‘Late Iron Age and Early Roman Brooches From the Lower Rhine Area: Provenance of the Metal Supply Traced Through Lead Isotopes’ by Arjan Ruiter, Bertil van Os, Vick Hermsen, Gareth R. Davies and Steven Merkel

Title: Late Iron Age and Early Roman Brooches From the Lower Rhine Area: Provenance of the Metal Supply Traced Through Lead Isotopes

Authors: Arjan Ruiter, Bertil van Os, Vick Hermsen, Gareth R. Davies and Steven Merkel

Publication year: 2026

Publication type: artikel

Abstract

Geochemical analysis of five brooch types from the Lower Rhine area dated to the last century bc and first century ad is used to constrain resource use, exchange and mobility. Lead isotope ratios demonstrate an Iberian provenance for copper in bronze Late Iron Age brooches. Lead isotope ratios of most brass brooches are similar to imperial Roman brass coinage and comparable with zinc ore deposits in the Bergamasque Alps or are interpreted as mixing between zinc sources and Iberian copper-lead sources. This indicates that control over access to raw materials by the Roman army is likely for brass Early Roman spoonbow, arched bow and eye brooches. In addition, the use of zinc from Aachen-Stolberg in Almgren 10–14 one-piece Armbrustfibeln provides additional constraints on the regional metal supply.