Category
Partner project
Individual project
Start
2017
Status
Completed
This PhD project deals with the technological history of the use of copper and its alloys, particularly in the Dutch Republic during the Golden Age period.
The copper produced by the major early modern mines can be distinguished by comparing the amounts and proportions of impurities. Based on the chemical analysis of a large number of well provenanced and dated objects, such as copper coins, cannons or church bells, this project will establish a detailed view of market availability through time and preferential use of copper from different mines.
This overview is relevant to future research dealing with the provenance of copper-based objects and improves our understanding of historic material processing in general.