A Provenance Analysis in Lloseta Hoard (Mallorca) and Hybridization Phenomena in the Late Bronze Age

Abstract

This article presents lead isotope analyses from the Lloseta (Majorca) deposit and looks into the possible provenance of the raw material used in artifacts. Thanks to the marked local character of its artifact designs, as well as likely being one of the oldest documented finds, this Late Bronze Age site is deemed one of the most important in the Balearic Islands. The results of the analyses show that the raw material used mostly came from the archipelago, with good matches with the copper minerals of Menorca and the lead minerals of Mallorca. Although it is possible that some objects were made with metals not from the islands, the findings suggest that these materials did not come from distant geographic regions. The result of the study shows a set of pieces that reflects the coexistence of local practices and traditions with new ideas and technological innovations, thus being a good example of hybridization.