Forging Value. Metals Technologies in the Aegean and Beyond from the 4th to the 1st Millennium BCE

The significance of early metallurgy, its organisational complexity and the associated far-reaching networks for exchanging its valuable products have been central themes in archaeological research since long ago. The geographical location of Greek Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, connecting the Aegean with the Balkans and Anatolia, the rich mineral deposits and vibrant interactions of local communities with incoming populations played a crucial role in technological exchange. Production of base and precious metals seems to have been an identity-forming element for this region as hinted in the recurring references to its rich metalworking tradition by several ancient authors.
The Marie Sklodowska-Curie funded project Metals Technology in North Aegean Societies (ME Tech. NAS.) focused on cases of metal production and consumption in this region while exploring the possible connections with neighbouring or more distant lands. Within this framework the International Symposium Forging Values focused on mining, ore processing, metallurgy, trade and deposition of metals from the Late Neolithic to the Hellenistic period in Greece and surrounding regions aiming to attempt a vivid demonstration of current and ongoing research. Participants to the conference addressed important issues such as the production and trade of copper and silver during the Bronze Age, the emergence and adoption of iron technology, the importance of gold and silver used as pre-monetary media for transactions and the large-scale extraction and purification of precious metals during Classical antiquity. This volume presents a selection of papers covering part of the presented research topics and its scope is to contribute to the field of interdisciplinary studies on ancient metallurgy (archaeometallurgy) with new results, methodological approaches and novel interpretative tools.