Ancient Metallurgy and Socio-Economic Complexities in the 4th Millennium BCE on the Iranian Plateau
Metalworking, due to its special technical and production-related characteristics, played a very important role in ancient societies and the study of the archaeological evidence related to it is fundamental to understand ancient socio-economic complexities. Mining, smelting, annealing, casting, prod...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Archaeological Sciences Research Centre, University of Sistan and Baluchestan
2017-02-01
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| Series: | Iranian Journal of Archaeological Studies |
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| Online Access: | https://ijas.usb.ac.ir/article_4256_6946c65a36f6cb773351eecd782c48a0.pdf |
| _version_ | 1797904114560008192 |
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| author | Rahmat Abbasnejad Seresti |
| author_facet | Rahmat Abbasnejad Seresti |
| author_sort | Rahmat Abbasnejad Seresti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Metalworking, due to its special technical and production-related characteristics, played a very important role in ancient societies and the study of the archaeological evidence related to it is fundamental to understand ancient socio-economic complexities. Mining, smelting, annealing, casting, production of ingot, as well as alloying, are some of the stages in the metalworking process. The present study analyzes the background of the specialized metal production on the Iranian Plateau and the related demand for raw materials or metal products. The central, eastern, and south-eastern areas of Iran are here considered as the most important regions in the formation and expansion of the metallurgy in south-western Asia. In addition, the production and distribution of metal at the regional and trans-regional level was one of the most important factors in the formation and expansion of complex societies, and fostered the political economy and the emergence of agency institutions and sovereignty in these regions of Iran. Copper ingot was one of the commodities traded in the 4th millennium BCE and later. There are two other important points in the field of archaeometallurgy of Iran. Firstly, the specialized metal production process allowed just men to assign strict mining and smelting operations. Secondly, the rulers by means of the strategic activity of metallurgy provided the basis for the continuation of the social and economic benefits acquired by them and the sustainability of the state of society. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T09:43:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d96110bf891b47c6a3be1164abec0c35 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2251-743X 2676-2919 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T09:43:40Z |
| publishDate | 2017-02-01 |
| publisher | Archaeological Sciences Research Centre, University of Sistan and Baluchestan |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Iranian Journal of Archaeological Studies |
| spelling | doaj.art-d96110bf891b47c6a3be1164abec0c352023-02-17T06:01:49ZengArchaeological Sciences Research Centre, University of Sistan and BaluchestanIranian Journal of Archaeological Studies2251-743X2676-29192017-02-017111510.22111/ijas.2017.42564256Ancient Metallurgy and Socio-Economic Complexities in the 4th Millennium BCE on the Iranian PlateauRahmat Abbasnejad Seresti0Department of Archaeology, University of Mazandaran, IranMetalworking, due to its special technical and production-related characteristics, played a very important role in ancient societies and the study of the archaeological evidence related to it is fundamental to understand ancient socio-economic complexities. Mining, smelting, annealing, casting, production of ingot, as well as alloying, are some of the stages in the metalworking process. The present study analyzes the background of the specialized metal production on the Iranian Plateau and the related demand for raw materials or metal products. The central, eastern, and south-eastern areas of Iran are here considered as the most important regions in the formation and expansion of the metallurgy in south-western Asia. In addition, the production and distribution of metal at the regional and trans-regional level was one of the most important factors in the formation and expansion of complex societies, and fostered the political economy and the emergence of agency institutions and sovereignty in these regions of Iran. Copper ingot was one of the commodities traded in the 4th millennium BCE and later. There are two other important points in the field of archaeometallurgy of Iran. Firstly, the specialized metal production process allowed just men to assign strict mining and smelting operations. Secondly, the rulers by means of the strategic activity of metallurgy provided the basis for the continuation of the social and economic benefits acquired by them and the sustainability of the state of society.https://ijas.usb.ac.ir/article_4256_6946c65a36f6cb773351eecd782c48a0.pdfarchaeometallurgy4th millennium bceiranian plateausocio-economic complexitiesspecialized production of metal |
| spellingShingle | Rahmat Abbasnejad Seresti Ancient Metallurgy and Socio-Economic Complexities in the 4th Millennium BCE on the Iranian Plateau Iranian Journal of Archaeological Studies archaeometallurgy 4th millennium bce iranian plateau socio-economic complexities specialized production of metal |
| title | Ancient Metallurgy and Socio-Economic Complexities in the 4th Millennium BCE on the Iranian Plateau |
| title_full | Ancient Metallurgy and Socio-Economic Complexities in the 4th Millennium BCE on the Iranian Plateau |
| title_fullStr | Ancient Metallurgy and Socio-Economic Complexities in the 4th Millennium BCE on the Iranian Plateau |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ancient Metallurgy and Socio-Economic Complexities in the 4th Millennium BCE on the Iranian Plateau |
| title_short | Ancient Metallurgy and Socio-Economic Complexities in the 4th Millennium BCE on the Iranian Plateau |
| title_sort | ancient metallurgy and socio economic complexities in the 4th millennium bce on the iranian plateau |
| topic | archaeometallurgy 4th millennium bce iranian plateau socio-economic complexities specialized production of metal |
| url | https://ijas.usb.ac.ir/article_4256_6946c65a36f6cb773351eecd782c48a0.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rahmatabbasnejadseresti ancientmetallurgyandsocioeconomiccomplexitiesinthe4thmillenniumbceontheiranianplateau |