ORE SOURCE OF ARSENIC COPPER TOOLS FROM ISRAEL DURING CHALCOLITHIC AND EARLY BRONZE AGES

An ancient copper mine from southern Sinai, within the crystalline roc ks of the Arabo-Nubian Massif, contains the arsenic-rich copper minera ls koutekite (Cu5AS2) and domeykite (Cu3As), associated with native co pper. In this site, ancient quarrying activity is found next to Chalco lithic and Early-Bronze Age settlements. Arsenic-rich copper tools of these ages were found in Israel. The ore-source of these tools is stil l unknown and some believe that it was imported from Armenia. This ars enic copper occurrence, first reported here, may point to the ore-sour ce of the arsenic-rich copper artifacts manufactured in the local copp er industry.