Metals make the world go round : the supply and circulation of metals in Bronze Age Europe : proceedings of a conference held at the University of Birmingham in June 1997

This collection of eighteen papers, presented at a conference held at the University of Birmingham in 1997, analyses the production and use of metals and metal objects across western and eastern Europe. Contents: Supply and circulation of metals in Bronze Age Europe (Christopher Pare); Circulation of copper in Early Bronze Age mainland Greece (Maria Kayafa, Sophie Stos-Gale & Noel Gale); Trade in metals in the Bronze Age Mediterranean (Sophie Stos-Gale); Buried metal in Late Minoan inheritance customs (Eva Baboula); Circulation of metals and the end of the Bronze Age in the Eastern Mediterranean (Susan Sherratt); Sicilian hoards and protohistoric metal trade int he central West Mediterranean (Claudio Giardino); Copper supply for Frattesina (Mark Pearce); Metallurgy and social dynamics in the later prehistory of Spain (Margarita Diaz-Andreu & Ignacio Montero); A model for the Atlantic final Bronze Age in the Iberian Peninsula (Richard Harrison & Alfredo Mederos Martin); Mining, processing and distribution of Bronze (Stefan Winghart); Ritual violence in Late Bronze Age hoards (Louis Nebelsick); Metal circulation, communication and traditions of craftmanship in late Bronze Age and early Iron Age Europe (Christoph Huth); Hoarding and the circulation of metalwork in late Bronze Age Denmark (Koen Verlaeck); Late Bronze Age axe hoards in western and northern Europe (Regine Maraszek); Bronzes in the Baltic and in North-East Europe (Andrzej Pydyn); Introduction to weight systems in the Bronze Age (Hanne Lassen); Balance weights from the Late Bronze Age shipwreck at Uluburun (Cemal Pulak); Weight systems and exchange networks Contains Bibliographic References. Bronze And The Bronze Age / Christopher Pare -- Circulation Of Copper In The Early Bronze Age In Mainland Greece : The Lead Isotope Evidence From Lerna, Lithares And Tsoungiza / Maria Kayafa, Sophie Stos-gale And Noel Gale -- Trade In Metals In The Bronze Age Mediterranean : An Overview Of Lead Isotope Data From Provenance Studies / Sophie Stos-gale -- 'buried' Metal In Late Minoan Inheritance Customs / Evanthia Baboula -- Circulation Of Metals And The End Of The Bronze Age In The Eastern Mediterranean / Susan Sherratt -- Sicilian Hoards And Protohistoric Metal Trade In The Central West Mediterranean / Claudio Giardino -- Metals Make The World Go Round : The Copper Supply For Frattesina / Mark Pearce -- Metallurgy And Social Dynamics In The Later Prehistory Of Mediterranean Spain / Margarita Díaz-andreu And Ignacio Montero -- Patronage And Clientship ; A Model For The Atlantic Final Bronze Age In The Iberian Peninsula / Richard Harrison And Alfredo Mederos Martín -- Mining, Processing And Distribution Of Bronze : Reflections On The Organization Of Metal Supply Between The Northern Alps And The Danube Region / Stefan Winghart -- Rent Asunder : Ritual Violence In Late Bronze Age Hoards / Louis Nebelsick -- Metal Circulation, Communication And Traditions Of Craftsmanship In Late Bronze Age And Early Iron Age Europe / Christoph Huth -- Hoarding And The Circulation Of Metalwork In Late Bronze Age Denmark : Quantification And Beyond / Koen Verlaeckt -- Late Bronze Age Axe Hoards In Western And Northern Europe / Regina Maraszek -- Value And Exchange Of Bronzes In The Baltic Area And In North-east Europe / Andrzej Pydyn -- Introduction To Weight Systems In The Bronze Age East Mediterranean : The Case Of Kalavasos-ayios Dhimitrios / Hanne Lassen -- Balance Weights From The Late Bronze Age Shipwreck At Uluburun / Cemal Pulak -- Weight Systems And Exchange Networks In Bronze Age Europe / Marisa Ruiz-gálvez. Bronze And The Bronze Age / Christopher Pare -- The Circulation Of Copper In The Early Bronze Age In Mainland Greece : The Lead Isotope Evidence From Lerna, Lithares And Tsoungiza / Maria Kayafa, Sophie Stos-gale & Noel Gale / Trade In Metals In The Bronze Age Mediterranean : An Overview Of Lead Isotope Data For Provenance Studies / Sophie Stos-gale -- Buried Metal In Late Minoan Inheritance Customs / Evanthia Baboula -- Circulation Of Metals And The End Of The Bronze Age In The Eastern Mediterranean / Susan Sherratt -- Sicilian Hoards And Protohistoric Metal Trade In The Central West Mediterranean / Claudio Giardino -- Metals Make The World Go Round : The Copper Supply For Frattesina / Mark Pearce -- Metallurgy And Social Dynamics In The Later Prehistory Of Mediterranean Spain / Margarita Díaz-andreu & Ignacio Montero -- Patronage And Clientship : A Model For The Atlantic Final Bronze Age In The Iberian Peninsula / Richard Harrison & Alfredo Mederos Martín. Mining, Processing And Distribution Of Bronze : Reflections On The Organisation Of Metal Supply Between The Northern Alps And The Danube Region / Stefan Winghart -- Rent Asunder : Ritual Violence In Late Bronze Age Hoards / Louis Nebelsick -- Metal Circulation, Communication And Traditions Of Craftsmanship In Late Bronze Age And Early Iron Age Europe / Christoph Huth -- Hoarding And The Circulation Of Metalwork In Late Bronze Age Denmark : Quantification And Beyond / Koen Verlaeckt -- Late Bronze Age Axe Hoards In Western And Northern Europe / Regine Maraszek -- Value And Exchange Of Bronzes In The Baltic Area And In North-east Europe / Andrzej Pydyn -- Introduction To Weight Systems In The Bronze Age East Mediterranean : The Case Of Kalavasos-ayios Dhimitrios / Hanne Lassen -- The Balance Weights From The Late Bronze Age Shipwreck At Uluburun / Cemal Pulak -- Weight Systems And Exchange Networks In Bronze Age Europe / Marisa Ruiz-gálvez. Edited By C.f.e. Pare. Contains Bibliographic References. In book: Pare C. (ed.) Metals Make the World Go Round. — Oxford: Oxbow Books, 2000. — pp. 1-38. The term 'Bronze Age' has been in use since the birth of modem archaeology, and one would expect the concept to be well understood. Strangely, this is not the case, and there is no consensus on how to use the term. This is surely because the Three Age System is thought not to be a profitable subject for modem research. But if the Three Age System is obselete, why is it so widely used? Is there, after all, something which makes the Bronze Age fundamentally different from other 'Ages'? The purpose of this article was to explore the meaning of the term 'Bronze Age'. During my research on the Bronze Age/Iron Age transition, the simple question arose: how important was bronze for Bronze Age societies?