From macro to micro approaches in settlement archaeology

In this paper, we present an interdisciplinary and multiscalar study of an Early Iron Age smithy uncovered at the Pungrt hillfort in Central Slovenia. By examining and comparing the stratigraphic and artefactual evidence preserved at both macro- and micro-scales this study highlights the importance of integrated micromorphological and micro-refuse analyses in settlement contexts. Our integrated approach allowed us to identify the blacksmith’s workshop and cyclical skimming of the floor surface in the wider area of the anvil, revealing the presence of lime plaster technology for the first time during this period in Slovenia. Additionally, we discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the macro and micro-evidence examined, as well as the geoarchaeological methods used, by exploring the distinct ways in which micromorphology and micro-refuse analysis complement each other.