Atuatuca 4 binnenwerk_J_Roman Glass A4-2 5/10/12 10:54 Pagina 1 ATVATVCA |4 Atuatuca 4 binnenwerk_J_Roman Glass A4-2 5/10/12 10:54 Pagina 2 Colofon De deputatie: Herman Reynders, gouverneur Marc Vandeput, Walter Cremers, Gilbert Van Baelen, Frank Smeets, Jean-Paul Peuskens, Mieke Ramaekers, gedeputeerden Renata Camps, provinciegriffier Cover Image Guido Schalenbourg, Gallo-Roman Museum 19th Century bronze statue of Ambiorix, central Market Place, Tongeren Print …. Edition limited to 500 copies Paper …. ISBN 9789074605618 D/2012/5857/60 Atuatuca / Publications of the Gallo-Roman Museum Tongeren, Under the supervision of Guido Creemers Kielenstraat 15 B-3700 Tongeren Tel 0032 12 670330 e-mail: [email protected] http://www.galloromeinsmuseum.be All rights, including translation, reserved in all countries. No part of the text or illustrations may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher Any reproduction by any means including photocopy, photographing microfilming, taping, recording or otherwise is an offence liable to be pun- ished by law Tongeren, 2013 Atuatuca 4 binnenwerk_J_Roman Glass A4-2 5/10/12 10:54 Pagina 3 Archaeological Contributions to Materials and Immateriality Edited by G. Creemers ATVATVCA |4 Publications of the Gallo-Roman Museum Tongeren, 2013 Atuatuca 4 binnenwerk_J_Roman Glass A4-2 5/10/12 10:54 Pagina 8 Four remarkable socketed axes from the Geistingen hoard Janneke Nienhuis,1 Hans Postma,2 Guido Creemers3 This article describes research on four Late Bronze Age Geistingen axes from the Gallo-Roman Museum in Tongeren, based on two kinds of measurements: 1) neutron resonance capture analysis (inventory numbers BH74-BH77) and 2) microscale analysis with X-ray fluorescence and electron probe microanalysis (BH76). This has yielded a consistent picture of the composition and production of these axes. The compositions are extraordinary, with several percent each of arsenic, antimony and nickel in the copper and minor amounts of tin, silver, cobalt and lead. It is suggested that imported ingots made from Fahlore-related minerals4 were re-melted together with some bronze scrap to produce the axes. The dendritic microstructure of one of the axes (BH76) is the result of a casting step in the production process and displays the presence of different types of inclusions: matte particles, silver and lead-antimony particles. The average cooling rate during solidification is estimated to be about 22 °C/s, which implies that this axe was quenched with water after casting into a bronze bi-valve mould. Geistingen axes are very remarkable objects, unsuitable as functional axes. One may speculate that they were votive/cult objects with great value for their owners, possibly also as objects of exchange. Introduction compared to other types of socketed axes. The Gallo-Roman Museum collection contains They are long (about 15 cm), have thin walls (1- four axes (fig. 1) from the ‘Geistingen hoard’, a 2 mm) and low weights (about 150 g). Apart hoard consisting of 26 or 285 socketed axes from the Geistingen hoard, 30 additional found in Geistingen (Kinrooi municipality, examples are known of the eponymous Belgium), a village located near the river Geistingen type, found in nearby locations Meuse (fig. 2). These axes are rather peculiar along the river Meuse from Maastricht to 1 Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Mekelweg 2, 2628 CD Delft, the Netherlands; [email protected] 2 RD&M, Department of Applied Physics, Delft University of Technology, Mekelweg 15, 2629 JB Delft, the Netherlands; [email protected] 3 Gallo-Roman Museum, Kielenstraat 15, 3700 Tongeren, Belgium; [email protected] – 8 – Atuatuca 4 binnenwerk_J_Roman Glass A4-2 5/10/12 10:54 Pagina 9 Fig. 1. The four socketed axes from the Gallo-Roman Museum in Tongeren (Belgium). Nijmegen (Netherlands) and along the Lower Geistingen axes are indeed remarkable objects. Rhine, mainly from Nijmegen to Kleve (Germany), with some stray finds from the Find circumstances upstream Rhine to the river Main.6 The find circumstances of this hoard of axes are rather confusing. To begin with, there is Geistingen axes from the Gallo-Roman confusion concerning the date. The informa- Museum tion reported in the fairly extensive list of ref- Two sets of experiments (see section 3) show erences9 is somewhat contradictory. Recently, that the Geistingen axes are complex copper a summary was made of the known informa- alloys, containing considerable quantities of tion about the find circumstances,10 based in arsenic, antimony, silver and nickel. The total part on the original notes by H.J. Geerkens, a amounts of these four elements in the four customs officer in the border region and the Geistingen axes from