Gods, Caves, and Scholars: Chalcolithic Cult and Metallurgy in the Judean Desert

A recent analysis of ceramic mold remains attached to copper implements from Israel suggests that the Ein Gedi area in the Judean Desert was the origin of sophisticated Chalcolithic copper objects produced using the lost wax technique. This contradicts previous assumptions that such items were either imports or locally produced with remote materials. The study, based on ongoing research, provides new insights into the production process and offers better explanations for archaeological evidence. By examining copper artifacts from the Nahal Mishmar hoard and other sites, researchers identified a dichotomy between simple tools made of pure copper and elaborate prestige items made of copper alloys with antimony and arsenic. The findings refine our understanding of early metallurgy in the southern Levant.

Goren, Y. (2014). GODS, CAVES, AND SCHOLARS: Chalcolithic Cult and Metallurgy in the Judean Desert. Near Eastern Archaeology, 77(4), 260–266. https://doi.org/10.5615/neareastarch.77.4.0260