Recent research has brought the prolific bronze industry of Bronze Age Colchis (modern western Georgia) into focus, but many aspects are still poorly understood. This study synthesizes and reinterprets legacy Cu alloy compositional data to investigate technological choices and spatial patterning. It reveals a massive injection of fresh copper into the system during the Late Bronze–Early Iron Age, and a high degree of selectivity in the alloys used for different objects, with colour being as important as hardness in determining these choices. Spatial analyses show significant geographical variability in alloying practices, which map onto topographical zones in unexpected ways. We also explore recycling practices and argue that the term encompasses a range of different reuse activities, which may be employed under differing economic conditions. Finally, the data suggest relatively extensive primary alloying of tin and copper in the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages, which further substantiates the speculation that some local tin sources were exploited.

中文翻译：

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南高加索铜基冶金技术选择与回收利用空间调查

最近的研究使青铜时代科尔基斯（现代乔治亚州西部）的多产青铜产业成为焦点，但许多方面仍知之甚少。本研究综合并重新解释了传统的铜合金成分数据，以研究技术选择和空间格局。它揭示了青铜时代晚期至铁器时代早期向系统中大量注入的新鲜铜，以及用于不同物体的合金的高度选择性，在决定这些选择时，颜色与硬度一样重要。空间分析显示合金化实践中存在显着的地理差异，这以意想不到的方式映射到地形区域。我们还探讨了回收实践，并认为该术语包含一系列不同的再利用活动，这些活动可能在不同的经济条件下使用。