Our research confirmed that it was the Romans who introduced the use of brass to western and central Europe, and indicate that the use of brass on a regular basis in Roman Europe should be dated to c. 60 BC, which is about 40 years earlier than generally accepted. The results described are highly important for the archaeometric research of the late prehistoric and Roman period. This is indicated by the fact that it was chosen, among 120 applicants, for an oral presentation at the international archaeometric conference in honour of P. Craddock, and was one of only 25 selected for publication.
COBISS.SI-ID: 6620768
Research of finds from the site of Grad near Reka and its surroundings high above the gorge of the River Idrijca (W. Slovenia) has shown that the large amount of Roman military finds is most probably related to a single military event between Romans and the indigenous inhabitants, c. 40/30 B.C. Late republican contexts with Roman military finds are exceptionally rare, therefore publication of each of them is important. Our paper on the finds from Grad pri Reki is quoted in the second edition of the widely read book Bishop, M. C./Coulston, J. C. N., Roman military equipment, Oxford 2006, 294.
COBISS.SI-ID: 5396576
Statistically reliable results of more than 500 analyses of prehistoric artefacts from Slovenia and neighbouring countries suggest the use of relatively pure copper (chalcopyrite) with low total impurities ((2%) in the bronzes of 13th – 11th cent. BC. Conversely, in the transitional period 11/10th cent. BC higher impurity totals (0.5% -70%) with dominant Sb suggest that Fahlore and polymetallic ores were used for production of metal. Our results are comparable to other researches particularly in Germany (see citations in Sperber, Der Anschnitt 17, 2004, 303-345, fn.106-108, 133, 175).
COBISS.SI-ID: 3352090
Antimony copper type is most often found in artefacts from the Ljubljana Moor in the 3rd mill. BC. It is also widespread between the Carpathians and the Eastern Alps. This corresponds to strong archaeological links between the Ljubljana Moor and the Pannonian settlements, evidenced also by the two-part moulds for shaft-hole axes. Their appearance in the Balkans, the Carpathian Basin and in the Ljubljana Moor demonstrate the dissemination of copper metallurgy and a new casting technique from Anatolia to central Europe at that time.
COBISS.SI-ID: 28884781
Experimental and numerical procedures for determination of concentration profiles near the object surface were developed. The method is based on sequential measurements using different projectile energies, probing different target thicknesses. For determination of heavy elements according to their L lines, a new analytical approximation for L alpha cross sections was made. The investigation involved tinning, silvering and gilding of bronze, brass and silver Roman and early medieval objects. For gilding, the concentration profiles of mercury indicated the amalgamation technique.
COBISS.SI-ID: 21587751