Contents of deposits from the archaeological site of Sobolów in Bochnia—A contribution to prehistoric foundry activity

Abstract

In the Sobolów area, three hoards of the Hallstatt period were discovered, containing ornaments, waste and scrap of tin–lead–bronze alloy, with iron objects in close proximity, possibly indicating the existence of a foundry workshop. They were accompanied by glass beads, an indicator of the settlement of the Lusatian EB-Ha Culture, found together with amber beads, and fragments of composite bracelets made of narrow ‘scapes’ tightly clamped on a wooden hoop. Macro- and light microscopy chemical composition analysis by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and, for the glass bead, scanning electron microscopy with X-ray microanalysis were used.