METALWORKING AT ARSLANTEPE VILLAGE VI B2 (EBA): THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE USE-WEAR AND RESIDUES ANALYSES APPLIED TO THE MACRO-LITHIC TOOLS

A functional analysis of the artifacts involved in metalworking can provide interest ing information about the steps required to obtain a metal object starting from the raw mineral. Combined with a spatial analysis, it allows to evaluate the organization of the work, how people are involved in the production and management of specialized areas in relation to domestic spaces. In this paper, we discuss the role that macrolithic tools played in metalworking, particularly in the processing of minerals, in an Early Bronze Age village in the ancient Near-East (Arslantepe period VI B2, 3100-2800 BC, Eastern Anatolia). Starting with an overview of the distribution of evidence related to metal production in the village, we focus on two sample areas: a metallurgical atelier and a storage room of a house. Through macroscopic observations and use-wear analyses of a sample of macrolithic tools correlated with other data from these areas, the production processes conducted in the metallurgical area are documented, particularly the steps involving minerals before smelting. Moreover, we investigate whether some activities related to metallurgy were conducted within a domestic space to verify if o