PROVENANCE STUDY ON BRONZE COINS MINTED AT VELIA, ITALY: THE ISSUES ZEUS/OWL AND ATHENA/OWL

The project concerns a study on the geographic origin of 65 bronze coins depicting Zeus/owl and Athena/owl, dating back to the 3rd century BC ca., and coming from the Greek colony of Elea/Velia, in Southern Italy. The coins are part of a broader project of research promoted by the University of Salerno. The chemical elemental compositions and the Lead isotope analyses were carried out at the CHNet (Cultural Heritage Network) department of the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso-INFN by using ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry) and TIMS (Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry) techniques. The primary goals of this study involve discerning a reliable metal provenance for the examined coin samples and investigating the geochemistry of the mining districts. Lead isotope ratios were compared with those from several ore deposits of the main Mediterranean areas (Spain, Italy, Greece, and Cyprus) to fingerprint the sources of the investigated coins. Most of the coins obtain a certain source, overlapping clusters belonging to Greece, Attica (Laurion mines) and Aegean areas (Cyclades islands of Siros, Kea, Antiparos, Serifos and Sifnos). Some coins match with Spain South-East, in particular Cartagena-Mazarron and Almeria areas. Furthermore, a small portion of the coins exhibits uncertain provenance, suggesting the possibility of metal recycling. The provided information aids in reconstructing the trade routes for the supply of metal and understanding the socio-economic relationships of Velia and the role played by low-value coins at Velia.