the Gallo-Roman man who reported the hoard. Museum are very similar and range from 15 to According to Geerkens’ notes, the hoard was 17 weight percent (wt%). This contrasts strong- discovered in July 1936.11 Because Geerkens was ly with the composition of contemporary visiting his family in Opglabbeek that day, he socketed axes from the same region and period did not return to Ophoven-Geistingen until (see also section 4.4). The majority of those after the axes were discovered. Most objects other axes can be characterised as copper con- had already been divided up among interested taining a total quantity of about 15-20 wt% tin spectators, which is why it is not clear to this and lead, with virtually no other elements day exactly how many axes were found.12 BH76, present.7,8 The above-mentioned peculiarities a fragmentary axe included in the analyses in and the complex compositions show that the this article, had been placed to one side and 4 Fahlore is a type of ore that contains copper, arsenic or antimony, and sulphur - Cu12(As/Sb)4S13 5 See below. 6 Butler 1973; Butler & Steegstra 2001/2002; Fontijn 2002; Nienhuis et al. 2011; Joachim & Weber 2006. 7 Nienhuis et al. 2011. 8 See also section 4.4. 9 Lesenne 1968, 277-278, as well as the more recent articles reported in this article. 10 We would like to thank Danny Keijers, currently living in the Kinrooi municipality. Keijers has access via Geerkens’ descen- dants to the original notes. He also conducted several interviews with members of the family of the finder, M. Hermans. 11 Many authors, starting with Van De Weerd, say that the hoard was found at the end of 1935; see Van De Weerd 1938. See also Butler 1973, 339-341; Butler & Steegstra 2001/2002, 302-304. There is no doubt that Geerkens’ version is accurate. 12 Wielockx 1986, 125-136 presents the most complete inventory, including the locations at the time and a bibliography of the examined axes. She was able to trace seven axes with certainty. There are a further five axes whose location or origin is not (or is no longer) certain. The list is completed by Keijers (2000, I, 63-66, 189-190 and II, site no. 11), who could trace 11 axes with certainty. He also gives information about the find circumstances and the location of the site. – 9 – Atuatuca 4 binnenwerk_J_Roman Glass A4-2 5/10/12 10:54 Pagina 10 was the first to come into Geerkens’ hands. Venlo. Today, the find spot is located about two Nobody had taken the effort to collect it kilometres west of the Meuse riverbed. This is because it was only fragmentary. On that day an area of dry sand, comprising a wet gully, he managed to gather together another six several hundred metres west of the alluvial complete axes, and later a further seven. The Meuse plain (fig. 2) and part of the cover-sand earliest publications claim that there were 26 area that was formed during the last ice age. axes,13 while later publications often state that there were 28.14 The digital elevation model (fig. 3)18 also con- According to Geerkens,15 the axes were discov- firms that the find spot is located on a some- ered when foundations were being laid for a what higher section on the eastern side of a building belonging to Gielen, a miller. Pleistocene gully and north of the present-day Geerkens and Van De Weerd16 mention that these Witbeek valley. This gully (the ‘Vijverbeek’) axes were bound together with a cord, which is still contains sandy loam in places (fig. 2). rather astonishing. The cord, whose material is According to Paulissen (1973a), before 700 BC – unknown, fell apart as soon as it was touched. at the time when the bronze hoard was buried – the bed of the Meuse lay less than 500 metres Topographical and geomorphological east of the find spot, at the place where the situation Witbeek now runs in a northerly direction. The hoard was found at Geistingen The riverbed dried up in about 700 BC.19 Recent Letterveld,17 on the western side of a building C14 measurements indicate a date of 1100-521 situated close to the road from Maaseik to BC.20 There is a striking resemblance to the Fig. 2. Topographical and geomorphological situation of the Geistingen hoard. 1.humid anthropogenic sand; 2. humid sand; 3. dry sand; 4. humid sandy loam; 5. wet sandy loam. 13 Geerkens (1937, 343), Van De Weerd (1938), Mariën (1952, 225) and De Laet (1958, 128) report that 26 axes were found. Keijers (2000, I, 63-66) also thinks that the hoard comprised 26 axes. 14 For example, De Laet 1979, 444, which is not correct. 15 According to the interviews carried out by Danny Keijers, one source (a son of Hermans, the finder) says it was a slurry pit. 16 Geerkens 1937; Van De Weerd 1938. 17 See B 310 at the boundary between plots 310 m and 310 l.