Brass in the Sasanian frontiers: Assessing metallurgical innovation through archaeological finds at Merv and Nineveh

While the bronze metalworking traditions of ancient Iran are well-known, a growing body of data is revealing the role and extent of brass usage in this region. Brass objects are well-documented in neighbouring Roman/Byzantine and, to a lesser extent, Central Asian communities of the first millennium CE, but almost nothing is known about brass use in the Sasanian empire. This, however, is a key region and period for understanding the process of innovation and adoption of brass that would culminate in its widespread use in the subsequent Islamic period. Scientific investigation of finds from archaeological excavations offers the opportunity to enhance our understanding of Sasanian metalworking. In this paper, we examine archaeological evidence for Sasanian brass from two famous settlements at opposite ends of the empire – the north-east regional capital of Merv in Khurasan (present-day Turkmenistan) and the ancient city of Nineveh in northern Iraq. These draw on recent excavations and old museum collections respectively, using stratigraphic and typological evidence to date the pieces in question. Combining XRF and SEM-EDS compositional analyses and radiography, we show the Sasanian utilisation of brass in both cast and sheet form for both decorative and military functions, alongside continuing bronze traditions. We distinguish early cast forms driven by probable colour considerations from sheet forms that leverage both the material and materiality advantages of brass. We also reflect on the possible role and importance of brass for Sasanian military metalworking, as a working hypothesis for the investigation of both museum collections and future archaeological materials. • Contextual study of the use of brass in Sasanian metalworking from archaeological finds. • Evidence for the use of high-quality brass alloys for both decorative and military functions. • Significance of different material and materiality dynamics for the adoption of brass in cast and sheet form. • Implications for the possible role and importance of brass in Sasanian military metalworking.