The “Tin Problem” in the Prehistoric Near East: Further Insights from a Study of Chemical Datasets on Copper Alloys from Iran and Mesopotamia

Abstract

A great number of ancient bronzes have been recovered in the Near East, but the source of the tin used for their production remains elusive. This paper proposes new insights into the “tin problem” by using a “big data” approach. Chemical analyses of over 5000 Bronze Age and Iron Age copper alloys from Iran and neighbouring regions have been assembled. By interrogating this dataset within a suitable framework we can now show that different systems of exchange existed, where tin was added at different stages in the process, and we highlight the likely importance of tin sources in western Iran during the Iron Age.