WG 907. arsenic. Donor: Greenwell Collection, presented Size: L. 11.8; W. 6.4; Th. 1.6. by J. P. Morgan. Unpublished. Description: Heavy, square-sectioned flat axe. with a very thick, rough, unfinished Comments: Argaric Bronze Age, c. 1500 - butt. Both sides havc heen heavily hamme- 1100 B.C. related to the Argaric (B) axes red, raising two low flanges. The cutting on basis of its triangular shape. edge is damaged. The original patina was a dark, even green, which only survives in No. 9. (Fig. 3, no. 9) patches, and which was largely flaked off when the piece was subject to heavy ham- Provenance : Prov. Granada. mering of recent date. The flanges and ham- Registration: 1909. 7-14. 10. mer-marks are not original features. Copper. Donor: Purchased. Size: L. 12.8; W. 3.9; Th. 1.85. Description: Very thin flat axe with pa- Unpublished. ralle1 sides, and a rectangular section. Thin- Comments: Pre-Millaran or Millaran, ned at butt and cutting edge, which is blun- c. 3000- 2000 B.C. ted. Traces of a deep green patina remain, but the surface is now pitted and corroded. No. 7. (Fig. 3, no. 7) Arsenjcal copper. Provenance : Prov. Jaén Size: L. 14.4; W. 3.5; Th. 0.5. Registration: WG 915. Unpublished. 118 R. J. HARRISON, P. T. CRADDOCK AND M. J. HUGHES Comments: Probahly Early Bronze Age, mered cutting edge, and ancient damage at c. 1800-1500 B.C. %milar axes in Blance butt end below the patina. The surface is (1971, Taf. 13, nos. 12, 19, 21). well finished, although the cutting edge has been damaged in modern times. Good con- dition with a light green patina. Illegible No. 10; (Fig. 3, no. 10) ink inscription on one face. Tin bronze. Provenance: Spain. Size: L. 6.85; W.