Crucible technology at Dangeil. New insights into Kushite copper alloy metallurgy

This paper presents an in-depth study of Meroitic metallurgical remains from the Kushite city of Dangeil (third century BCE – third century CE). An assemblage of production waste was found within the construction phase of a temple dedicated to the god Amun, consisting of crucibles, casting moulds, and other technical ceramic fragments. A full documentation of these remains has been undertaken to provide a visual reference (Supplementary Materials) for similar finds encountered in Sudanese archaeology, where such technical materials rarely have been examined. This was followed by an analytical study using optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (with energy dispersive spectroscopy) to understand the nature of metallurgical operations taking place at Meroitic Dangeil. These attest to the active alloying of tin bronze with low lead concentrations, likely alongside the recycling of similar alloys. Furthermore, trace element and lead isotopic analyses of selected samples highlight shared provisioning networks with other Meroitic sites in Nubia and contemporaneous Egyptian settlements, as well as connectivity with the wider Eastern Mediterranean world. Fragments of a blowpipe and tuyère offer rare examples of crucible heating techniques in ancient Nubia, while the crucibles themselves perhaps present the greatest rarity. Although their metallurgical use is in line with expectations for this period, their rim shapes offer the first documented example of non-utilitarian decoration of such technical vessels, affording a remarkable sense of identity to the craftspeople that once used them.