Artefactos de ferro em contextos do Bronze Final do território português: Novos contributos e reavaliação dos dados. Iron artefacts in contexts of the Late Bronze Age in the Portuguese territory

Abstract

Excavations conducted in Late Bronze Age settlements in the Portuguese territory, namely in the “Beiras” region (Castelo Branco and Viseu) have provided new and consistent information related to the first iron artefacts encountered in the region. The archaeological contexts and C14 dates (previous to the 9th century BC., hence from Pre-Phoenician cultural contexts) of 28 records indicate a precocious incorporation and circulation of iron in the indigenous societies of the Late Bronze Age in the Western Iberian Peninsula. Amongst others, the following aspects will be emphasized: the concentration of iron in the interior, far from the coastline; the occurrence of iron in indigenous habitats known to be users and procures of bronze; the rudimentary production of soft irons with low microhardness levels; the possible bimetallism of its production, reveled by bimetallic artefacts depositions.