BRONZE ALLOYS FROM CANAAN DURING THE MIDDLE BRONZE-AGE

The chemical composition of 50 figurines, jewellery, weapons and tools of Middle Bronze Age from Canaan was studied. Although tin-bronze was already being alloyed in the late Early Bronze Age, our results show that during the Middle Bronze Age, arsenical bronze was still in use s imultaneously with tin-bronze, mostly in weapons and tools. On the oth er hand, casting of tin-bronze figurines and jewellery flourished duri ng the Middle Bronze Age, enhancing the creativity of artistic and sop histicated metal objects in the Land of the Canaanites. (C) 1997 Acade mic Press Limited.