The Massif Central as a Centre of Roman Brass Production? New Geochemical Data of the So‐Called Hemmoor Buckets

ABSTRACT New analytical data of the so‐called Hemmoor buckets, a group of brass vessels from the Roman period of the 2nd to 3rd century ad that are widespread throughout central and eastern Europe, show considerable similarities with the polymetallic Cévennes ore deposits in south‐eastern France in terms of their geochemical characteristics and lead isotope ratios. The consistency of the analytical data collected in this work with those of brass ingots from a shipwreck off the Corsican coast near Aléria, additional literature data for Roman brass, and the presumed brass industry at nearby Lyon allows us to assume the wider Massif Central region as a possible centre of brass production in the Roman period. Furthermore, the newly collected data allow to exclude other deposit areas previously associated with Roman brass production.