Technological reconstruction of the late prehistoric (ca. 1000 BC – ca. 700 AD) copper production at the Vilabouly Complex (Central Laos)
Author: Cadet, Mélissa
Under the direction of : Philippe Dillmann
Paris 10 University
Texte français
Keywords: Archaeology, Laos, Late prehistory, Southeast Asia, Copper metallurgy, Laos, Exchange networks, Savannakhét, Geochemical prospecting, Archaeological excavations, Local exchange systems.
Abstract
Evolving from purely ‘origins’-based research, significant advances have been made in our understanding of early Southeast Asian metallurgy in the last decade, partly through new excavations of metal production sites, and partly through the application of established provenance methodologies to assemblages covering almost two millennia. The Vilabouly Complex (ca. 1000 BC – ca. 700 AD) in central Laos (Savannakhet Province) is only the third primary production site physically known in Southeast Asia and has revealed major copper mining and smelting sites (Puen Baolo and Thong Na Nguak) with artefacts linked to the smelting of copper (ores, slags, crucibles and scorched clay) along with copper and copper-alloyed artefacts (ingots, drums, axes etc.). Analyses of the different types of artefacts (OM, SEM-EDS, Raman Spectroscopy, pXRF, lead isotope analyses) permit the reconstitution of the chaîne opératoire of copper production involved at the VC and its wider implication for Southeast Asian metallurgy and a contribution to the late prehistoric studies in general. Results seems to show the use of a crucible smelting technology during an unintentional and variable one-step co-smelting revealing a mastery of the production process leading to homogenized by-products denoting good metal/impurities separation. The main mineral exploited was malachite, but sulfidic minerals (chalcocite) must have been present in the smelting charge as well, depending on the mineralization exploited. Primary and most probably secondary copper production are attested with most of the metal objects ‘lead isotope signature’ matching VC one with objects composed of copper, bronze and leaded-bronze. The consistent geochemical signature corroborates the extensive on site production and fits with the regional copper-base metal being sated in part by VC supply as the VC lead isotope signature has been identified in the copper exchange networks across Southeast Asia, involving metal consumers from Myanmar, Thailand and Cambodia.
