• Bauvais, Sylvain
• Fluzin, Philippe
• Berranger, Marion
• Leroy, Stéphanie
• Dillmann, Philippe
• Disser, Alexandre

Abstract

The role of the development of iron metallurgy in the implementation of societal transformations in Hallstatt D and La Tène A1 is questioned here by attempting to address regional particularities within a cultural background common to the entire Northwestern Alpine complex. First of all, the iron ore reduction activities are mainly located outside the western Hallstattian area, to the west and northwest. On the other hand, forging activities are mainly located in the North Alpine complex. It is at the time of the appearance of the "princely residences" (from Hallstatt C2 to Hallstatt D2 depending on the sector) that the first traces of forging activities are notable. It was not until Hallstatt D3 that important production centers and residential sites with permanent forging activities appeared. Because of their more or less direct proximity to centers of primary iron production, some "princely residences" can benefit more from the wealth generated. The great majority of raw iron production being outside the areas directly controlled by the elites, the exchange networks that developed during this period allowed other regions to benefit from this booming economy. It thus appears that iron played an important role in the development of the highly hierarchical societies surrounding the "princely residences". Nevertheless, this role is not played at the level of a local exploitation of the ore but rather in the control of the exchange networks of raw or roughly compacted iron (bipyramid semi-finished products) and in its transformation into manufactured products.

Topics

• impedance spectroscopy
• laser emission spectroscopy
• iron
• forging